La’Shanda Holmes
From foster care to Spelman in 2007, Holmes graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2008 and completed flight school in 2010 at the age of 25. Graduating from her aviation program, she became the first African-American female helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard. The 34-year-old, who pilots an MH-65 Dolphin, has managed over 6,800 flight hours. She has protected South Florida’s borders against threats from the sea for the MH-65 and was appointed to the 2015-2016 class of White House Fellows. Holmes, who plans to write a book, has also worked as a special assistant to the administrator of NASA in a White House fellowship program.
