One Month Left of the Fall Semester…

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Cherie

It is simply amazing how quickly the semester flies by. It seems like yesterday I was finally getting used to my course schedule! For our current Freshmen I’m sure this is an exciting time because next semester you won’t be the newest people on the block and you will get to go see your families over break.

However, this exciting time of year is also a very tiring time of year as classes are starting to wrap up. It is very tempting to just roll over and go back to sleep or even skip one assignment. This isn’t the best decision though, there is still some time left to make or break those grades so keep it together!

As a four year “veteran” of Embry-Riddle Prescott’s Fall semester I highly encourage you to take a small break from reality on the weekends but continue working hard. The end of the semester is like the last mile in a 12 mile hike — you are tired and you want to sleep but you are almost to the top of the mountain. You can’t give up yet!!!

For our students who we will be meeting next Fall, the same applies to you!! I know there is this whole Senioritis thing that is “tradition” in high school but do not allow that “tradition” to keep you from graduating. Without that diploma we here at Embry-Riddle won’t be able to support you as you make it through your years in college and shoot for that dream job.

You are almost there, one semester down and a few more to go!!

Two months in — It’s OK to be slightly homesick

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Jeffery

You’ve been here now for about 2 months; I know it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, time flies here, no pun intended. You’re slowly beginning to get into the swing of things. See it wasn’t so hard. Midterms are finally over. This is also a time where you are left with a little bit more free time than before and your mind has time to wonder and think of home.

You start to realize that those phone calls and Face time sessions are no longer enough. This is when that thing, that one thing no student wants to admit they have caught, homesickness, shows up. As a freshman it’s hard to admit. No one wants to admit that they are missing home, especially to their parents because you know there just going to tell you “I told you so.”

As a freshman it’s normal for you to begin to miss home around this time in the semester. Looking back now at my freshman year I remember this moment very vividly. It was hard. Being from New Orleans, LA there are a great deal of things we do that are a part of our unique culture that many other places don’t do and even think we’re crazy for doing. Small things like getting excited for Christmas in the Oaks in City Park, trying to get your last fix of snowballs before it starts getting too cold to want to eat one, attending the Saints games now that football season is beginning to get a little bit more interesting, trying to get that last batch of crawfish from the Seafood Pot before the season officially ends and just hanging with my family and friends when I need someone who understands all of my weirdness.

Making snow angels in downtown Prescott.

Crawfish, Corn, and Cajun Potatoes!

It’s hard because you just arrived here a few months ago and Arizona isn’t quite home yet. I know, you can’t even imagine calling Arizona home, but trust me you will. It happens to all of us after Christmas break when we realize just how amazing this state is along with not knowing how we were ever able to live life without the friends we’ve met here at Riddle this semester. Just hang on, don’t let the stress of being homesick take over your mind by swallowing your thoughts and making it difficult to stay focused. Continue to stay busy. Hang out with your “crew” continuing to create incredible memories. Oh and if midterms got the best of you don’t let it discourage you. This is your first introduction to the format of college exams. Take it as a learning experience and build from it. We all do bad on at least one exam, it happens. Keep pushing through, the semester will be wrapping up in a blink of an eye and before you know it you’ll be back home with your family and friends enjoying all that the holidays have to offer and before you have the chance to notice, you’ll be wishing you were back at Riddle with the second family you’ve had the opportunity to build so far. This is just the beginning of your journey the rest is still unwritten.

Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Xi Delta Formal.

Our Own Private Air Show!

Posted on October 21, 2015 by #ERAUPrescott

Hi all! The first weekend of October was certainly an eventful one. It was time for OctoberWest once again! Each year, our Prescott campus has a celebration of the anniversary of Embry-Riddle’s founding. We call this “homecoming” week OctoberWest, and this year we celebrated 90 years of Embry-Riddle legacy!

One of the main events of OctoberWest is the Wings Out West Airshow, held on Saturday Oct. 3^rd at our own flight line. Each year from 10am to 12pm, the Prescott airport is shut down and reserved for the airshow, a private show for Embry-Riddle students, faculty and their families (just another benefit of being an Eagle!).

This year the airshow was kicked off by a parachute jump executed by Rex Pemberton, a very well-known and young parachutist with hundreds of successful jumps under his belt. As he descended back down to the surface, Melissa Pemberton, a champion aerobatic pilot, circled around him in her Edge 540

Matt Chapman performs at the Wings Out West airshow this past Sat.

aerobatic airplane as the National Anthem played. After both were back on the ground, Patty Wagstaff, veteran member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team and three time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, performed a breathtaking aerobatic routine that had all eyes turned skyward. Also performing amazing aerobatic routines were award-winning aerobatic and airline pilot Matt Chapman, as well as seasoned aerobatic pilot Bill Stein. Melissa Pemberton also performed and awe-inducing routine that included cutting a ribbon strung above runway 21L while inverted!

As part of the Flight Team, my teammates and I helped out with crowd control throughout the event. Victor and Ian (our Captain and Chief Pilot) also performed in the airshow in one of our 1965 Cessna 150s. They demonstrated two of our flying events: message drop and a power-on landing. Spread out on the Riddle ramp were several general aviation airplanes, helicopters, and even an Embraer ERJ-175 commercial airliner flown in by Skywest Airlines! These aircraft were on display throughout the airshow, each one unique in its own way.

This year’s OctoberWest was without a doubt very entertaining and action-packed. I had a great time, and I can’t wait to see what next year’s OctoberWest/Wings Out West Airshow will bring!

My friend/teammate Lorenzo and I in front of Embry-Riddle’s custom biplane

My friend/teammate Lorenzo and I in front of Embry-Riddle’s custom Waco bi-plane

The Suite Life! On-campus Housing at ERAU

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Megan

Wow, it is October! It is crazy to think I have been at this amazing school for two months. Coming to college there has been a lot to adjust to like being on my own, rigorous schoolwork, and having not only one roommate but five. At Embry-Riddle traditional freshman are required to live on campus, and they are most commonly housed in the Mingus Mountain Complex. The rooms are set up as suites, which include three, two person bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lounge with a mini kitchen. Like most freshman I am in Mingus.

Before school started my roommate and I started talking and decided we wanted to room together, this was the best decision for me. We get along great, we love Harry Potter, chocolate, and life. My four suite mates on the other hand, were luck of the draw. On move in day, I was terrified to meet my suite-mates in person. Questions were running through my head; will they like me? Are we going to get along? And how is suite life going to work? I am happy to report that I love my suite.

These five people have turned into part of my family on campus. They are always there to have dinner, go to the library, watch movies, or talk. Since we have become so close, it is inevitable that there are disagreements. Living with new people and spending a lot of time with them can be a rough adjustment. There are people that are closer than others and some that irritate you, but you always know they have your back. The relationships are very much like that of siblings. Your suite, or at least mine, will bicker and fight, then ten minutes later be on the floor laughing together.

Even though it is not all smiles and laughter, I would not change my experience on campus for anything. Being 5 minutes from class, dinner, or the library is something that is very nice and makes living on campus a major plus. In addition, living with other freshman in your suite and hall makes it easy to make friends on campus.

I know before school started I had questions about chores, cleaning and such. Yes, students are responsible for cleaning their bathrooms, and no it is not as bad as it seems. What my suite has done is create a cleaning schedule and everyone has a chore for the week, and we rotate through the system. And so far our system has been going smoothly.

Don’t be afraid of living on campus or in a suite. It is part of the freshman experience. Living with five other people will push you, and challenge you, but in the end will make you a better person. They will show the good the bad and the ugly of having roommates but the dynamics of the suite are something you will remember forever. Trust me I have only been living on campus for eight weeks and I have hundreds of stories about my suite-mates and hall mates.

Campus is Growing!

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Cherie

Our Beautiful Campus

I am sure our prospective students are wondering what we are doing to prepare for their eventual arrival so today I am going to introduce you to our growing campus!

We are currently building new dorms on our campus that when completed will be super modern and filled with all the best stuff for students to use! It has been really exciting to watch them go up on the far side of campus. They are going to be amazing!!

In addition to the new dorms we are gearing up to build Academic Complex 2 which will be an amazing new facility for the STEM degree programs at our University. The building will include physics laboratories, Biology classrooms, multiple computer laboratories, and work rooms for student innovation. It will also include a planetarium! Although, this building may not be finished by the time I graduate it will be an awesome resource for incoming students. I can only hope to visit and tour it some day!

In other news the remodel to our small gym was also a success and the athletics facilities for student athletes has tripled in size. So if you are a student athlete interested in Embry-Riddle that’s a benefit that you can enjoy right now!

One of our coaches in the newly Remodeled Gym

Stop on by for a tour sometime or feel free to comment below and I will do my best to answer your questions! Thanks for reading everyone 🙂

OctoberWest Success!

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Cherie

This year’s October West celebration was a success yet again! There were tons of cool events planned and neat people to meet, I wish there had more time to do it all! Some of our awesome events were the job fair, shopping cart parade, Friday Fair, Wings Out West Air show, and the parachute hunt! That isn’t even the full list, it’s only the ones that I was able to participate in!!

Check out some of the pictures I took while participating in the cool events:

Pugil Sticks at the Friday Fair

Right before a takedown!

Inflatable Hamster Ball Race Winner

Jet Fly over at the Air Show!

October West is a great time to come visit the University and become immersed in our diverse, fun, and intelligent community. For current students it also the perfect time to make connections in the Industry as the job fair attracts companies looking to hire our students after graduation. The majority of these companies are also looking for interns so, even first year students have the opportunity to get employment experience that will help them when they start looking for jobs.

If you have any questions about what it is like to be an Embry Riddle Prescott student please let us know by commenting below. We hope to see you at this event next year, we are excited to meet new people!

OctoberWest Homecoming is Perfect for Stress Relief

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Carlos

Hello every one. Last week wasn’t quite normal at Embry-Riddle. Last week was OctoberWest and Wings out West – our homecoming and private air show. This event involved many different activities. Some of those were the career fair and some others for entertainment such as the hypnotist Bruce MacDonald, inflatable games, fireworks, etc. I most liked the inflatable games and then right after that the fireworks.

The week of OctoberWest was really stressful for me. We began training for wrestling twice a day three times a week – one training in the afternoon and one in the morning. Also I had a very long test in Basics of Aeronautics on Friday.

I finished my test Friday around noon. By the time I was done, I wanted go home to sleep. But something in the back of my mind told me that the fair was going to be something very fun. I hesitated about if I should go or not, then I thought “I will have to wait one year to have this fair back again” so I decided to go.

I went back home for lunch and rested for some time. Around 5:30 I left my home for Embry-Riddle. When I got there at the parking lot, I saw many students walking towards the softball fields wearing jackets. I thought they were overreacting, “The weather is not that cold,” I thought. I got out the car, and uff!! Yes, it was cold. I didn’t want go back home to get a jacket so I just kept walking toward the fair.

The first thing I heard was the music. I could see many inflatable games, some gigantic plastic balls where you supposed to get in and roll around, free food tables, people hanging around, and even a DJ. It was awesome!

First, I went to a game that was like a wall with circular targets on it. You had to kick the football, soccer ball or basketball toward the targets on the wall. It was fun just being there with other students, some of them international (by the way they are good in soccer), talking to them, getting know each other a little, and playing together like we knew each other for always.

After 30 minutes of kicking the ball trying to hit the target I got hungry. They had buffalo wild wings and submarine sandwiches. I took some food and I went to sit. While I was eating I contemplated the view all around the event. I was glad I came.

I ran into a friend who invited me to try a game. This game was a horizontal ladder attached from one side to the other side. The point of this was to try to cross from one side to the other using the suspended ladder. I thought it was so easy that I didn’t want to try it. My friend insisted, so I gave it a shot. I realized it was very difficult as soon a put my hand on the ladder. My best try was get to the middle but that’s it. OMG!! It is something incredibly hard to do.

Next we went to “Spark ball.” I have tried spark ball one or two times, but the guys that were playing it looked like professionals. This game is for 2-person teams, so I had to get a partner. I looked around, then I saw a guy watching the game. I went to say hi and got him on my team. We played for a while against the team that looked like professionals. At the end we lost by only 2 points. My partner and I were very proud of ourselves, we actually got some points! The undefeated team asked us if we wanted to be part of the spark ball club on campus. I gave them my e-mail. Definitely, spark ball is a very fun game.

I saw some guys playing soccer so I went to play soccer for a few minutes until I heard the DJ say, “The fireworks will start in 5 minutes.” We stopped playing soccer and I went to find a place to sit down to watch the fireworks show. By this time it was very cool OctoberWest Fireworks outside but I totally forgot it. Blue, green, yellow, red, and many different colors illuminated the sky for 20 minutes.
I laid down on the grass to watch them. It was very relaxing. I am glad that even though I was tired and stressed out from the long week I came to the fair. Even though, I knew I had a lot of things to do for the weekend, including of course homework, the fair took out all my stress, leaving me ready for this week.

This was a really good experience. Certainly I will come next year. Thanks for the fun OctoberWest.

Exploring Prescott- The Pond [Aerial Granite Basin Views] Part 1

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Colton

Hello all, VLogger Colton Campbell here! Back for my sophomore year at Embry-Riddle Prescott, and needed to take a study break! Touting my trusty quadcopter, I went and explored (from the air) Granite Basin recreational area in the Prescott National forest. With a gorgeous sunset and beautiful scenery, I couldn’t help but share in the spoils captured from the evening.

This is part 1 of a multi-part series of Exploring Prescott, so stay tuned for more soon!

https://youtu.be/srCflx0n0p0

Checkout more aerial stuff here ——————————————————————————-> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbQKjdB6ZinVnqsDkyZhP3g

In case you missed an earlier Vlog, checkout this one where Colton and Ben mountain bike Granite Basin loop!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Txdzhs9s00

Soar With Me Through Sophomore Year!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Amelia

Hello all future Embry-Riddle students! My name is Amelia Cassidy and I come from the tiny, yet lovely city of Bend, Oregon. I am a current sophomore double majoring in Aviation Business Administration, with an area of concentration in Management, and Aeronautics, with a minor in Security Intelligence Studies. On campus I am part of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and various clubs such as the Airline Pilots Association – Aviation Collegiate Education (ALPA ACE) Club, American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), Women In Aviation, and the Honors Student Association. I originally came in as an Aeronautical Science major, however I switched majors second semester. After graduation, I hope to put both of my degrees to use and work either as an airport manager or in the business side of an airline. While I am already employed in the aviation industry, I plan on getting my Private Pilot’s License and all my ratings and, eventually, flying for Delta Airlines.

Although it may not seem like it, I actually do have free time! In that time, I love to cook and bake, run, swim, skateboard, hike, camp, explore, adventure, and travel. I am also very much into the arts. When I can, I love to sit and draw, as well as go out and take pictures (both film and DSLR). I also sing, play guitar, violin, and a bit of piano.

Even though I have only been here for a year, I feel as though I have done and accomplished so much! I have had the best experiences and have been exposed to once in a lifetime opportunities. Because of this, I very much look forward to my upcoming years, as well, and sharing my experiences with others. Feel free to ask me about anything, as I have had experience in all sorts of groups around campus! I’ll be more than willing to help out any student and give advice to the best of my abilities. I invite you to follow my blog. I will be posting all sorts of fun things and pictures throughout the year. I hope you enjoy what I have to post and again, don’t hesitate to ask questions or find me if you’re ever on campus.

Have a lovely day,
Amelia Cassidy

P.S. These are only a few basic pictures, there will be more to come!!

One of my drawings

Granite Mountain: The view from my Freshman year dorm.

AST – The sorority I’m in

The AST sisters!

Orientation leaders being silly during Fall 2015 Orientation Week

My friends and I took a road trip to L.A for MLK Weekend