From the Cockpit to the Classroom: Young Pilot Charts New Course at Spelman

ATLANTA — At just 18, Kamora Freeland has already defied expectations in more ways than one. After making history last year as the youngest Black woman to obtain a pilot’s license in New York, she is now navigating a different kind of challenge: college life. Enrolling at Spelman College as a sophomore, thanks to advanced coursework completed in high school, Freeland is balancing her passion for aviation with a finance major and a minor in entrepreneurship.

Freeland’s journey to the skies was anything but conventional. Initially drawn to marine biology, she only discovered her love for flying after taking a lesson in 2021. “I earned my pilot’s license before I got a driver’s license,” she said, reflecting on the unexpected turn in her aspirations. Since last February, she has been legally certified to fly aircraft carrying up to 12 passengers, an achievement that has set her apart as one of the youngest pilots in history.

Though her future in aviation remains uncertain, the financial prospects of commercial piloting have certainly caught her attention. “Pilots can make up to $700,000, so that caught my attention, too,” she previously told the New York Post. Yet, for now, her focus is on academics. Attending an HBCU with a rich history of empowering Black women has been a transformative experience. “Starting college as a sophomore has been a whirlwind of emotions—exciting, overwhelming, and liberating all at once,” she shared.

Freeland’s rapid rise has drawn admiration, but her ambitions extend beyond flying. As she delves into finance and entrepreneurship, she is keeping her options open, contemplating how her skillset might blend aviation with business. Whether she continues on the commercial pilot track or pursues another passion, her ability to pivot between disciplines suggests that she will continue to break barriers.

For now, the Staten Island native remains a student both in and out of the classroom, eager to explore new opportunities while keeping one foot in the cockpit. “I never wanted to be a pilot,” she admitted, “but after my first flight, I was like, ‘Wow! I could do this for a living.’”