WMU Management and Operations Student Ricardo Escalante-Villalta
Everybody is unique in his or her own way, but Ricardo Escalante-Villalta can boast of another factor that is distinctive.
A senior majoring in aviation management and operations, he may be the only College of Aviation (COA) student who has roots in the Central America nation of El Salvador.
However, he is not the first COA enrollee who can trace an affinity for all things aviation to a childhood home that was in the proximity of a major airport -- in his case two, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) as well as Boeing Field. The latter, located five miles south of Seattle and now operated by the King County government, had been that part of the state of Washington's main passenger airport from its origins in 1928 until SeaTac came into play in the late 1940s.
Escalante-Villalta and his sister with their best pal!
Born in the capital city of San Salvador, Ricardo moved with his family to the Pacific Northwest in the winter of 2008 when his father took a job with Microsoft Corp., the multinational computer and software enterprise headquartered in Redmond, Wash.
That's where the Escalante-Villalta clan took up residence. Located 15 miles east of Seattle, Redmond provided young Ricardo, who had to learn to speak English, with a bird's-eye view of action in the skies. The two airports were close enough that "the approach procedures passed right over my house," he says. "I would pull up flight radar on my phone, look at the sky and see where the plane was coming from and where it was going."
Escalante-Villalta with his fellow AZO staff during the Avelo Airlines inaugural flight into Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Int. Airport
That sparked an interest in aviation and prompted watching videos about the industry's specialized vocabulary and its ground schools. Ricardo had no connection with the industry during his years at Redmond High School from where he graduated in 2019. But he had experienced flying. Other than the family's journey to Washington, there was a flight to southern California to sample Disney World and Universal Studios.
The next chapter in his life is testament to this kind of perspective: Even if you don't know what you are going to do in life, do something. Don't relegate yourself to being a couch potato waiting for a sign from heaven. Don't be status quo. Explore some kind of horizon. Here's how Ricardo explained it:
"I chose to attend WMU because I didn't know what I was getting myself into," he says. "I took a leap into the unknown and it is paying dividends. My time at WMU has opened doors I didn't know were even there."
Avelo Airline's first flight into the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
Western as his leap of choice was not a sure thing. He took a look at programs offered at Purdue University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, San Jose State and Central Washington University in his adopted home state.
"What made WMU stand out is the treatment the students receive, and the College of Aviation in particular," he says. "Transparency is what made WMU so appealing compared to other schools. I truly felt the campus was family. The College of Aviation is so committed to its students, and students in turn feel honored to earn their wings from an institution known for producing outstanding leaders in the aviation industry."
Another selling point for him was the volunteer opportunities coming his way in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo communities, opportunities that nurture leadership, self-growth and professional skills. One example is his internship at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport where he was on board when Avelo Airlines, previously specializing in the charter business, began to offer scheduled, low-cost flights, joining Lansing and Chicago's Midway as its other nearby service areas.
"I loved working there because of its group of hard-working individuals who want me to succeed in my endeavors," he says. "Because it is not a major hub, I was able to get hands-on experience in all of the areas that keep an airport operational."
Escalante-Villalta and his family at a Seattle Sounders soccer game
Ricardo has rounded out his resume by being involved in the Western chapters of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), Alpha Eta Rho (the professional fraternity that links higher education with the aviation industry) and social fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (known as the Fijis), holding leadership and recruitment offices in two of them. He says these activities have helped him grow as a leader and forged an ambition to help "others grow as well." And you can't put a price on the networking value. For example, he represented Western at the AAAE's annual conference in Seattle. Not only was it a chance to go home, but to interact with industry leaders as well.
While he's majoring in the management side of the industry, Ricardo has earned his wings with an instrument rating as a pilot. With a minor in business, he's exploring courses in analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce.
Escalante-Villalta's best friend Obi enjoying his time as a Bronco
Inside Ricardo's major, Roger Salo's class in corporate aviation management drew kudos for "providing an in-depth look at how business jets do business," he says. "We looked at case studies on how to manage and change business fleets based on the differing characteristics and demands of companies."
As far as personal development is concerned, the course in the economics of gender and race caught his attention. "It opened my eyes to the struggle that races and genders face in the market," he says. "WMU provides classes that not only focus on your career, but make you a well-rounded student. It has given me a better understanding of the struggles that Latinos like myself face in different communities." Thus, another reason to pursue aviation credentials at a comprehensive college or university.
During his years on the Kalamazoo campus, he's enjoyed golfing with friends, attending Broncos and Detroit Lions football games, and walking pet Obi around the dog park. But as he ponders future job opportunities either with an airline or an airport, he will take with him some "no-pain-no-gain" recollections.
"My favorite part of WMU has been how difficult the aviation program has been," he says. "This led me to finding and surrounding myself with people who march forward to growing into leaders while helping me along the way. Struggling sent me to seek help from faculty and other students. And I got it, proving that the WMU College of Aviation is the best in the country, hands down."
And that's coming from a fellow who hails from another country.