From Lake Michigan to the Skies: The Journey of Two WMU Aviation Alumni Soaring with Delta
They came from opposite sides of Lake Michigan. Their bond was forged in the welcoming and caring environment of the Western Michigan University College of Aviation. They team-taught a theory course for the college. Their degrees in aviation flight science are both time-stamped 2019. Today their careers share membership in Delta Air Lines' squadron of pilots.
The stories and paths of Lauren Quandt and Ismail Abuzir into the aviation industry are similar to hundreds of Bronco students who have come and gone before them, trained and formed by a program that majors in fraternal spirit.
Quandt and Abuzir may soon have another commonality -- linkage to Delta's Propel Pilot Career Path Program and its relationship with the College of Aviation, which was launched in 2018 and offers current Western students the opportunity to achieve their dream of becoming a pilot for a major airline. Abuzir is already affiliated, while Quandt is waiting to hear her Propel wings.
Abuzir, who calls the city of Lockport -- 30 miles southwest of Chicago -- home and graduated from its high school in 2015, chose Western because "it was close, had a great reputation in the industry," and boasted a "great aircraft" fleet of Cirrus.
"Ever since I was able to talk," he says, aviation "is all I have ever wanted to do. Planes always interested me. Growing up, we would go to the Middle East every summer. On that 14-hour flight, I was only intrigued by staring out the window. I knew right then I wanted to be an airline pilot. Every day after school I played 'Flight Simulator'."
Quandt was raised in Grosse Ile, whose township boundaries incorporate parts of the Detroit River and Michigan's most populated island -- hence the community's name. A member of the 2013 Grosse Ile High School senior class, she was dually enrolled at the MIAT College of Technology in Canton, formerly known as the Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. Fresh out of high school, she attended MIAT full-time to complete work on an A&P (airframe and powerplant) license and worked as a "line tech" at Avflight's fixed-base operation at the Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti. This helped pay for flight lessons at Grosse Ile Municipal Airport.
Her family and siblings vacationed in Florida and one of the adventures was watching a rocket do its thing at the Kennedy Space Center. "From that moment, I was enthralled with flight, space and explorations. I went to air shows, attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University summer camps, and joined the Civil Air Patrol in high school, which all led to my dual enrollment at MIAT.
"I chose WMU because it was in-state," she says, "and could easily transfer my MIAT credits. To be frank, I had no idea how great the program was until I was part of it. My primary resources were a couple of people from my high school who had chosen WMU's flight program. Looking back, I am so thankful. I owe WMU -- and specifically the College of Aviation -- for where I am today."
During his years on campus, Abuzir filled his resume with experiences that made interviewers take notice -- "cum laude" was printed on his diploma, he was a student dispatcher at the college's base of operations at Battle Creek's Kellogg Field, worked three years as a flight instructor, served on the program's safety committee, completed an internship at United Airlines' chief pilot's office at O'Hare in Chicago, ran a college-level classroom, and was chosen to participate in both Delta's and Republic Airways' pilot-recruitment ventures at Western.
The latter vaulted him in July 2021 into becoming a first officer for Republic, the regional airline based in Indianapolis whose 6,000-plus employees at 10 hubs offer 900 daily flights to more than 80 destinations. He achieved captain's status in March of 2023; shortly thereafter, he joined Delta as a first officer flying several versions of the Airbus and became involved in the company's Propel program. At Republic, he says, he worked with the pilots' union focusing on scheduling issues. "This helped me understand how complex airline scheduling can be."
Quandt prepped for her days at Western being introduced to general aviation and corporate flight operations while working at Avflight. She too qualified for a United internship, this one served at its San Francisco facility's chief pilot's office. Assisting with meeting the daily needs of United pilots and keeping "the operation running smooth," the experience cemented in her the belief that "I wanted to work in the airline industry as soon as I was able to."
"As soon as" led Quandt to work as a WMU flight instructor and teach the course with Abuzir -- both during the Covid 19 shutdown. "That made for some interesting challenges regarding how to use Zoom to teach private-pilot ground school," she says. "Creativity was necessary to ensure the students could effectively grasp and understand the material. We all did the best we could under that situation. I was so proud of each one of my ground-school students for doing their best despite the worldwide uncertainty."
SkyWest Airlines out in Utah was impressed as well, hiring her for its Chicago-based service in 2021. On her resume was a co-major in aviation maintenance technology and the status of magna cum laude when it came to academic excellence. Eventually elevated to the rank of SkyWest captain within two years, she now wears a Delta uniform and hopes to become a Western contact for its Propel program.
Membership in the WMU chapter of Women in Aviation International (WAI) is also part of Abuzir's calling card. "Diversity in the industry is huge for me," he says. "Any organization that encourages diversity in aviation will always have my fullest support. I met many great people through WAI. I loved going to its conferences every year while I was a student." That's probably one of the reasons his favorite instructor is assistant professor Gail Rouscher. "She truly went above and beyond her teaching role," he says. "It was also super watching her continue her own learning journey" as Rouscher advanced toward her doctoral degree.
Quandt put a cherry or two on her resume by being a part of Western's Sky Broncos Precision Flight and Air Race Classic teams. The latter is a cross-country flying competition for female pilots that dates back to the days of Amelia Earhart. "These organizations," she says, "gave me friends for life, amazing networking opportunities, and the chance to further develop my skills as a pilot. I gained real-world practice with weather situations, planning and logistics, and decision making -- skills that I use as a pilot every day. I am the pilot I am today because of what I learned on those teams. They constitute some of my favorite Western memories."
When asked, the tandem of Abuzir and Quandt easily recite the names of dozens of faculty, staff members, mentors and fellow students (including each other) who made their sojourn at WMU so productive and memorable in helping them achieve their career goals.
"My all-time favorite WMU memory," Abuzir says, "is flying with Lauren to Traverse City to eat brunch at our special French cafe. The four-hour round-trip flight goes quickly when you have a friend by your side. She has always supported me and made me feel confident learning something new. Honestly, everyone at WMU has influenced me one way or another. They are all the reasons I am where I am today."
For Abuzir, way high on that list is Bronco alumna and recipient of the college's Excellence in Diversity Award, Monique Grayson. "She is a mentor and dear friend," he says. "I reached out to her constantly whenever I needed advice. She always knew exactly what to say. A full-circle moment for me was when Monique came to my Delta wing ceremony."
For Quandt, some of the simpler moments are the best. "Like sitting outside under the Covid tent lined with Christmas lights with other flight instructors and students," she says, "while people in hazmat suits sprayed the inside of the building with disinfectant. In those times of uncertainty, we were all together and making the best of the situation. I also loved watching my students become flight instructors themselves and see them progress toward a career they love."
Another objective they share is helping the next generation of aviators achieve their dreams. "I am proof," Abuzir says, "that if you can dream it, you can achieve it. I still have to pinch myself on a daily basis because I feel so honored to be living my childhood dream. Whenever I do my preflights, I cannot help but smile knowing it took a village to get me to where I am today."
Quandt's story is part of the pitch she hopes she can make to prospective "Propel-ers" in the near future. "I absolutely love my job for a multitude of reasons," she says. "I love how calm the world seems at 37,000 feet, and the many sunrises and sunsets I get to witness. I meet new people every single flight and love when passengers say hello. All this makes it one of the best jobs in the world." She sees herself down the line becoming involved in Delta's pilot-training tasks.
"It's important to give back," she says, "because all of us start out at some point and are staring down a long road ahead. If we can make someone's journey in aviation a little easier, we should do all we can. I had so many people in my corner when I needed help or encouragement. I would love to be that person for someone else."
Abuzir had similar hurdles. "I had no family or friends in aviation," he says, "but in my first year at WMU, I met Monique at a WAI meeting. I was so impressed by her story and she took me under her wing offering all kinds of great advice. As a result, I would not trade my job for anything in the world. I do miss family gatherings and celebrations, but at the end of the day I am living out my dream. Aviation is taking me all over the world."
Now based in Atlanta where she is an avid hiker and softball player, Quandt recounts a recent flight from Minneapolis to Anchorage. "It was my longest flight and my coolest," she says, "because I got some great views of the Northern Lights."
Also flying these days out of the Georgia capital, Abuzir was part of Delta's sendoff of the United States' Olympics team as it headed to Paris and the 2024 games. "That was one of the coolest things I've ever done," ranking just above when, as a Republic pilot, he flew an Embraer 175 into Battle Creek for the College of Aviation's Outlook Day showcase. "It was a cool memory, made even cooler when the Kellogg control tower remembered my name."