University Letter

UND's faculty and staff newsletter

Sun Country Airlines partners with UND Aerospace

Aspiring pilots have a new route to the flight deck of a Boeing 737-800, thanks to a groundbreaking partnership between Sun Country Airlines and UND.

Sun Country with UND announced that commercial aviation students at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences will now have the opportunity to secure full-time employment prior to graduation through the Sun Country Bridge Program.

“This partnership is a big win for us,” said Paul Lindseth, dean of the Odegard School. “We’re thrilled to be able to tell our students about this opportunity and help them secure employment with one of the nation’s top airlines. This also enables us to retain more student flight instructors, which means top talent will be around longer to mentor and coach our younger pilots.”

UND has partnered with other airlines in the past, but this agreement is unique. It gives students an opportunity to sign with a national carrier while they are still in school. Going straight to a national carrier, like Sun Country, means that students will have the chance to fly international routes shortly after graduation and be eligible for captaincy after just two years. This new partnership also allows Sun Country to mentor top talent much earlier in their career and provide input on the school’s curriculum.

As part of the agreement, eligible students will be required to complete their flight hours at UND. These hours can be and often are accrued when students become paid flight instructors for the school. This means that more qualified student-pilots will remain at UND as flight instructors and continue teaching up-and-coming pilots.

“Quality training is a top priority for us,” said Sun Country Airlines Chief Operating Officer John Spanjers. “We’re excited to work with a school that has long been known for its outstanding aviation program. Having the opportunity to meet and mentor students early on in their career sets the foundation for their long-term success.”

The agreement goes into effect immediately. Student interviews will take place on the UND campus through the career counseling offices when there are openings in the Sun Country Bridge Program.

About Sun Country:

Sun Country Airlines is a privately-held, Minnesota company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The award-winning airline is a leader in leisure travel flying to more than 40 popular destinations across the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, having earned a reputation for offering world-class service at an affordable price. The Company also offers services from its Sun Country Charters and Sun Country Vacations divisions. For more information, visit suncountry.com.

About UND Aerospace:

The UND Department of Aviation at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is one of the premier institutions for studies in manned and unmanned flight. With more than 1,100 commercial aviation students, the most technologically advanced simulators and the world’s largest fleet of collegiate training aircraft, the school is well known for academic excellence.

Located on the University of North Dakota campus and nearby Grand Forks International Airport — one of the most active airfields in the nation — the school’s state-of-the-art facilities provide UND students with a flight-training experience second to none.