Building Her Future, One Aircraft at a Time: The Journey of WMU’s Natalie Smeltzer

Natalie Smeltzer can give chapter-and-verse to the value of networking and taking advantage of opportunities during one's college years. 

Attending the College of Aviation's annual Recognition Banquet, she found herself sharing a table with the chief executive officer of Duncan Aviation that operates a major enterprise at the Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field, the college's home base. 

Guess where the WMU junior majoring in aviation technical operations will be serving an internship this summer? 

And that assignment won't be far from her roots.  Smeltzer was born and raised in Holland, Mich., a Lake Michigan community northwest of Kalamazoo and known internationally for Tulip Time, the annual festival extravaganza that celebrates its Dutch heritage. 

It was in her home community where a career in aviation dawned on Smeltzer.  "I attended a 'Flight Night' at Tulip City Airport," says the 2023 graduate of Black River Public High School.  "I was able to 'fly,' well really 'crash' in a simulator, and learn about all the opportunities in aviation, which had always fascinated me." 

That led to a tour at Western's College of Aviation and sparked her interest in the industry's maintenance sector.  "I applied to a couple of other schools, but never seriously considered them," she says.  "Besides, both of my brothers went to WMU, so I was familiar with the university, and I had heard incredible things about the aviation program. I was drawn to it." 

The tour was the final selling point.  "I loved the campus life," Smeltzer says.  "At the College of Aviation, the people were so kind and helpful.  It seemed like they cared about my journey in aviation, regardless if I ended up at WMU or not." 

Well, she did end up there, and she has not been a shrinking violet so far during her three years at Western.  Reflecting on her beneficial dinner experience with the Duncan head, she says "I was able to learn about the steps he took in his journey to where he is today." 

Another "eye-opener" was representing the college at the AeroOne conference that was hosted in Grand Rapids by the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan and attracted professionals from every sector of aviation.  Accompanied by COA instructor Emily Teall, "I learned so much about the many different companies and the work they do," she says.  "I made lots of connections at roundtable discussions with professionals of all kinds.  Their advice was highly valued." 

On campus, she stays very close to her chosen discipline when she's not among the "Lawson Lunatics," the student fan base that avidly supports the WMU hockey team, the reigning national champions.  Smeltzer serves as the community assistant in

 Henry Hall's Aviation House.  In those duties, she works with the college and Western's housing staff "to connect residents to the resources they need to thrive as students.  I plan events to foster a community environment in the Aviation House and work to connect residents with faculty members in a casual setting." 

The Duncan placement will not be her first so-called rodeo. The summer of 2025 was spent as an aircraft-technician intern at Constellation Brands in Rochester, N.Y. "I gained so much hands-on experience working on its fleet of Gulfstream 280s and 600s.  The amazing team went out of its way to help me learn as much as I could in 12 weeks.  I never felt like 'just an intern.'  I was part of the team.  Under the supervision of technicians, I learned more in one summer than I thought I could." 

As a "full" team member, she was assigned to accompany a Constellation technician on a working trip to Appleton, Wis., where one of its Gulfstream 600s would be undergoing a full-scale MRO -- maintenance, repair and overhaul.  "I was also able to tour the facility," she says, "and, on the flight back, fly 'jumpseat' for the first time, and see how things work in the cockpit.  I really value all of those summer experiences, and look forward to this summer." 

Aiding in her being able to take the most advantage out of that internship -- and the one to come -- has been her favorite class: instructor Jeremy Hierholzer's "Reciprocating Inspect and Repair" lab. 

"It was put together really well," she says.  "Each lab was something that tested my knowledge and applied to future work.  Some labs are just busy work, but I never sensed that with Jeremy's labs.  What we did will apply to the practical exam for our Air Frame and Power Plant certificate.  He always seems to go out of his way to help his students." 

Receiving high grades outside of her major was Jim Stockman's Business 1750 course.  "He ran simulations that reflect how businesses are run," Smeltzer says.  "I learned a lot about business, stuff that I wouldn't have gone out of my way to learn on my own.  He offered a really positive presence." 

Smeltzer plans to have her senior year cap off what has been a personally profitable run at the College of Aviation by taking advantage of what she will learn as an airframe-technician intern at Duncan and be as ready as possible for that step into the professional ranks of aviation technology -- wherever that step takes her.