TXST Alum Becomes Southwest Airlines’ Eighth Black Woman Pilot

Kinaya Ware graduated from Texas State University in 2016 with a degree in Electronic Media and Mass Communication and a business minor. A decade later she sits in the flight deck as a First Officer at Southwest Airlines — and the airline’s eighth Black woman pilot.

From communication classes to the flight deck

Raised in Beaumont, Texas, Ware’s interest in aviation began when her mother became a Southwest flight attendant. At TXST she studied mass communication and found inspiration in one of her professors: “She was living her dream, and it was contagious. You could see that she loved what she was doing.”

In 2017 Ware joined Southwest Airlines as a flight attendant — a role she says drew directly on the communication and service skills her degree had built.

The flight that changed everything

In 2019 a discovery flight sent her in an entirely new direction: “This was fun, it was a challenge, and it appealed to my problem-solving nature.”

In 2021 she was accepted into Destination 225°, Southwest’s pilot training programme, and left her flight attendant position to complete her certifications. In December 2025 she flew her first commercial flight as a pilot, from Houston to New Orleans, with family and friends on board.

“That was the best day of my life. Every piece just fell right into place.”

Why this story matters

According to Sisters of the Skies, fewer than 1% of professional pilots are women of colour. Ware’s path is a reminder that careers are rarely a straight line — and that a degree does not lock you into a single profession.

For international students choosing a major, the practical lesson is this: the communication skills, problem-solving habits and networks built over four years are worth far more than the name of the degree. Try the major finder or explore all 196 TXST programs.

Source: Hillviews Magazine, Texas State University (by Robyn Ross, 11 August 2026).