Longtime supporter honored for donation to aeronautics program

Longtime Liberty University supporter and board member Sherwin Cook stands outside Liberty’s A&P Center, which was recently named in his honor.

Liberty University School of Aeronautics (SOA) honored Sherwin Cook, a member of Liberty’s Board of Trustees, during a ceremony on Thursday, March 13. The SOA named its aircraft mechanic training center the Sherwin Cook A&P Center, in honor of Cook’s longstanding support of the university’s aeronautics program.

According to retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Dave Young, dean of the School of Aeronautics, Cook funded the equipment needed to begin the aircraft mechanic training program, leading to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval and certification.

“The program has enjoyed a 100 percent employment rate for our graduates, and without Mr. Cook’s support this would not have been possible,” Young said. “These graduates are now making a difference as Christians in the aviation industry. Mr. Cook has continued to provide assistance to the SOA, and we are extremely appreciative of his support and friendship.”

Cook has lived in Lynchburg since the 1960s and has been a successful restaurant owner. He has been a faithful supporter of Liberty since the school was founded. In 2010, Cook and his wife, Lora, provided the lead gift for the operations center for Liberty’s men’s and women’s tennis programs, called the Cook Tennis Center. Cook also donated a local tennis and racquetball facility, The Sports Racket, to Liberty. The club has five indoor tennis courts, five indoor racquetball courts, five outdoor tennis courts, a gym with treadmills and weight equipment, and a tanning bed.

• Liberty University School of Aeronautics has grown from four students to more than 800 in the last 12 years. The FFA-certified aviation program is now the largest Christian university aviation program in the United States. Its four-year intensive program is approved to train and certify students as professional pilots prepared to enter the world of commercial, missions, and military aviation. As of Fall 2011, the SOA also offers a concentration in Unmanned Aerial Systems, keeping the program relevant and current in the aviation industry.