Spotlight: Women’s Ambassador Program

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Lindsey

As some of you may know from my previous blog posts, I am a member of the Women’s Ambassador Program at the Daytona Beach campus. The Women’s Ambassador Program is a program which is underneath the Admissions Office. Our mission is to encourage young girls to become interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), as well as support women who are planning on attending, and already attend ERAU. We accomplish this mission through several different activities.

One of our passions is to help younger girls to become interested in aviation, science, and engineering. We realize that those fields are male-dominated, and want to encourage girls to strive for their dreams, even if they think that they are “boy jobs”. Throughout the year, we go to local schools to host events for the students. At these events we have the kids participate in activities that utilize science. Last year, we had them make catapults, and then had a competition for whose catapult could get the marshmallow the furthest. The kids really enjoyed the friendly competition, as well as getting to create their own mechanism. Earlier this year we went to a Girl Scouts event in Boston, where we made Goo for the girls to play with. They were all very interested in how it was made, and how they could create their own at home. It’s events like these, where we get to interact with children, that really motivate me to continue to be a Women’s Ambassador. I love to see young girls get excited about STEM fields.

In order to encourage women to attend ERAU, we reach out to accepted high school seniors. We do this by calling them once a week, as well as emailing them in the spring. During the months that we get to communicate with the girls, we learn a lot about them. Our job is to be a mentor or a big sister for each girl, so that they feel comfortable coming to ERAU. We want everyone to feel welcome, so we create friendships with the women, and meet them when they get to campus in the fall. This is one of the most rewarding parts of the role, since you feel a sense of pride when a girl you talked to makes the decision to attend Riddle. It is an even better feeling when you get to see them everyday on campus once they start classes. I see a few of my students from last year around campus, and it makes me happy to know that they are doing well, and enjoying ERAU.

Another way we are able to encourage women to attend ERAU is through Admissions events. We travel with the Admissions team to different ERAU receptions around the country, talking to the prospective students. I love that I am able to interact with students and their parents on a face-to-face level. The passion for the industry, that the prospective students have, blows me away. It is a rewarding feeling when a student I met at the reception ends up attending Embry-Riddle. Just the feeling that I was able to help them through part of the process is what makes being a Women’s Ambassador such a great position.

As the Spring semester is reaching its peak, I am excited to get in contact with more prospective students, both over the phone and in person at receptions. The Women’s Ambassador Program will continue to work hard to help new students find their new home at Embry-Riddle.

Until next time,

Lindsey

Thunderbirds Are Go!

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Billy

Hello, hello! I hope everyone is doing ok. I’ve been severely busy so this whole “4 jobs plus school” thing is really starting to take its toll on me. If anyone has good time-management tips, please send them my way.

Some pretty cool stuff has happened in the past few days since my last update. Most notably the Thunderbirds came to campus a few days ago. They have been here since last Sunday, and it was no secret that they were in the area. The sound of an F-16 taking off is something that you do not forget, and if you somehow did not hear them, then the 3.5 magnitude earthquake that followed would definitely get your attention. I was sitting in physics the other day and the class stopped one we heard the engines spooled up: it’s intense.

Watching all eight of them landing is also a sight to see. Because the Daytona International Speedway had recent exterior modifications, the Thunderbirds did a few flyovers with smoke for promotional photos. Also, watching he C-17 land, taxi to the left, and back up was also a sight to see.

Recently, Touch-N-Go had their Casino Night where attendees were given $5,000 worth of casino chips to play for prizes. The prizes ranged from TVs and copies of Battlefront to a Frozen snow-cone maker and a popcorn maker. That was the first time I have ever “gambled,” and while I lost quite a bit of money, I would definitely do it again. Plus TNG had free pizza and drinks.

Aside from that, there isn’t anything else to report. I’ll see you all in another two weeks!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Rachel

As an Orientation Ambassador and a Women’s Ambassador, incoming students always ask me the same question: What do you do for fun in Daytona Beach? During my freshman year here at Embry-Riddle, a lot of my weekend time was dedicated to doing homework or just lounging around campus. This year I have made a huge 180!

One day, my big (sorority) sister, Melani, and I were working in First Year Programs and discussing how much we missed going to Disney World and why we weren’t taking advantage of how close it was. Naturally, all this talk got us so excited that we spontaneously bought annual passes.

Luckily, our past two weekends haven’t been as busy as usual, so Melani and I were able to visit Epcot and Hollywood Studios, both of which made us feel like we were ten year olds again!

Melani and I wearing our Minnie Ears!

We visited Epcot with our friends Conor and Zach and it was the best day I’ve had in a long time. The four of us got to go on Mission: Space, Epcot’s famous ride that actually makes you feel like you’re making a mission to Mars. The rest of the day we walked around and admired each country we came across. The best part was going to Japan and eating the best sushi!

Melani, Conor, Zach, and I at Epcot!

It was Melani’s first time visiting Hollywood Studios, so she thoroughly enjoyed every ride and show that we went on. We screamed on the Tower of Terror, sang till our throats were sore at the Frozen Sing-A-Long, and even got to meet different Disney characters! The highlight of my day was meeting Kylo Ren, the villain from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Dream come true!

So when incoming students ask me what a Riddle kid does for fun, I am not going to hesitate suggesting going to one of the theme parks in Orlando, especially Disney World! These past two weekends have served as a great break from the engineering world and I can’t wait to spend more time at the “Happiest Place on Earth”!

Spring Study Tips

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Rachel

Hey everyone!!

I hope you all had an amazing winter break and are ready to jump into the new spring semester! Since things around here have been moving pretty slowly for me, I thought it would be a great time to share some of my study tips. If you have bad study habits right now, it’s not too late to correct them!

Study a few hours each day: This is a very important tip because college students have a tendency to procrastinate and cram right before a test. Doing this won’t help you! It is much more effective when you study for something over the course of several days, because your brain will absorb the material better. This includes reviewing old notes or making a quick study guide.
Find your perfect atmosphere: When you study, make sure you find a spot that’s best for you. If you like quiet spaces, get a private study room so you won’t be disturbed. Once you find your place, study there consistently so your brain will recognize it as a study atmosphere. Don’t study on your bed, because your brain associates your bed with sleep and this will only make you drowsy while studying.
Avoid interruptions: This is a big one for those who can’t escape their social life! Make sure you only use the technology that is necessary for your study session. Turn off your phone so you won’t be interrupted by text messages, phone calls, and social media. This will cut your study time down by a lot because you won’t be distracted.
Take breaks: Out of all the tips on this list, this is the one you should pay the most attention to! It is very important that you take breaks when you’re studying. When you find yourself daydreaming, take five minutes to stand up and stretch.This will make sure that your brain keeps absorbing the information you need!
Stay organized: This is my favorite tip because my planner is my life! If you don’t already have a planner (either physical or technological), get one! Writing down your whole schedule and crossing things off as you do them will make you feel so accomplished. It’s also wise to color code everything (i.e. Math is green, Greek Life is pink, work is yellow) so that it appears more organized.
Study groups: If you don’t already have a study group, make friends with the people in your classes and make one! Meeting with a group of people every week is a great idea because you get to bounce ideas off of each other and learn different study techniques.
Make questions while you study: While you’re going through your homework, write down any questions you may have, that way you can ask your professor about them later. This will help you understand the material while also getting face time with your professor.
Nourish your body: Eat healthy! A healthy body means a healthy mind, so eat things that are good for you, drink a lot of water, and keep your caffeine intake to a minimum. Although people use coffee as their go-to for studying, it will only help you for a short period of time and then make you crash.
Stay positive: This may seem too obvious, but it is always a good idea to keep a positive attitude while you’re studying. If you are having negative thoughts, this will make you more stressed and your brain won’t absorb as much information!
Learn shortcuts & strategies: When you’re studying, try to make visual cues and acronyms so that you can remember the information easier. Also, don’t hesitate to ask your professor for any study suggestions. The professor may give you information about your upcoming test, which will help you out a lot!

If you follow these ten important study tips, I guarantee your grades will go up and your semester will be a breeze!

Happy spring everyone!

End of the 6th Week

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Skye

Happy Thursday everyone! It’s practically the end of the week. I like to call my Thursday’s “fake Fridays” due to the fact that I don’t have classes on Thursday’s, so happy fake Friday to me! So far this week has been going pretty well! No school this Monday due to Presidents day, an easy day on Tuesday but a lot of meetings following. Wednesday was great! We had the Society 4 S.P.A.C.E research/informative meeting. We even gained a couple new members.

Some of the research projects we are working on include an Aeroponics system for MEERs, a drone system for MEERS and the Mars research project. It is all going really well. On Space News with Skye I spoke about the Particles of Love: Quantum Mechanics, NSF’s LIGO Gravitational Waves, and Practical Advice for Aspiring Astronauts. It went really well and they were some pretty heavy topics so I am glad I covered them.

Other than that, this week and this weekend is consisting of homework, projects, research, and updating my website. Pretty crazy! I am excited for my classes though. I really am enjoying the book we are reading in Humanities. For once, it is not a half bad book. But, I will admit I LOVE the book I and reading in my intro to CSO class. It is called “The Higher Frontier.” I don’t want to spoil it but you should definitely read it!

One other note! If you have not registered for summer classes! Go and do it! Registration for current students opened February 10!

Couple of events are coming within the next few weeks. For starters, the big elephant in the room, the Daytona 500. For those of you going on Sunday be safe and have fun! I know a lot of Riddle kids are volunteers or workers for the 500 so feel free to say hi!

Next Wednesday SpaceX is launching SES-9 onboard the Falcon 9. I am glad to say that I will be two and a half miles away from the launch pad when this baby comes up, so I am pretty excited!

This Friday at 8:00p in the Student Center, Touch and Go Productions is hosting a casino night in the student center! Go have fun and win some money (hopefully)!

In two weeks, the City of Port Orange is hosting a Family Fun Springfest. It starts Thursday March 3 and ends Sunday March 6. They have a bunch of events, concerts, rides, competitions, movie night and much more! I do plan on attending so I will let you all know how it goes!

And so too be in about 3 weeks, we have spring break folks! Keep up the hard work and keep pushing!

Embry-Riddle Career Services

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Jack

It’s been another busy few weeks in Sunny Florida!

Career Services put on its second annual Government Agency and Non-Profit Career Fair and its almost time for the first test of the semester in most of my classes.

On February 11, the Government Agency and Non-Profit Career Fair took place; this Career Fair is a bit different from our Career Expo in the fall. For starters, it’s smaller than the Expo, and it is a bit more specialized which allows students to have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with government agencies and non-profits. More than 20 agencies attended the event, including NASA, the Peace Corps, the Federal Aviation Administration, Center for Space Nuclear Research, and the Federal Bureau of Investigators (FBI). Even as a Business major, it is worthwhile to attend as there are opportunities with the FBI and a few airports that attended the event.

I really enjoy being a part of the Career Services team and helping our at the Career Fair. A lot of work goes into the events, and it starts well before the Career Fair and Industry/Career Expo.

Program Managers hold “prep sessions” in the evenings to help prepare students for the events. During these mini-workshops, they assist with elevator pitches, review resumes, and provide general advice on navigating the Expo. Although, students can go to the office to schedule an appointment with their Program Manager to receive career/internship advisement, resume help, mock interviews, and many other services. Also, there are resources on the website, including sample resumes, and it is also worthwhile to read spotlight stories from alumni, Career Services staff, and even current students on the Going Places blog.

Back in May 2013, I was a prospective student who hoped to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to pursue an aviation business degree. I followed Career Services on Twitter as I wanted to start learning more about the department and some of the events they put on, and on one early Saturday morning, Embry-Riddle Career Services followed me back on Twitter. I sent a Direct Message (DM) thanking them for following me as well as to see if they had any recommendations as to who would be a good contact to learn more about the admissions process; Monday morning, I received an email from an Admissions Counselor seeing how he could best answer my questions, and he was a huge help through the whole process. I never imagined how much interacting with Career Services on Twitter could help me, and I never would have thought that I would eventually become a Student Assistant for them about a year ago.

I really enjoy having the opportunity to work with the staff and the opportunity to assist my fellow students.

Even as an incoming freshman or perspective student, the Career Services Staff is happy to help!

End of 5th Week Update

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Skye

Hello hello everybody! I know I am writing a tad bit late about the fifth week, but as they say, better late than never! Last week was crazy! Between exams, meetings, and well, more meetings, it felt like the week never ended. I had a lot of meetings with my officers for Society 4 S.P.A.C.E trying to start up the organization, and trying to get the officers more comfortable with their roles. The meeting on Wednesday went extremely well! The officers got a chance to introduce themselves and talk about their roles, as well as, a few announcements regarding fundraisers, launches, events, and more. Space News with Skye went really well too! I spoke about the James Webb Telescope and how it is helping to find the origin of galaxies and stars. Also, how it is not only looking at our solar system, but others in search of life. The James Webb telescope is scheduled to launch October 2018. Another thing I spoke about was the State of NASA. It aired on February 9, 2016. Charlie Bolen, former astronaut and now NASA Administrator, spoke about NASA’s budget for the upcoming years. In the speech he said that we are requesting a little over 19 billion dollars for the 2017 Fiscal Year and by 2021 they expect to be requesting over 21 billion. More money for space flight!

This was not even the half of it! A day or so before the Society 4 S.P.A.C.E. meeting, I decided to get into the holiday spirit (Valentine’s Day). I went out and bought little gift bags and filled them with glow-in-the-dark space cards, Hershey kisses, and a glow stick to give to the members. They really enjoyed the gesture. After that, I gave my officers little goodie bags for my appreciation of having them on board as well as their support. At the end of the week, it finally was over and I was really excited for Valentine’s Day. On Valentine’s Day, Josh (my boyfriend), Tank (our dog), and I decided to go up to Kissimmee and stay the night. We left at about 11:00a for Kissimmee and decided to go hiking. We had so much fun! We probably were hiking for a couple of hours. While on the route, we happened to see two log cabins, one built in 1920 and the other one built in 1818. It was really awesome seeing something built that long ago. It was a nice day out as well so we went hiking through the woods. What really amazed the both of is was the fact that this hiking park was right in the middle of the city! A city! And it was one of the most amazing hiking spots I have been to. I highly recommend it if you’re a hiker!

I am easy to please, so instead of a fancy dinner, we found a restaurant that gave us 15% off just for being guests at the hotel. It was called Wildside. Oh my gosh! I ordered a smoke stack burger. It was a burger with BBQ pulled pork, and BBQ sauce. It was one of the best burgers I have had! Again, if you go to Kissimmee, you have to go there! We also got chips and salsa and an appetizer but since our food came out first they took the chips and salsa off the check, plus our 15% off so you can say it was a good dinner!

If you get the chance I highly recommend going to Kissimmee. There is a lot to do and we were only there for a night.

Have a great week everyone!

It’s Race Season

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Lindsey

One thing I love about spring semester is all of the excitement it brings. A major part of the excitement is all of the racing events that occur in Daytona Beach. Before I came to ERAU, I was never interested in racing or NASCAR, however, once you live next door to the most famous track in NASCAR, you learn to love it.

Standing in the infield

In January, Daytona International Speedway hosts the Rolex 24 race. This race goes on for 24 hours, and is full of cool cars. This year there were Ford GTs, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, BMWs, Audis, and many more. All of these cars race at the same time, which makes the race interesting. Each car is different, but they are all very loud.

Canadian-painted Porsche

I went to the Rolex 24 this year, and I got an infield pass. The infield pass allowed me to walk around the infield and look at cars, look at the garages, and be up close to the track. They had old Rolex 24 cars from many years ago, which were interesting to look at because cars have changed so much over the years. They also have a fireworks show, so I came back Saturday night to watch the fireworks erupt over the track.

Lamborghini

New Ford GT

Now that the Rolex is over, it is time to prep for the Daytona 500. This past week, drivers and merchandise trucks have been arriving each day. Along with the drivers come their jets. The airport is packed with private jets, which are fascinating for any ERAU student to look at. Speedweeks just started, meaning there is constant action over at the Speedway. This week, the traffic should start to pick up, making it hard to navigate anywhere in Daytona Beach.

The excitement that the Daytona 500 brings is contagious. Personally, I think it would be fun to get next Friday off from school, since there is so much going on over at the track, but I don’t think that would go over well. Many people dread the flood of people who come to Daytona Beach for the week, but I think it is refreshing. It’s fun to see a different crowd of people in the city for a bit. The Goodyear blimp has been flying overhead for a few days now, and one of the USAF Thunderbirds arrived last week. Once the rest of the Thunderbirds arrive, it will be very loud, since they all have to practice for their flyover.

I am counting down the days until the 500, since it is one of my favorite events to attend. This year will be even better now that the Speedway has been remodeled. I get to sit on the front-stretch this year, which will be a new experience. Florida Georgia Line is also performing before the race, and I am ecstatic, since they are one of my favorites. Needless to say, this coming weekend should be a great one. Let’s hope that Kasey Kahne can pull out a win at the Daytona 500…

Until next time,

Lindsey

Flying All Over America – Part 2

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Nicolas

I hope you guys enjoyed Part 1 of my long trip across the United States. In the second part, I will cover the rest of the trip from San Francisco to Orlando with a connecting stop in Minneapolis.

Due to our long delay back in Atlanta, we had less time to spend at San Francisco International Airport than expected. We used our time wisely to walk around the terminal/concourse. Below is a gallery of the pictures of some of the planes we saw:

: Delta has a crew base in SFO and uses this aircraft (B767-300ER) for transcontinental flights to New York-JFK and Atlanta.

: San Francisco is a hub for United Airlines.

: Delta Air Lines – Boeing 737-900ER with Split Scimitar Winglet (one of the newer ones)

: Virgin America – Airbus A320

: This American Airlines Airbus A321 recently went to the paint shop after the merger with US Airways.

: Our ride to Minneapolis, an MD90!

: Compass Airlines – Embraer E175

: I saw Emirates’ A380 at the last second and couldn’t take a better picture of it!

After our quick tour, we boarded the plane for Minneapolis. Shortly after takeoff, we were served complimentary beverages and snacks, and I ordered the new Luvo chicken wrap the airline made available at 30,00 feet in the past few weeks. It was very good! For the remaining duration of the flight, I worked on homework while listening to music. I also took pictures of the outside sceneries over Utah and Wyoming.

A ski station over the state of Wyoming.

Somewhere over Wyoming!

Arrived in MSP, I thought it felt like when I arrive in Montreal! It is cold and there is snow. Ironically, it was colder in Atlanta than in Minneapolis. Jack showed me a cool place in Concourse D. We went up in an observatory over the terminal where we can see the airline’s ramp operations. Our plane from California landed about half an hour earlier so we were fortunate to have more time to explore the airport of Minneapolis. It was my first time at MSP so my friend showed me around (close to the whole airport). It was night by the time we landed so I couldn’t take any photos due to the reflection in the windows.

Last leg of the day: MSP to MCO.

For the last leg of the trip to the Sunshine State, we both got upgraded to First Class. The plane was quite empty where there were even 2 front seats that were unoccupied and all most of the Comfort+ seats empty. It is the first time of the day that I started to get tired after a long day. I was happy to have made through the whole day. I actually thought I would be tired after the long transcontinental flight from ATL to SFO, but I wasn’t.

Upgraded to First Class on our flight between MSP and MCO. For dinner was a tomato basil soup, followed by a salmon with basmati rice, and a toffee almond cookie for dessert.

Upgraded to First Class on our flight between MSP and MCO. For dinner was a tomato basil soup, followed by salmon with basmati rice, and a toffee almond cookie for dessert.

Since 6:00AM of that morning flight, I have kept most of the complimentary snacks the flight attendants passed around. I had quite a large collection by the last flight!

I accumulated many snacks over the day!

Overall, we had flown 5,500 miles while sitting around 17 hours on an aircraft during a timespan of 18 hours. That is a lot of flying! We calculated that we paid less than 30 cents per minute (~$17 per hour) to fly around the country in one day! It was definitely worth it! I hope I will fly again this year on a crazier trip than this one if possible!

On our way back to Florida after a long day of flying!

Until next time!

Nicolas

Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu

Flying All Over America – Part 1

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Nicolas

Hello!

This past Saturday, I flew over 21 states over the United States in less than 24 hours. I did this long trip with my friend Jack, who is also a student journal writer for Embry-Riddle. What was the purpose of this trip? We wanted to fly together just for fun. We would also accumulate more than 5,000 miles on this long journey.

Here was our planned itinerary: Orlando (MCO) – Atlanta (ATL) – San Francisco (SFO) – Minneapolis (MSP) – Orlando (MCO). In Part 1 of this exciting story, I will cover the flight segments until SFO. The remaining two flights until we land in MCO will be covered in Part 2.

Long flight ahead: ATL to SFO.

Our day started very early has we had to drive to catch a 6:00AM flight in Orlando. The first flight to Atlanta was just over an hour from wheels up to touchdown. The thing I like about early morning flights is that you can see the sunrise from above.

When we arrived at the busiest airport of the world, we did not have much time to connect to for our next flight. Fortunately, our arriving flight and our departing flight were in the same concourse, so we did not have to take the Plane Train.

For the transcontinental flight to San Francisco, we were onboard a Boeing 767-300ER with one of Delta’s international configuration featuring lie-flat beds. I wished we got upgraded to the front cabin! We were seated in the first row of Comfort+ at an exit row, so we had plenty of legroom and space to walk around during the duration of the flight.

Delta has a crew base in SFO and uses this aircraft (B767-300ER) for transcontinental flights to New York-JFK and Atlanta.

All the passengers were settled in their seat for an on-time departure when the captain announced a delay due to a problem with the main door. The door could not close and maintenance had to replace a part. The missing part of the door took a long time to arrive at the aircraft and it lead to a delay of about an hour before we got cleared for pushback.

My friend Jack and I are discussing with the flight crew while we were waiting for maintenance to repair a part on the main door.

In the mean time, we were granted permission by one of the flight attendants to go check out the flight deck. We spent about 45 minute talking with the first officer about aviation. The time went by fast and we returned to our seats because the airplane was ready to leave the gate.

The first officer’s notes before the flight.

During the flight, we worked on a project for our Airline-Airport Operations class. We had to select an airport or airline and write a report on it. We were actually productive on that flight and did homework! As we approached the state of California, the flight attendants made a trivia to the passengers asking four questions related to the Super Bowl. The folks who got the most right answers would win a bottle of wine (I wished the question would be related on Delta!).

The attendants on our flight to SFO made a trivia with questions related to the Super Bowl. The passengers who got the correct answers got a bottle of wine!

The flight attendants on our flight to SFO made a trivia with questions related to the Super Bowl.

When we booked the trip at the beginning of the semester, we did not know it was during the Super Bowl weekend. At first, we thought the airport in San Francisco would be crowded, but it was not! At least for the time we were there.

Story to follow in Part 2!