Embry-Riddle honored seven noteworthy alumni in October during the Prescott and Daytona Beach campus homecoming celebrations. Four alumni were honored with 2015 University Alumni Awards and three others were inducted into the Prescott Chancellor’s Alumni Hall of Fame.
The alumni receiving 2015 University Alumni Awards are Robert Ewing (’94, DB); retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Charles Schwarm (’97, PC); Seboseso “Sebo” M. Machobane (’94, PC); and Joseph Murphy (’13, DB).
Ewing, who is the aviation academy director at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a certified flight instructor, received the Alumni Service Award for his commitment and enthusiasm for the university through service, support, leadership and recruitment. Over the years, he has provided flight experiences to a least 500 youth and helped transition at least 100 graduates from Admiral Farragut to attend Embry-Riddle.
Schwarm was presented with the Military Achievement Award for his outstanding service to the country. Schwarm has logged more than 2,300 military flight hours in five types of aircraft. During his 17 years of active duty service, he flew more than 420 combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan and traveled to more than 40 foreign countries. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2014 and is now a pilot for GoJet.
Machobane was honored with the Alumni Achievement Award. A regional officer for air traffic management and search and rescue for the International Civil Aviation Organization, based in Nairobi, Kenya, he is considered “Mr. Airspace” in Africa, for his leadership in improving safety and efficiency of the Africa-Indian Ocean airspace. Through his efforts, 65 new, efficient and user-preferred route trajectories were established for the Africa-Indian Ocean regional air traffic services (ATS) route network and a new ATS route network was approved. The new route network reduces the former by 4,797 nautical miles and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 144 million metric tons.
Murphy was named Embry-Riddle’s Outstanding Young Alumnus. At the age of 23, Murphy says, he landed his “dream job,” working for Lockheed Martin. He is a flight test engineer for the F-35 fighter jet at Lockheed Martin, Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, Calif.
Prescott Chancellor’s Alumni Hall of Fame
Three accomplished Prescott Campus alumni were inducted into the Chancellor’s Alumni Hall of Fame at a special awards reception held during OctoberWest. They are William L. Cusick (’84, PC); Gabriel L. Navarrete (’88, PC); and Melissa D. Pemberton (’13, WW/PC).
Prescott Chancellor Frank Ayers (’87, WW) established the Hall of Fame in 2012 to recognize the significant contributions of alumni to their profession, the community, the Prescott Campus and the university as a whole.
Cusick is vice president for Spares and Customer Support at Zodiac Aerospace in Phoenix, Ariz. Part of the Prescott Campus’ inaugural freshman class, he has served on the board of visitors since 2013.
Navarrete is president and CEO of Urban Tactical Group in San Jose, Calif., and has more than 26 years of global security experience. Navarrete supports the campus as a recent member of the board of visitors.
Pemberton is an award-winning aerobatic pilot, a free-flying skydiver and a champion rock climber. She and her Edge 540 aircraft perform with the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatics Team. Pemberton earned the majority of her undergraduate degree credits at the Prescott Campus but left before graduating to pursue her aerobatic flying career. She ultimately completed her degree at Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.