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The San Diego Air & Space Museum administers three competitive scholarship programs for San Diego County graduating seniors who plan to attend a four-year college or university. Two of these programs, the Bill Gibbs and R.A. Rearwin scholarships, are reserved for students with strong aviation or aerospace related interests, who plan to pursue a degree in mathematics, physics, the sciences or engineering. Each has a different emphasis. If you plan to apply for either of these scholarships, download this application and indicate the scholarship(s) the application is for. 

The third scholarship program, for award of Convair Alumni Association scholarships, is reserved for direct descendants (either natural or adopted) of former San Diego area employees of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, or the Convair, Astronautics or Space Systems Divisions of General Dynamics Corporation. There are no restrictions as the applicant’s field of study.  If you plan to apply for this scholarship, download this application.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum also awards an annual scholarship, in the name of the Museum, to the top applicant among all of those who plan to pursue a course of study in mathematics, physics, the sciences or engineering. Since 2014, six of these scholarships have been awarded, totaling $24,500.

Over the past 30 years, 316 talented San Diego County high school seniors have been awarded a total of $941,500 through these scholarship programs. If you are interested in increasing their reach, please consider making a tax deductible donation to any or all of these funds, or, you may wish to consider establishing a new endowment for scholarships to honor the life and career of a loved one.

Available Scholarships

Bill Gibbs Endowment Fund Offered By: The San Diego Air & Space Museum

Value: $2,500-$4,000
Postmark Deadline: April 1
Established in 1988 as the International Aerospace Hall of Fame (IAHF) Endowment Fund by the IAHF Board of Directors, with funds provided by Bill Gibbs, a San Diego businessman and founder of what is now Montgomery Field, for the purpose of providing financial assistance for students pursuing a career in aviation, or an aerospace related field, with emphasis placed on those who plan to pursue a technical specialty. In 1990 the IAHF Endowment Fund was renamed the Bill Gibbs Endowment Fund. On April 1, 1993 the IAHF merged with what is now the San Diego Air & Space Museum, which then assumed full responsibility for the Fund. Since 1989, $277,000 has been awarded to 115 Bill Gibbs scholars.
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R. A. Rearwin Scholarship Fund Offered By: The San Diego Air & Space Museum

Value: $2,500-$4,000
Postmark Deadline: April 1
The R.A. Rearwin Scholarship Fund was established in 2000 by Kenneth Rearwin and other members of the Rearwin family in honor of their late father, a noted aircraft and engine manufacturer. Scholarships are reserved for and awarded to applicants who have demonstrated a strong career interest in the aerospace industry, who are planning to pursue a degree in an aerospace related field, and who have also shown a strong interest in the "hands-on" aspects of such a career. Since 2000, there have been 41 R.A. Rearwin scholars, who have received a total of $111,900.
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Convair Alumni Association Endowment Fund Offered By: The Convair Alumni Association and The San Diego Air & Space Museum

Value: $3,000-$4,000
Postmark Deadline: April 1
The Convair Alumni Association Scholarship Fund was established by the Board of Directors of the Convair Alumni Association, with funds provided by the Convair Recreation Association and General Dynamics Corporation, for the express purpose of providing higher education opportunities for descendants of former employees. The Convair Alumni Association Scholarship Fund also benefits from annual contributions from the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation. Reuben H. Fleet founded Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, relocating his company to San Diego in 1935. There are no restrictions placed on fields of study planned by scholarship applicants. The funds supporting these scholarships are held and have been administrated by the San Diego Air & Space Museum since 1997. Since that time, 148 scholars have received a Convair Alumni Association Scholarship, totaling $513,600.
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