Tag Archives: OBAP

Reminiscing with OBAP

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Student clubs and organizations THRIVE on campus. There are over 200 different organizations ranging from professional organizations, major-specific orgs, and even clubs for music and the arts. There’s a home for everyone, and I found a home in the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP).

We hosted our first ever OBAP week during Black History Month and we’re finally compiling all of the content. OBAP week emphasizes our pillars – scholarship, leadership networking, and community service.

This was our OBAP week flyer that we distributed throughout campus. All events were open to everyone and we were happy to see that faculty members participated in events as well.

Sunday, club members got together to paint the Spirit Rock. Located steps away from the Student Center, the Spirit Rock is a point of self-expression for students on campus. OBAP was excited to add the layers of painted history that the rock provides the student body.

Our finished product! We definitely aren’t spray paint masters, but in the process of painting the rock we got a chance to bond, talk, and just have fun.

Throughout the week we displayed Black Aviation/Aerospace Facts in the student center. This was an opportunity to shed light on the giants that paved the way for Black and African-Americans in aviation.

Prior to flying with United Airlines, Captain Marshall served in the United States Air Force beginning in 1964. In 1972, Captain Marshall was forced to eject over enemy territory and was captured. He was a Prisoner of War (POW) until his release in 1973. Our members and other attendees were fortunate enough to hear his stories as an African-American in the USAF and a POW in the 60s and 70s – a time of racism and civil injustice. His stories highlight the importance of celebrating Black History Month as well as the other men and women that contribute to “reclaiming our time.”

Later in the week, we attended the Embry-Riddle Basketball games with the Caribbean Students Association. Dressed in our blue and gold, we were the embodiment of school spirit. Still one of the best games I’ve been to!

Our members also got the opportunity to participate in the half-time games. I honestly can’t remember if we won; we were so busy cheering that we didn’t know what we were really cheering for. We were just excited! The games are a must.

On Friday, we invited Bethune-Cookman University to participate in our annual trivia night. Questions were centered around Black history, aviation, aerospace, and pop culture.

OBAP closed off the week with a leadership retreat in Orlando. Staying in the house allowed us to bond, connect, and learn from one another.

In light of all of these events and the upcoming close of the year, our club (myself, especially) is reminiscing. This was a semester to cherish. Thank you to everyone that participated and those that will participate in the future. OBAP is Embry-Riddle and I couldn’t be more proud to be an Eagle!

To see more of OBAP’s events and our role in the Embry-Riddle campus community, check out our Instagram.

⋆ Dani

The Final Countdown

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From late nights in the College of Business computer lab to early mornings in the library, Riddle has become a home away from home. I’ve laughed, cried, and have grown as a person. Friends have become family and clubs have become a day-to-day must. This, and so much more, has made my collegiate experience one worth remembering. Despite it all, I am counting down the days! As of today, I am 113 days away from graduation on May 7th and I couldn’t be more excited.

As I look back at last semester, I have to really take pride in my hard work. I attended the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals 41st Convention in Orlando.

ERAU OBAP members and myself take a picture with our advisor, Dr. Nancy Lawrence, and  fellow alumni.

I also got to present my own research in October at the The Popular Culture Association in the South and the American Culture Association in the South Conference. This was a huge milestone for me personally. I’ve never conducted research before, so to present among others in communication and literature was a huge honor.

PCAS/ACAS was hosted in Savannah, Georgia

I designed my first mission patch as well, through Space Tango for our payloads on SpaceX CRS- 13!

SpaceTango SpaceX CRS-13 took place in December and was the last customer launch of 2017.

I even got to utilize this research later on in Dr. Silverman’s Contemporary Issues in Science (HU 302). The final exam allowed students to communicate in an array of media including papers, videos, and even a painting. I’ve been too busy to paint in my free time, so I eagerly informed Dr. Silverman I would illustrate the findings of my research through a painting.

“Hush, Hair” is the result of a qualitative approach to my research “Hair Talks, but do we Listen?” that consisted of a 7-woman focus group in which participants shared their struggles, origins, and perception of their natural hair dialogues within the workplace.

All-in-all, I spent last semester experiencing new things, networking (as usual), and finding a way to bridge my interests with my work. I think we can find enjoyment in just about anything if we make it so. As this new year starts, I look forward to maintaining the same open mind in my new courses and throughout the infamous grad school/job hunt. Step-by-step, right?

⋆ Dani

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Convention and Career Expo

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Embry-Riddle is home to a series of prestigious organizations that salute the advancement of minorities within the Aviation and Aerospace industry. I, myself, have recently joined the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals. Not only is our advisor the esteemed Dr. Nancy Lawrence, an Associate Professor of Aerospace and Occupational Safety, but our alumni are leaders in the industry. As a member of OBAP, I was invited to attend the 41st Annual Convention hosted in Orlando, Florida at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort.

I was in the presence of professional aviators, captains, air traffic control specialists, and even marketing professionals from the aerospace industry. The weekend consisted of collegiate series, receptions, a job fair, and a gala for the finale. Unlike the ISS Research & Design Conference I attended earlier this year, this convention was catered primarily to the students.

The first night informal and beyond welcoming. For many attendees, it was a lot like a family reunion. Minorities make up a relatively small portion of the demographic; despite these small numbers, OBAP provides an incredibly close-knit community that thrives on encouraging one another’s successes. Within in that night alone, I found myself making jokes with historically influential captains that are paving the way for young Black pilots today.

Of course, I myself am not a pilot or enrolled in an aerospace-specific program, but I was pleased to see that there was still a distinct need and appreciation for communication majors. Although I did make a few connections regarding public relations and marketing, this is an event that greatly benefits aeronautical engineers, air traffic controllers, aerospace and occupational safety, and (of course) aeronautical science majors.

Companies in attendance were FedEx, Southwest, Mesa Airlines, JetBlue, and many more. Embry-Riddle was also one of very few colleges with their own booth. Our OBAP chapter members and executive board shared with attendees information on programs and certifications offered at all available degree levels for Prescott, Daytona, and Worldwide.

 

As a senior, this is event was truly beneficial for networking, but more so perspective. This convention is cleverly crafted to make you an active individual with the aerospace industry. It was a dose of reality. The people I met that weekend are the people I hope will be working with in the future. That in itself is a huge honor – stand alongside men and women that strive for not only themselves, but the people that look up to them.

If you’re looking for more information, be sure to check out the official Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals website and DEFINITELY reach out to our school’s local chapter at obap.erau@gmail.com. You can find us at the activities fair as well on September 7th!

⋆ Dani