Lewis University Navigator Blogs

Hi!! Hope everyone is having a good week and is excited about HALLOWEEN!! I am personally participating in two Halloween events this weekend. The Harmonic Uprising group is performing on Halloween and after going last year to see them perform lots of good music, I wouldn’t miss this concert. Also, some of the navigator team is participating in the Halloween Dodgeball. We are all going to wear costumes and hopefully have a lot of fun! Also, with this being Hunger month/week there are a lot of activities going on with that. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program painted bowls for the Hungry Bowls Project last week and there is a banquet this week for it. The kids all seemed to have a good time painting bowls. I wish you all a safe and Happy Halloween!!

As a senior in high school you may be choosing a college because of its closeness to your home. When I was choosing schools I considered schools both close to home as well as far away. I am from Michigan so it is not that far away but not to close either. I know everyone thinks it is very hard to be away from everyone and everything you know. I’m not saying it is not hard but I am saying that the experience of going to a school out of your state can be eye opening. At Lewis only five percent of the students are out of state residents, and if you are from another state and are considering Lewis as a college you should really take the time to visit and look at Lewis.  Lewis would love to have more out of state students because it offers other students to learn about different places and cultures. Every region of the country is different so they have opinions and life styles that differ. For example I have met some friends from California, Georgia and of course Illinois, but they all have different beliefs and backgrounds which I find really intersting.

If you are out of state you are very likely to live on campus. My encounter as a resident student has really given me the college experience. The dorm life is great, and you will meet lots of new people. Everyone says you will live in a tiny room with a roommate you may not like. That is not true…well maybe the small room part but that is something that you have to do to fully get the college experience. Having a roommate is one of the greatest things you can have because you may become great friends with someone you normally wouldn’t befriend. Living on campus can also help you be really involved in campus events and meet lots of other students. I have learned a lot since living away from my family. I have had to become more self dependent and responsible, which in the long run will only help me.  Lewis has made me feel like I am at home and is a great second family for me.

 Aviation is one of the oldest and most popular majors here at Lewis University. Our program is respected all over the country and has provided the best flight training I have ever received. Through it, I have really grown as a pilot. If you are interested in going into the aviation field, this is a great place to start. So what can one do to get started? What does one need? What can one do with this degree after college?

When I was looking at Lewis University, I too had these questions and found the answers mainly through my own experiences. I had about 80 hours in the air already and a private pilot’s license coming into Lewis, so I was able to skip a few classes and get credit for my license. Since your license and ratings are a major part of your college credit at Lewis, it is very important that you tell them about them before enrolling to make sure you are still eligible for the program or what credit you can get.

“So what if I’m coming in as a greenhorn?” No problem. Lewis made their program around students with no flight experience. Your first year focuses on getting your private pilot’s license. From there they will move at your pace to get your instrument rating, commercial pilot rating, multi-engine and/or CFI. Each rating (depending on the student’s pace) should take around a year. Open blocks are available over the summer. If possible, I recommend doing this because it is a waste to lose proficiency and spend half a semester playing catch up. Also, weather usually cooperates a lot better during the summer and it is smart to take advantage of this.

“So as an incoming aviation student what do I need to have?” The first, most important thing is to get a 1st Class Medical. Look online and find a certified Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and set up an appointment. It is important that you get a 1st Class because that is the medical that is required for the big jobs like airline pilots. If you get a 2nd or 3rd class, they will be looser with their restrictions and may not find a key medical condition that may disqualify you from future jobs. Other things that are helpful to have before the start of the school year is a headset, logbook, a kneeboard, and aviation charts. Headsets range from around $100.00 to $1,000.00 and it is entirely up to you how much you want to spend. A logbook is required to record all of your hours and training. A kneeboard is used to keep your papers and maps in order in the airplane. For Lewis University, get the most current Chicago sectional chart, a current Airport Facility Directory (AFD), and the most current FAA regulations (FAR/AIM). These documents are all good for only a certain amount of time, and it is important that you make sure you have current ones. You will also need flight planning tools like a plotter and an E6B flight computer. Less importantly, you should find a bag to put it all, a fuel strainer, a flight hood, and approach plates. These will be needed later on in your aviation flight training, but there’s nothing wrong with getting them early. The last thing I would recommend is to go up in a small plane if possible before deciding on aviation. Airplanes are not for everyone and it would be smart to make sure you are up to the challenge. This is why Lewis has their flight students up in an airplane within the first two weeks. Lewis offers an aviation summer camp over the summer and is a great opportunity to experience flight for the first time. If you’re not from around here, some airports offer discovery flights for a fee.

“So what can I do with my degree?” Many people think that with this degree, they will be able to graduate and immediately start working for an airline. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The big jobs require a certain amount of hours. At Lewis you won’t graduate with enough to qualify for those jobs. The way most people accumulate those hours (other than joining the military) is by becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and teaching. Eventually, you will qualify to work in whatever branch of aviation you want and realize your dream of flight by rising through the ranks.  Hopefully this has been helpful in answering some of your questions and given you a more realistic view of what to expect. Happy flying!

Hi my name is Shelby Ray. I am a freshman here at Lewis University. I graduated from Fruitport High School in Fruitport, Michigan so I am a resident here on campus. My major is Broadcast Journalism and I am minoring in Political Science. So one day I hope to be either a news reporter or a TV producer.

When I was deciding which college to attend Lewis was on my top list. They had a really good Broadcast Journalism program, the campus was beautiful and what really got me interested was all of the nice admissions staff that made me feel like I belonged here. Everyone was very personable and I really enjoyed that because I felt as if they truly cared about my education. As soon as I got on campus I felt the great atmosphere in the classroom and outside of it. All classes at Lewis are quite small so that is good for one on one learning. I love living on campus because it really helps when trying to get involved in activities and it also helps you meet new people. Everyone here on campus is really easy to get along with so it’s not hard to make friends. I love Lewis and I’m glad I decided to go here.

Hi! My name is Aly Lansky and I am a sophomore here at Lewis. I am from Oswego and attended Oswego East High School. I am majoring in Special/Elementary Education with a concentration in math. I am a member of the women’s soccer team as well as being involved with the Lewis Lunatics, which is a spirit club.

I chose to attend Lewis for several of reasons. When I was a senior, I was unsure if I wanted to major in nursing or special education so I wanted a school that had strong programs in both fields. I also chose Lewis because I wanted a middle size school. I did not want to have lecture classes but I also did not want to attend a university smaller than my high school. All of my classes here have around 20-25 students which I think is the perfect size because you can have close relationships with not only your classmates, but with the professor as well. I also knew that a wanted to play soccer too in college and Lewis is a Division II school which offers the perfect balance between athletics and academics, which is what I wanted. The professors are very understanding when I have to miss class for games and are willing to offer extra help when I miss a class. Finally, everyone at Lewis is very friendly and the campus is very beautiful!

Hi! My name is Monico Chavez and I’m an Aviation Flight Management major. I’m also working on minors in Business and in Criminal/Social Justice. With these degrees, I have the opportunity to become a professional pilot (i.e. commercial, cargo, corporate, etc.) but I also have my minors to fall back on. Due to the heavy emphasis on management in my major, my business minor is very easy to get! 

I chose Lewis because of the quality of their flight program. After looking at aviation schools all over the Midwest, it became clear that Lewis had the best program. Lewis is very respected in the aviation community and has a fleet of great aircraft that are very well maintained. The flight instructors are extremely knowledgeable and thorough in their training. I also chose Lewis because of their small class sizes, beautiful campus, religious foundations, and proximity to my home. The professors are extremely helpful and very effective as teachers. Since most of my aviation professors used to work in the aviation field, it is really great to get an insider’s view on what it’s really like to have a job in aviation.

My name is Janet Zack and I am a sophomore here at Lewis. I am from Stillman Valley and attended Stillman Valley High School. I am a Nursing student major and am enjoying a lot so far. I chose Lewis for a variety of reasons. The first one being that I wanted to attend a Catholic University. I went to public schools all my life but really wanted to attend a private Catholic school. Secondly, Lewis has a great Nursing program. Lewis offers small and individualized learning opportunities and all of the professors are more then happy to help. It is very far from a “sink or swim” program. Also, the Nursing program here is a four year program, so there is no worrying about being accepted to the program after two years. Lastly, Lewis was the perfect size and had the community feeling that I was looking for. Lewis is big enough that you probably will not know everyone, but small enough that you can walk to class and see people that you know. On campus, I am involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Student Nursing Association. I have made many friends at Lewis and really enjoy attending this university.