Aviation is a passion and aspiration for many. Some passions were sparked by their families and friends, or the environment that revolved around them growing up, and some were inspired by others they came across in their life. For me, my passion for aviation started with the opportunity to enter the aviation program at Waterloo. As I joined the aviation community, I received a lot of support from upper-year students in building confidence and expectations for the upcoming journey, which helped me a lot along the way. From that experience, I was more certain than ever about my desire to reciprocate this energy to the community.
As members of the Aviation Student Ambassador Program (ASAP), Preksha and I had the opportunity to visit Georges Vanier Secondary School (GVSS) to give a presentation about the aviation programs at Waterloo and the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) to a group of high school students. It was not only a rewarding experience seeing enthusiastic young students showcase their passion for aviation, but it was even more exciting as I was visiting as an alum of GVSS! Throughout the presentation, the keen look on students’ faces was one of the most unforgettable parts of this visit. Students had so many questions about our personal experiences in flight training and the University, as well as our perspective on aviation as a career and sustainability, which reminded me of my younger self. I believe we inspired these students and provided them with a brighter outlook for their future in pursuing aviation as a career. Experience is an invaluable skill, especially in aviation. Having someone to share that experience with extends its meaning to others to further add value to it. That is why ASAP is a valuable bridge for experiences to be shared: it forms an important link to reach passionate students with potential to be inspired to become the next generation of leaders in aviation.
I am grateful for the establishment of ASAP by WISA, which provides me with an avenue to give back to the community and exercise something meaningful to me and the students. It further affirms my devotion to community engagement, and I believe initiatives like this have an impactful influence on like-minded individuals. I cannot wait to be part of more events like this in the future!
Banner image (from left): Preksha, Mr. Furlin (Georges Vanier educator), and Samuel