From Airport Intern to Airport Operations – Karlee Erickson’s Manages Aviation Opportunities
Alumni Update: Since the writing of this article, Karlee has elevated her career, becoming the Director of Operations at Terre Haute Regional Airport (HUF)!
In golf, the best advice for putting is "never up, never in" -- meaning you have to putt the ball past the hole to ever sink it.
It's kind of the same for Karlee Erickson and her career path.
A spring 2023 graduate of the WMU College of Aviation and initially believing that it would probably be impossible to land an internship near her roots in northern Lower Michigan, nevertheless she proceeded full speed ahead and "past the hole," knowing that she would never get there if she didn't at least try.
Today she is an airport operations agent at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport -- right in the middle of Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals Territory -- and knee deep in a career for which she has developed an intense passion.
At first, says the member of the 2020 senior class at Roscommon High School, she had trouble finding an internship at an airport anywhere near her home village of about 1,000 folks in the north-central sector of the state -- and one far away wasn't a suitable option. Still determined to give it a shot, she e-mailed as many airport directors and managers as she could identify in that part of Michigan, asking whether any would be interested in a summer intern. "I remember telling my mom that none of them are going to respond but it's worth a try."
Erickson recalls that she could not have been more wrong. "I was incredibly impressed that the vast majority responded and many answered to the effect that 'We've never had an intern before but we would be happy to craft an internship' that met my academic requirements and that would help me out.'"
That's how she crossed paths with Dan Sal, chief operating officer at Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport, and spent the summer of 2022 on the shoreline of northwest Lower Michigan, one of the planet's Garden of Eden attractions. "What a great opportunity to learn and grow," she says. "I largely credit Cherry Capital for making me the airport professional I am today and for developing my affinity for operations and maintenance departments."
She rode along during all kinds of facility inspections, sat in on discussions about airport and aviation regulations, and took part in full-scale training exercises that emphasize the essential coordination required between airport staff and first-responders in the event of an emergency. The experience was all capped off by the airport's role in the community's annual National Cherry Festival, particularly the event's air show.
"It was a fun combination of many airport-management functions," says Erickson whose degree is in aviation management and operations, "and it's ultimately where I nurtured my passion for airport operations."
Erickson's love of all things aeronautic germinated at her hometown airport near Roscommon when, as a 9 year old, she took part in an Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles flight. "It was an experience that was never lost on me and, as a senior in high school, I knew I wanted a career in aviation," she says. "I consider myself lucky to have realized all of this at such a young age."
While in Roscommon High, she witnessed the potential that her future career had for enhancing some of life's magic moments. Her father, Jim, assisted in the Mid-Michigan Honor Flight program that has flown World War II veterans to Washington so they may see the majesty of the nation's historic monuments and memorials.
It was the College of Aviation's roster of summer camps that lured Erickson to Western's Kalamazoo campus and the COA's headquarters in Battle Creek. She "camped" in July of 2019, taking flights in a Cirrus, touring the air-traffic-control tower at the Kalamazoo airport, and observing the maintenance side of the industry at Duncan Aviation -- all of which appealed to her. But the sale was made by "the extremely welcoming and kind students and staff" she encountered. "Choice of college was easy for me."
"College life" came in broad samples. Erickson worked as a "student watch" dispatcher for the WMU Department of Public Safety during her sophomore and junior years. "My favorite nights were Halloween and St. Patrick's Day when I helped with our SafeRide program," she says. "Students could call officers for a ride and mitigate intoxicated driving. I took the calls and passed the requests on to the officers. It's an awesome program and made for some fun stories."
Closer to her chosen profession was membership in the Western chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), serving as the unit's secretary and president. "AAAE helped me in making many connections in the industry," Erickson says, "before entering it. I gained well-respected industry certifications before graduating from WMU. I toured air-traffic-control towers, airports and airline operations. As chapter president I gained knowledge in budgeting and the financial side of an organization, all useful experiences."
Today, as an "industry pro," Erickson returns to campus to speak to Western's AAAE chapter to talk about her daily duties and "that no two days are ever the exact same," to offer some advice, and build awareness "about the plentiful opportunities available to today's aviation student. It's another example of a cool full-circle moment for me. I would like as many aviation students as possible to have the kinds of amazing opportunities I had during my time at WMU."
Erickson will recommend to her listeners to seek the advice and counsel of instructor Jessica Birnbaum, the chapter's adviser during her stint as the group's president. Birnbaum's courses in airport operations and airport safety/security "were extremely interactive and interesting. They were the type of classes I didn't mind writing research papers for because I actually loved the topic. My position in Cincinnati is a great combination of both classes."
If things become a little fuzzy -- and they always do during the college experience -- Erickson recommends a chat or two with Tom Thinnes, the program's director of recruitment, marketing and outreach. "During summer camp," she recalls, "I told Tom that I was looking into different aviation programs around the country and I was not certain which one would be the best fit for me. His fantastic advice was to look into different aspects of student life at each place and decide which of those I'd like to be a part of the most.
"I remember how unbiased and genuine his answer was," she says, "and how much I respected that. I chose the student life at WMU and I have never regretted that decision. Throughout the admissions process and my years at Western, Tom has always been very helpful and gracious to me. When I was offered my current job, he was really excited because he's a huge Cincinnati sports fan and he knows that region very well."
As a bit of payback, Erickson can relate her experiences at a major international airport, such as a gigantic training exercise last fall. "Getting to see that massive operation with mutual-aid agencies from the states of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and learning where my role fits in that response, was a fantastic experience."
One of Erickson's favorite memories of her days as a Bronco was to "simply visit the student tower at the Battle Creek campus and just watch our planes flying around, and listen to air traffic on the radio while doing course work. It was the best place to hang out."
There may be a bit of that in her future. She is currently in the hiring process to become an air-traffic-control trainee for the Federal Aviation Administration. Next stop could be the program's training academy in Oklahoma City. If that happens, she'll be able to see "plenty of planes flying around" -- but no class work this time because it will be her class.