Costas Sivyllis (’12), 30, and his wife Lindsey Vogelaar, 33, died Oct. 5, 2020, in a small plane crash east of Telluride, Colorado. The couple, who lived in Port Orange, Florida, had married Oct. 1, 2020, in Telluride and were returning home. Sivyllis was a first officer at United Airlines and chairman of the National Education Committee for the Air Line Pilots Association. Prior to United Airlines, Sivyllis was a captain at PSA Airlines. Vogelaar was a flight attendant for United.
Sivyllis served on the Industry Advisory Board for the College of Aviation at the Daytona Beach Campus and was an advocate for Embry-Riddle through his work with the ALPA Aviation Collegiate Education (ACE) campus club, as well as through the United Aviate program. After graduation, he remained a frequent campus visitor and mentor to future pilots, inspiring them with his positivity and passion for aviation.
Embry-Riddle held a Celebration of the Lives of Sivyllis and Vogelaar on Oct. 18, 2020, that was live streamed. In conjunction with Sivyllis’ family, Embry-Riddle has established an endowed scholarship in his honor, supporting the next generation of aspiring pilots. This endowed scholarship will support flight training costs for students in the aeronautical science program at the Daytona Beach Campus. To donate online, go to the Costas Sivyllis Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund.