Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus has named its third on-campus residence hall Earhart Hall in honor of Kansas aviator and female trailblazer Amelia Earhart. Earhart Hall will open later this year, and the facility's name recognizes the campus's history of teaching future aeronauts.
"Providing a strong campus community helps students succeed both inside and outside of the classroom," said Kyle Chamberlin, assistant dean of student life. "Choosing the name Earhart Hall gives us the opportunity to honor past aviation leaders while hopefully inspiring our current students to dream big and make an impact in their future."
Earhart was born in 1897 in Atchison, Kansas, approximately 160 miles from the Salina campus. After years of interest in aviation as a youth, she went on to shape aviation in America with numerous flying records. In 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and in 1935, she became the first woman to fly solo from Hawaii to the United States mainland.
Earhart's legacy includes advocacy for equality and women's rights. She spent numerous years advocating for greater female representation in all aspects of life. She was elected the first president of the of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, an international group of female pilots advancing aviation through education, mutual support and more. Earhart's determination and courage has also helped inspire generations of female pilots.
The new Earhart Hall will be a 104-bed facility equipped with the latest technology. It will open in August and house students beginning in the fall 2023 semester. Kansas business Hutton Corporation designed and constructed Earhart Hall.