Bronco Spotlight: Adam Rice
Bachelor of Science in aviation flight science, 2018
Airline Pilot/First Officer at SkyWest Airlines
As First Officer for SkyWest Airlines I fly the CRJ-200/700/900 as second in command under the pilot in command. SkyWest operates under: United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle, and Alaska Horizon. I am responsible to fully assist the Captain as the Pilot Flying (PF) or Pilot Monitoring (PM), in addition assisting with passenger handling and safety.
What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is connecting people, cargo, and other things around the world for various purposes.
If you had a campus job or internship, how did they impact your career development?
Internships are the most valuable experiences you can have. Specifically, try to tailor your internship with a job you can see yourself having in the future. For example, there are internships for pilots at every major airline. Also, there are plenty of corporate internships with other corporate flight departments and technical operation facilities.
What advice would you offer students to help them decide on a career path?
A wise man once told me 'do what you love and you will never work a day in your life'. I have been very fortunate to have a passion for aviation for my entire life, with that said, any person with a love for aviation, my best piece of advice would be to pursue that career with full force. Focus on school for a short period of time to finish it efficiently. The faster you finish training, the longer your dream career will be. On the flip side of the coin, if someone does not know what they want to do, I recommend exploring everything Western has to offer. Get up, get out, and explore everything this University has to offer.