Students in the Museum’s Aeronautical Science Pathway (ASP) program are dedicated to their success. Imagine taking a full high school courseload, playing in the school band, and taking two-hour long classes every night. Flight training fills every minute not used for homework or band performances.
For Cilicia Diaz, ASP class of 2023, this was the reality of the last two years of high school. Her successful completion of ASP helped launch her aviation career. She is now a graduate student in Aviation Safety and works as a Terminal Operations Intern at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
“The [ASP] program not only provided me with foundational aviation knowledge but also taught me the responsibility and time management skills necessary for being successful in the industry,” Diaz said.
The Museum of Flight offers ASP in partnership with the Puget Sound Skills Center and Green River College. Students who complete both ASP I and ASP II earn six high school and 60 college credits. The courses focus on topics ranging from Aviation Law to Aerodynamics to Air Traffic Control. Since the founding of the program in 2016, almost 300 students have graduated from ASP.
It takes a special kind of ambition to embrace the rigor of ASP. Those who do forge a unique and lasting bond. After 10 years of the program, The Museum of Flight has launched an ASP Alumni Network.
The Alumni Network is a collaborative project supported by the ASP Advisory Committee, the Museum, and program alumni. The Museum seeks to connect with ASP alumni and highlight their post-ASP accomplishments. Those who join the Network receive an exclusive ASP Alumni Challenge Coin, access to networking opportunities, invitations to special events, and Museum membership perks.
With a formal network now in place, ASP alumni will be able to connect with one another. This will be a resource to share professional opportunities and benefit from peers’ aerospace networks.
“In most industries, and the aviation industry specifically it’s not always about what you know, but who you know,” stated Rafael Urrea, ASP class of 2020.
Urrea and Diaz have both been instrumental in launching the Alumni Network. They serve on the planning committee and help spread the word among alumni.
Urrea, now a First Officer at Horizon Air, says he wanted to be involved with the Alumni Network because of the growth opportunities ASP provided him. “Being part of the ASP Alumni Network Committee allows me to pay those experiences forward and help create similar opportunities for others.”
The Alumni Network officially launched in January 2026. Of those who have joined, 92% have pursued or are pursuing careers in aviation or aerospace.
In addition to ASP, The Museum offers three other high school programs.
Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) is an online aerospace course for juniors. It concludes in a weeklong residency at The Museum of Flight during the summer.
Private Pilot Ground School and Aeronautical Explorations are offered for three weeks during the summer. They focus on the FAA written exam and careers in aviation operations, respectively.
Both ASP and WAS will celebrate milestone anniversaries this summer, with ASP celebrating 10 years and WAS celebrating 20.
Interested ASP alumni can learn more about the network or join by emailing alumni@museumofflight.org.