Fairwell to Graduates, Welcome new Students

In 2003 Dean Oktay Baysal negotiated a higher education agreement with the Turkish Air Force Academy (TAFA).  This contractual agreement with TAFA calls for their best and brightest students to continue their graduate education by coming to the Batten College of Engineering and Technology for that study.  The first group of TAFA students came in 2004 and there are now about 40 graduates of ODU who are leaders in the Turkish Air Force.  Currently enrolled and in various states of completion are 12 TAFA students working on the PhD degree in the departments of Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Engineering Management and System Engineering.  In Addition 15 Turkish Air Force officers are working on the Master of Science degree.  All are fully funded in the form of all tuition and expenses paid by the government of Turkey.

This year's Fairwell and Welcome was held at the Norfolk Yacht Club on January 30, 2009.