From the skies to space. From Cahokia to St. Louis. From aviation to engineering. These are only a few of the changes that have taken place in Parks College’s history.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, and the enthusiasm of those associated with the college is evident in what has been done to celebrate this landmark event.

Last weekend was the main weekend for celebrations within the college, with events including a reception at the Missouri History Museum, the restoration of a Parks P-1 plane and the presentation of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. In addition, Parks College alumnus and flight director of the Apollo 13 mission, Gene Kranz, was a guest speaker for the ceremonies.

However, the evidence of the anniversary most noticeable to students in Parks College is the Ira Inkelas Timeline that now spans the walls of McDonnell Douglas Hall. Named for an alumnus who left nearly $300,000 to Parks College in his will when he died in 2003, the timeline documents various distinctions of Parks College and those who have been involved with the school over its 80 years.

For those currently affiliated with the college, a great sense of pride accompanies its 80th anniversary.

“It’s a great privilege, a great honor. I graduated from Parks in ’92, from the old campus, so I feel the connection,” said Parks College Dean Manoj Patankar, Ph.D. “[The 80th anniversary] feels like the bridge between the old and the new.”

Sophomore Ryan Soklaski, a physics major in Parks College, expressed a similar sentiment.

“The timeline in the halls of the school really shows what a rich history we have,” Soklaski said. “I think it’s cool.”

Parks College was founded in 1927 by Oliver Parks, a car salesman and aviation enthusiast, in Cahokia, Ill. The school grew quickly as the aviation industry expanded. At the college’s inception, it was mainly an aviation school, but also had its own departments of history, English, and math, among others, and concentrated on educating the whole person.

The college gained national recognition as a leading flight school, and more than 10 percent of U.S. Army pilots during World War II were trained at Parks. The school was also frequently visited by leading aviators such as Charles Lindbergh, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Doolittle and Amelia Earhart.

Although Parks College has maintained its aviation program over its 80 years, the school has undergone changes, including the addition of various programs of study in engineering, technology and physics while, according to Patankar, at the same time staying true to its roots.

“We’re not as heavy into flight and aviation,” Patankar said, “but we’re maintaining that heritage and connection. We’ve always been a community that taught very hands-on skills.”

Parks College became part of the Saint Louis University community in 1946 when Parks gave the college to the University. In 1927, he crashed his plane and was cared for by Jesuits for four months. His gift of the aviation college to SLU came about as a way to repay the Jesuits who had cared for him. The school remained a separate entity from SLU until the college’s campus moved from Cahokia to St. Louis in 1997.

Today, Parks College maintains a mission of educating the entire person, making sure that its graduates are well prepared for the real world.

“We’re an integral part of the University, and that initial mission of preparing the person for life fits very well with the Jesuit mission,” Patankar said.

“I see leadership as a common link between the Parks side and the Jesuit side.”