Aviation grad found world of opportunity at Western
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—If globe-trotting were a major, Western Michigan University student Raymond Miller would be on his way to a Ph.D. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in aviation management and operations and a full-time job already underway, the newly minted alumnus is leaving Western with a passport packed with stamps after completing four study abroad experiences spanning three different continents.
Not bad for someone who rode his first plane as a senior in high school to spend spring break with his older sister in Florida.
“That first flight opened me up and I was like, ‘Man, I want to go all over!’” he remembers.
It also sparked his interest in aviation, which ultimately landed him at Western. “I just loved everything about the airport and the planes.”
Preparing for takeoff
Growing up, travel had a different meaning for Miller. He spent much of his childhood crisscrossing the state in group homes through Michigan’s foster care system, and as he approached his final years of high school, he was unsure what his next move might be.
“I didn’t have any plans for what I was going to do with my life, and I didn’t think I would ever be able to afford college,” he says. But Saba Garcia, Miller's mentor with the Empowering Foster Youth Through Technology program, gave him new hope. “She told me there were great scholarships available because I was in foster care, and that it would pay for me to go to school and live on campus. When I heard that, I was in shock.”
Miller first enrolled in community college to make sure he could keep up with the academic rigors of higher education.
“I realized I actually liked school and that I could keep up with classes and studying,” he says. “So, I knew I wanted to transfer to a [four-year] college; I just needed to figure out what I wanted to study.”
With the help of his sister and the career-inspiring spring break flight, he landed on aviation management and operations, which allowed him to combine his interests in business and the flight industry. Western Michigan University, with its renowned College of Aviation, offered the perfect runway to success.
WMU also has the Seita Scholars Program, which provides holistic support for students who have lived experience in foster care.
“Seita Scholars offers a coach—somebody who’s on campus with you 24/7—who you can always go to if you need any type of support: emotional, financial, whatever you need,” says Miller. “They give you a place.”
Dreams take flight
The Seita Scholars Program offered Miller his first opportunity to pursue his passion for traveling, with a study abroad trip to the Dominican Republic. The three-credit course focused on social justice in education and social service sectors and included visits to government agencies and schools as well as opportunities for community service and cultural excursions.
“From a cultural engagement perspective, [it] was an incredibly eye-opening and meaningful experience,” he says. “Being immersed in a different culture allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for traditions, daily life and perspectives outside of my own, which truly inspired me to want to pursue more study abroad opportunities in the future.”
Miller started planning his next study abroad experience as soon as he got home, turning his attention from the Caribbean to the Nordic island of Iceland. He says that once he learned that the course focusing on environmental studies would satisfy Western Essential Studies credits and that scholarships would cover all his expenses, signing up was “a no-brainer.”
In Iceland, Miller traversed volcanic lava fields; swam in hot springs; and learned firsthand about the country’s emphasis on renewable energy, conservation and environmental responsibility. He says the trip, like the one before, was transformative.
“These experiences helped me clearly connect environmental theory with real-world practice,” he says. “Living and learning in a new culture pushed me outside my comfort zone, helping me become more independent, adaptable and open-minded, and ultimately strengthening my commitment to environmental stewardship and personal growth.”
Sustainability was also a focus of Miller’s third adventure, a two-week course in India focused on Experience-Driven Learning opportunities related to social entrepreneurship, justice and sustainable development. The student cohort visited companies and talked with industry leaders about responsible business practices, learned about entrepreneurial and educational empowerment at an all-girls school, and even visited the Taj Mahal.
“It was a truly unforgettable and humbling experience,” says Miller.
Determined to add at least one more international experience to his resume, Miller found an opportunity to study aviation in France. By attending a number of international activities and events on campus, he qualified for a Global Engagement Program scholarship through the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, and he once again was able to fund his entire experience.
“It was hard work, but it felt like it was meant to be,” he says.
Alongside other students from the College of Aviation, Miller toured Airbus headquarters as well as aerospace and aviation museums in Toulouse and Paris; went behind the scenes at Charles de Gaulle Airport; and did some sightseeing at the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre.
“Experiencing both the technical side of aviation and the rich culture and history of France broadened my global perspective and strengthened my passion for pursuing a career in the aviation industry,” he says.
Wrapping up his college career as a veteran traveler, Miller says he is just getting started.
“Study abroad has really opened up how I think about the world and broadened my perspective on a lot of things,” he says. “Traveling really makes you think about things more in-depth, and when you just stay in one place, you don’t grow. I’ve grown so much and I can’t wait for more!”
Industry experience
In between studying on campus and turning the world into his classroom, Miller also made time to build professional connections through involvement in registered student organizations (RSOs). He participated in the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), Business Aviation Club, Alpha Eta Rho and the National Society of Black Engineers.
“Organizations like OBAP complemented my coursework by providing guidance, community support, and access to resources that helped prepare me for a successful career in aviation and aerospace,” says Miller.
He also attended several professional conferences with those RSOs and networked with aviation professionals and organizations at events on campus, connecting with potential future employers such as Duncan Aviation, where he landed an internship last summer in Nebraska as an avionics technician. There, he worked on avionics systems in various aircraft and earned a professional certification.
“The resume experience was amazing,” he says. “I was so excited to get hands-on experience in aviation and also extend it to my senior capstone.”
Miller’s bolstered resume was so impressive, in fact, that he secured a full-time job as an operations assistant for Kalitta Air several months before graduation.
“I’m looking forward to gaining hands-on experience while continuing to build my career in operations,” he says. “I’m excited [to see] what the future holds.”
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