"My classes with Dr. Prather helped me decide that airport operations was the career path that I wanted to take. Now that I have been working in the industry, I do not regret that decision one bit."
Quick Facts
Program: B.S. in Aviation Management
Graduation Year: 2017
Current Job Title: Airport Operations Supervisor for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Current City: Louisville, KY
Life at CBU
Why did you choose your major or graduate degree program? What interested you in this
particular field of study?
Since I was younger, I have always been intrigued by the aviation industry and knew
that I wanted to do something in aviation. When my family would fly somewhere on vacation,
I just loved being at the airport and I can remember thinking how cool it would be
to run an airport one day. With that in mind I knew that I wanted to get my degree
in aviation management which would help me be successful in achieving that goal of
being an airport director.
What did you like about being in this program at CBU?
One of the things I liked most about being in this program was that all my professors
had worked or were still working in the industry. This was very beneficial because
they could apply what they were teaching you in class to real-world situations. I
also liked that all the professors wanted you to be successful and they would use
any of their resources to help you accomplish that. This program exposed students
to many different career fields through tours, interviews, guest speakers, etc. to
help you identify the career path you wanted to take.
What did you think about your professors?
I don’t think we could have asked for better professors. They all had a genuine interest
in your success professionally and personally. The aviation program felt like a family
when I was there, and you could go to your professors for anything. They would do
their best to help you in any way they could.
Did you complete an internship or any field work?
I did not complete an internship while at CBU, but I did complete airfield inspection
ride-alongs at the Riverside Municipal Airport with the Ops Department. Additionally,
I was a UPS Aircraft Load Supervisor at Ontario International Airport while obtaining
my degree at CBU. This proved to be very beneficial to my success after college because
of the work experience I had in the aviation industry.
Did you participate in anything else at CBU?
Unfortunately, I was not able to participate in any of the extracurriculars at CBU
because of my work schedule. I highly recommend trying to participate in anything
that interests you while attending CBU. The intramural sports always seemed to be
fun and a lot of my friends built some of their best friendships while participating
in these activities.
How did you grow (spiritually, socially, educationally) while in this program at CBU?
While at CBU I grew in many ways as a person. Educationally, I received my degree
and I was able to obtain my private pilot license and my Airport Certified Employee
(ACE) Operations Certificate. Spiritually, I looked at religion completely different
then when I started at CBU. Before I attended CBU I didn’t know much about Christianity,
but when I graduated, I felt that I had a better understanding of what Christianity
was as a whole. Socially, I gained some lifelong friends that I feel will continue
to be a positive part of my life in the years to come.
Did your program help you figure out your purpose?
Yes! My classes with Dr. Prather helped me decide that airport operations was the
career path that I wanted to take. Now that I have been working in the industry, I
do not regret that decision one bit. His classes and his past experiences as an airport
operations director prepared me for this position and I don’t feel he could have done
a better job helping me find my passion.
Life after CBU
What have you done since graduating?
Since graduating from CBU I obtained an airport operations specialist position in
Columbia, South Carolina where I worked for a year and eight months. I have since
accepted an airport operations supervisor position in Louisville, Kentucky for the
Louisville Regional Airport Authority and have been in this position for over a year.
I have also obtained my Certified Member (CM) Certificate through the American Association
of Airport Executives (AAAE). I have begun working towards my Accredited Airport Executive
(AAE) accreditation and hope to be completed with that within a year.
How has your major and time at CBU prepared you for your life and career after college?
Obtaining my degree from CBU prepared me for life after college by giving me a good
understanding of the industry as a whole. I left CBU with goals in life and I felt
that I had the tools to reach those goals.
Is there anything you learned at CBU that you still use in your professional life
today?
Being that I work in the aviation industry, I use a lot of what I learned and was
exposed to at CBU in my day-to-day job functions. My knowledge has grown since graduating
but a lot of my basic aviation knowledge is stuff that I learned while at CBU. I believe
that the things I learned at CBU will continue to help me be successful in my professional
career.
How are you making a difference in the world? How are you living your purpose?
I am trying to make a difference by always being the best I can be. I try to help
people when they are down and play to one’s strengths to help them succeed. Our world
is currently in a crazy state and it is proving to be challenging to many. I am blessed
with a stable career and I try to help others in need where I can. I try to bring
a smile to everyone’s face because you never know when someone needs a good laugh.
Would you recommend CBU to others?
I would absolutely recommend CBU to anyone that is interested in attending this school.
The students and the staff at CBU are amazing. The relationships I built and the memories
I made have definitely had an impact on my life.