Age: 18
Hometown: Hanover Park, IL
School: Lewis University
Year: Freshman
Career Aspirations: I want to become a commercial airline pilot and then have the opportunity to work for an airport/airline to find ways to improve the aviation industry. I also wish to find ways to help minorities have a more accessible pathway to the aviation industry.
Hobbies & Interests: Hockey, Travel, Plane Spotting, Spending time with Family, Watching movies.
Organizations/Clubs: (AOPA) Aircraft owner and pilot association, (LPA) Latinos pilot association, Hockey team.
Why are you passionate about aviation?
Aviation for me has been something special since I was a kid, but it was not as big as it is today for me. My first taste of aviation was when I had the opportunity to fly in a plane for the first time; it was a unique experience. Later in life, I started learning more about what aviation really means and that it's not only a plane and a pilot, but there is more behind it like Aero Engineers, Air traffic control, Federal aviation administration, Ground crew, Airport security, and many more that are vital to operating in this industry. Learning about this was only the beginning for me to start researching more and more.
This passion has just started for me; Aviation is something massive that I don't think anybody can understand how important this is for our society. That is why I want to get more involved in this to learn more about the in-depth details that not everybody gets the opportunity to learn about. Whenever I'm near anything related to aviation or even knowing about it, I get the sensation that I have only gotten it once. That's when I played hockey which was something that I loved. That's how I knew that my passion for aviation was real.
What is your future aspiration?
As I begin my undergraduate life, the only thing I have been thinking about is what these next four years hold for me? When I think about the future, there are many goals that I want to accomplish personally and also in my professional career. But to these questions, my response is that I need to take it day-day, not worrying about the future but instead living in the moment and, most importantly, learning from the mistakes.
As I try not to look too much into the future, there is a clear goal that I want to accomplish, the First graduate from lewis and then get my graduate degree in aviation & transportation M.S. Then start working for the airlines, enjoying the moment while improving my knowledge in aviation. Later as I had more experience, working more behind the scenes trying to understand how this whole industry operates. I can't forget those people who opened new horizons for me. That's why it's something that I'm looking forward to, Finding more ways in which minorities can get more involved in the aviation industry. A little mentorship or even the slightest motivation can make the most significant changes to a person,Just as Tuskegee did for me.
Why did you choose to apply to Tuskegee NEXT?
Applying to Tuskegee NEXT was never in my plans until I first heard the name a couple of months ago. Jessica Vargas, a graduate of Tuskegee, was the first person who introduced me to the program; I first took it as an opportunity to get my license before starting college, which I was looking forward to. But in reality, as I did more research about the program the PPL was something important that Tuskegee was offering, but their goal was beyond a piece of paper. Instead, I saw it as an opportunity to get to know new people with much aviation industry experience and someone whom I could relate while living this experience. Tuskegee allowed me to earn my license uniquely and, at the same time, help me become a wholesome individual in the journey. Tuskegee will not only be something that happens in the summer of 2022, but I feel supported in my journey in Aviation.