Titus Sanders is the first executive director for Elizabeth City State University’s new School of Aviation.
Sanders comes to Elizabeth City State University from another HBCU, Tuskegee University in Alabama, where he led the department of aviation science. During his tenure there, he launched two bachelor’s degree programs in aviation science and aviation management, established the Aviation Peer Mentorship initiative, and secured the university’s FAA Part 141 Pilot School Certification. A longstanding advocate for aviation education and workforce development, Sanders chairs the board of directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.
Within the aviation industry, Sanders is currently a pilot for United Airlines. He is also a retired chief warrant officer of the U.S. Army with 20 years of distinguished service. Throughout his military career, he held positions of increasing responsibility as a pilot-in-command and organizational leader.
“Our vision for the new School of Aviation extends beyond the classroom, the campus, the state of North Carolina, and the globe,” said ECSU Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove. “The School of Aviation will educate the next generation of aviation professionals while also serving as a catalyst for workforce development and economic growth throughout northeastern North Carolina, the state, and the nation in meeting this employment demand. Expanding on being the largest student-enrolled aviation program of any HBCU, Mr. Sanders brings the experience, relationships, and entrepreneurial leadership necessary to help us position ECSU to be a premier aviation program in the US.”
Sanders holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in aviation and space education from Oklahoma State University, where his research examines aviation workforce development within the African American community.
