Commerce student Courtney Cockerill of Caledonia, NS has been awarded the Gerry Bruno Scholarship, presented by the Canadian Airports Council (CAC), Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), and InterVISTAS Consulting Inc. Established in 2016, the scholarship honours Gerry Bruno, the founding CEO of InterVISTAS and a respected leader in commercial airport management. Cockerill received the award on May 27 at the 2025 Airports Canada Conference in Quebec City. 

Cockerill recently made the decision to switch from a Bachelor of Commerce with Aviation to a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours. While she is still navigating the changes that come with this shift, her goal remains rooted in the aviation industry. 

“Receiving this award feels like I’m one step closer to breaking through in the industry, building my network, and kind of making a name for myself,” she says. “It feels like a sign that this was the right decision and the right path for me.”  

Her passion for aviation began in Grade 7, when her school announced in 2013 that they would be sending a group of students to Europe in 2017 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Determined to go, Cockerill worked, fundraised, and saved for four years to fully pay her own way. 

“That was my first time on an airplane. As soon as I sat down, I knew this is for me. I want to know everything about this. I love it, and I want to do this,” says Cockerill.

While her career goals have shifted slightly, her passion for aviation hasn’t changed.  

“Even though piloting isn’t necessarily for me anymore, I still love it. I love how fast the industry moves,” she says. “Even the business and management side is interesting to me. It’s different every day and it is a fast-growing industry.” 

In addition to the scholarship, Cockerill received funding for an Independent Student Research Project entitled Towards Inclusive Aviation, which she will conduct this summer under the guidance of Commerce Professor Dr. Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers. She first became involved in 2023 when BSc Aviation Program Advisor Fraser Turner and Social Sciences Coordinator and BComm Aviation Program Advisor Susan Sparrow approached her to join the project. They recognized her interest in gender equity through her coursework in Feminist and Gender Studies and Social Policy Analysis. 

As a research assistant during the summer of 2023, Cockerill conducted a literature review on the barriers women face in aviation, including gender bias, workplace culture, and retention challenges. 

Now, the project is focusing on examining the gender gap in academic aviation programs. Specifically, the research will explore how educational institutions are —or aren’t — supporting women in aviation and what can be done to make the field more inclusive from the ground up. 

“I’m very much a feminist myself and a big part of my belief is that men and women should have equal rights.” 

Cockerill emphasizes the importance of representation. She recalls a pivotal moment during her aviation studies when her usual flight instructor was unavailable and a female instructor stepped in. 

“That was the first time in four years I had flown with a woman and met a female flight instructor,” she says. “Seeing someone like me in that role made me believe I could be there too.” 

While she’s still exploring her final career path, Cockerill hopes to be a role model for other women in aviation and to work toward identifying and addressing potential implicit biases in industry policies, helping to foster a more inclusive environment. 

Cockerill’s Independent Student Research Grant was made possible through a gift from CAE Inc.