Silver Wings is an American

service organization A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined firstly ...

self-governed by college students. With minor supervision, Silver Wings works jointly with the

Arnold Air Society The Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a professional, honorary, service organization. AAS is open to officer candidates in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) and at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and is formally affiliated ...

(AAS) nationwide to promote leadership skills, military awareness, and professional development.

History

Silver Wings, originally known as Angel Flight, was founded at the

University of Omaha The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is a public research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 1908 by faculty from the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary as a private non-sectarian college, the university was origin ...

as a local auxiliary organization in 1951, and formed as a national organization in 1952. Starting out as an all-female organization, Angel Flight was more of a national idea with various names. While these organizations across the country had different names, they were all focused on helping their local

AFROTC The Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA ...

unit. In April 1957, representatives from 16 different groups came together at the 8th National Conclave of Arnold Air Society to join their purposes under a National Coordination Headquarters. In the 1980s, local Angel Flight chapters were allowed to use the name "Silver Wings" as recognition for their growing diversity in membership. In 1995, the General Assembly of the yearly national conclave (NATCON) changed the organization's name to "Angel Flight-Silver Wings." Local chapters were allowed to use the name "Angel Flight," "Silver Wings," or "Angel Flight-Silver Wings." Hoping to increase recruitment, Angel Flight-Silver Wings restructured the organization in 1996, changing their mission and goals away from being a military-support oriented organization to further diversify their organization. In 1998 the National Conclave changed the organization's name to "Silver Wings," functioning as a civilian organization focused on community service, leadership, and professional development.

Membership

Silver Wings members must be an undergraduate or graduate student within the local chapter, and complete various workshops and projects. Honorary membership can be bestowed.

Governance

The National Headquarters provides direction and focus for the entire organization. The nation is broken up into 11 regions. Region Presidents serve the chapters that lie within their region and communicate from chapters to national officers. The National Headquarters is chosen each year by the General Assembly at NATCON, which takes place annually in spring, typically on Easter weekend. Silver Wings (SW) and Arnold Air Society (AAS) also jointly hold the National Conclave (NATCON) where all members of SW and AAS are invited to discuss matters within the organizations. During this event, business meetings are conducted and local chapters and regions vote on various resolutions and amendments to their manuals.

Chapters

Notable members

Mark Mitchell Campbell Mark Mitchell Campbell (December 31, 1897 – June 21, 1963) was a barnstormer, movie stunt man, Lockheed executive from 1934 to 1960. He was the co-founder of the Silver Wings Fraternity in California. Biography He was born on December 31, ...

, barnstormer, stuntman, and Lockheed executive *

Bonnie J. Dunbar Bonnie Jeanne Dunbar (born March 3, 1949) is an American engineer and retired NASA astronaut. She flew on five Space Shuttle missions between 1985 and 1998, including two dockings with the ''Mir'' space station. A graduate of the University ...

, astronaut * Wendy M. Masiello, United States general

References

{{Reflist

External links

Finding aid for the Angel Flight Records
at the

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library is a library on the campus of the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). History In 1916 a formal library was established on the UNO campus when construction of Joslyn Hall was completed on the original Om ...

University of Nebraska at Omaha The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is a public university, public research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 1908 by faculty from the Presbyterian Theological Seminary (Omaha, Nebraska), Omaha Presbyterian Theological ...

Student organizations in the United States 1951 establishments in Nebraska Student organizations established in 1951