Retired pilot’s philanthropic pursuits
Storied explorer establishes aerospace engineering scholarship for Texas A&M students, charting a course for future Aggies in a seamless process.
Jim Nowlin and Dr. John Valasek, Director of the Vehicle Systems & Control Laboratory.
James Nowlin, whose path took him from the valleys of California to the cockpits of passenger jets, has always felt at home behind the yoke of an airplane. After earning a degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, he built a storied career and now hopes to empower students through the James R. Nowlin ’66 Endowed Scholarship in Aerospace Engineering — an endowment process that he found easy for others to replicate.
On your left, Aggieland
With an engineer for a father, Nowlin always had a knack for solving equations. Having participated in some of the first Advanced-Placement instruction courses in California, he knew that he would eventually take off and go further.
He applied to various universities with strong engineering programs, including Texas A&M. Nowlin soon found himself bound for Aggieland.
New to campus and its unique culture, Nowlin was a cadet in the Corps and had chosen to study aerospace engineering. He is very grateful for his experience in the Corps, calling it one of the best psychology courses you could ever imagine.
James Nowlin and his wife in Croatia.
As a member of the historic Fish Drill Team, he learned the power of teamwork, discipline and friendship. He humbly cherishes the camaraderie more than the team’s first-place victory among military schools. Between being a cadet and a part of the Drill Team, Nowlin shares his gratitude for the life-long friendships they built.
Although he faced challenging courses, his curiosity for aviation grew as he traveled through the curriculum and dreamed of designing aircraft. Particularly fond of an aerodynamic research project on cars, where he reduced wind drag by 60%, Nowlin noted that he had a deep appreciation for the industry interaction while in school.
After graduation, he would commission into the Air Force with a pilot contract.
“Like most, I started flying planes and got hooked,” he said.
Nowlin’s favorite airplane of all time was the T-38, specifically during his Air Force pilot training. He described it as a “hot rod” and remarked on its world climb record for jet aircraft, recalling fond memories of flying it as a young pilot.
He left the Air Force and readied to begin his career as a commercial pilot, or so he thought. With American and Delta Airlines on a hiring freeze, Nowlin temporarily joined an engineering firm and worked flight instruction on the side. His first role after leaving the firm was with a commuter airline flying tourists around the Grand Canyon — this became a pivotal position.
Joining Frontier Airlines in Colorado in 1978, he was eager to begin flying a more traditional scheduled airline on longer routes. In roughly eight years with the airline, he became well-acquainted with the airspace around the Rocky Mountains and the western United States.
Upon the closure of his tenure with Frontier, his first choice became reality, and he joined American Airlines — the leading airline in the continental United States. This began a storied career.
With American, Nowlin flew a range of aircraft, including 737s, MD-80 series, and DC-10 as a flight engineer. He then transitioned to the 757/767 series, and later to the 737-800 series.
When he dropped the landing gears of his final flight, he looked back at his career and was filled with gratitude.
James Nowlin and wife (middle) with (from left) Dr. Dimitris Lagoudas, Dr. Magda Lagoudas, Meg Guerra and Anna Norville.
“It was 38 years of being paid to do what I love,” Nowlin said.
Landing in philanthropy
Nowlin established his endowment to help future students and wants to make a meaningful impact. He felt fortunate to be comfortable financially and wanted to offer others the kind of opportunities he’d benefited from.
“What an opportunity it is to start someone on a career that they’ll appreciate,” he said.
He explained that the process to endow a scholarship was very straightforward and positive. From when he was introduced to Anna Norville, a Texas A&M Foundation development officer, to when he signed papers, he was grateful to make a notable impact in simple steps. He noted that he had always enjoyed reading about former students who had done well and felt inspired to give back.
Nowlin highlighted that once he decided he could afford to give the amount away without being impacted, everything fell into place, and the support from Norville and Texas A&M made it simple and rewarding to set up the scholarship. He hopes that others follow his flight path and empower current students through giving back.
