First cohort of UND flight dispatch students prepares to enter workforce
FAA-approved program celebrates first graduating class and 100% pass rate on federal certification exams
Less than a year after the Federal Aviation Administration approved UND’s aircraft dispatcher certification courses, the University’s first cohort of students now has the option to enter one of aviation’s most critical careers.
That first cohort (made up of 19 students) completed the FAA-required 200 hours of instruction through UND’s newly approved dispatch curriculum.
They also became the first group at the University to all pass the written and oral exams required for FAA aircraft dispatcher certification, with the latter taking as long as six to eight hours to complete.
Samantha Ross, an assistant professor of Aviation, led the charge to establish the new course, and worked to help prepare the students for the FAA exams. She placed the success of the new program squarely on the hard work of her students:
“This program would not have been successful without the students,” Ross told UND Today. “It doesn’t matter how much effort and energy I’ve put into this. If the students didn’t match that energy, it wouldn’t have been successful.
The program, housed within the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, was officially approved by the FAA in 2025 after a years-long development and review process. UND joined a relatively small group of institutions nationwide authorized to offer FAA-approved dispatcher certification coursework.
Aircraft dispatchers work alongside airline captains to plan and monitor flights, sharing legal responsibility for flight safety. Dispatchers analyze weather, fuel requirements, routing, aircraft performance and operational conditions before and during flights.
FAA-certified dispatchers can work for passenger airlines, cargo carriers and corporate aviation operators.
For many students, the dispatch program offers another pathway into the aviation industry beyond the cockpit. It also offers another career pathway to people who may not be medically cleared to be pilots.
Robert Kraus, dean of the Odegard School, said the addition of the program strengthens UND’s ability to prepare students for a variety of aviation careers.
“The addition of the dispatch courses and certification at UND provides an additional opportunity for our graduates to excel in the aviation industry,” Kraus said. “The recent success of our students is a testament to their hard work and to Samantha’s dedication in developing and teaching courses that fully prepared them to demonstrate their skills.”
Brett Venhuizen, chair of UND’s Department of Aviation, said the graduation of the first cohort marks a milestone years in the making for the department.
“It has been a decades-long goal for the Aviation Department to offer a Dispatch Certificate,” Venhuizen said. “Samantha Ross took on this effort and has not only achieved the certification of our program but also provided such high-quality training to our students that our first cohort achieved a 100% pass rate on their practical exams. Congratulations to all involved.”
Students in the first cohort to pass the FAA exams were not shy about describingn their experiences:
- “It was a little stressful,” said Sam Stein, a senior from Minneapolis. “But it feels great, just knowing that if I want to do this I can just apply for a job in a few months and hopefully, I’ll be on my way to a career.”
- “It feels like I can breathe, with the amount of studying I had to do,” said Indiana native Jacob Ambler. “I want to be a pilot, but it’s not guaranteed. This program offers a great second option that also has made me a better pilot, so it’s been very beneficial.”
- “A lot of opportunities are opening up for being a dispatcher, and I’m very excited to explore the industry and very passionate about it,” said Reese Brown, a senior from Texas. “I just found out about this program a year ago and decided to take the class. It was a lot of hard work, but I made it through.”
- “It’s been really neat to watch this program progress from an idea to being fully fleshed out,” said. Lucas de Jager, Ross’ teaching assistant and a certified flight instructor. “All of these students having certificates is great.”
- Senior Elisabeth Nelson said she would recommend the course to students who have gained some experience in the Aerospace program. “It’s not your typical college course, but it’s definitely a very rewarding course, and it can lead you on to a career in aviation that you’d never expect.”
UND’s curriculum combines existing aerospace coursework with specialized dispatcher instruction covering weather analysis, FAA regulations, air traffic procedures, navigation systems, human factors and aeronautical decision-making.
Students who complete the UND coursework receive a graduation certificate qualifying them to sit for the FAA practical examination administered either by the FAA or a designated aircraft dispatcher examiner. Successful completion leads to the FAA aircraft dispatcher certificate.
Media contact: Adam Kurtz, at adam.kurtz.1@UND.edu
