Houston Offers Big Texas Welcome to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

HOUSTON, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of business and community leaders; aviation and aerospace professionals; and students who dream of working in aerospace joined forces to roll out the red carpet for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University President Dr. John Johnson, who is exploring the possibility of naming Houston as a new campus site for the world's oldest, largest, and most prestigious university specializing in aviation and aerospace.

As he stepped onto the tarmac from the plane that landed at Ellington Airport, Dr. Johnson shared his vision to open a third campus for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to meet the world's aerospace needs. Today Embry-Riddle has more than 100,000 alumni. The enrollment for a new campus is estimated to be 1,000 aerospace and aviation students.

"I am excited that Houston is a finalist for the location of a new Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University," said Mayor Annise Parker. "As home to Ellington Airport and NASA, Houston would be the perfect location for Embry-Riddle students. This is a university that would provide education in a specialized field that would bring even more prestige to Houston, which is why we hope to be their final choice."

Houston leaders offered details about why the fourth largest city in the United States is a good fit for Embry-Riddle. Houston is home to numerous aviation and aerospace facilities including:

• Ellington Airport (EFD), military and general aviation airport with more than 90 years of history and 600 acres for development. Find us on Facebook – Ellington Airport EFD
• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), low-cost carrier airport serving  million passengers www.Twitter.com/HobbyAirport
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) , the largest hub for the largest airline in the world and the eighth busiest airport in the United States serves 40 million passengers www.Twitter.com/IAH  
• NASA's Johnson Space Center with hundreds of allied businesses in the region and a workforce of more than 14,000 employees

"The first words spoken as man was landing on the moon were, 'Houston, the eagle has landed,'" said Mario C. Diaz, Houston Airport System director of aviation. "Houston hopes to land the new campus site for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University."

Diaz gave the commencement speech at the Houston graduation ceremony for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Oct. 9, 2010. View a video of speech to future aviation and aerospace professionals on www.YouTube.com/HoustonAirports.

SOURCE Houston Airport System