Spread Your Wings at Embry-Riddle

Posted on May 21, 2020 by Richard

by Richard Santi

Hi Everyone! My name is Richard Santi and I am currently a Senior at Embry-Riddle in Prescott. I am majoring in Aeronautical Science – Fixed Wing, with a minor in Business Administration. On campus, I am a member of our national championship winning Golden Eagles Flight Team, and work as a Senior Campus Ambassador at our Admissions Office (If you come and visit campus, I might be your tour guide)!

I am incredibly excited to be sharing a bit about my experience at Embry-Riddle with all of you, and will be writing to you regularly, so be sure to check back! I wanted to start off by introducing myself a bit more and sharing with you my journey to Embry-Riddle. I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in the Chicago area. From a young age, my eyes were always turned skyward, and I could only dream of one day working in the cockpit of an airplane. When I was looking at colleges that had aviation programs, only one stood out to me as the very best. I asked different people who were in the aviation business what school they suggested, and the answer was almost unanimous. “Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.” Without a doubt.

I have always been a Midwesterner. Most of the landscapes I was used to were farms and skyscrapers. But after all, college is a time for adventure and I was very excited to see a new place for a few years, moving to the beautiful mountains of Arizona. I moved to Prescott in the summer of 2017. I only had about 4 flight hours in my logbook; virtually nothing. No real flight training or formal flight education. Despite this, I flew my very first week here. The first lesson was incredibly simple. How to turn the aircraft left and right using proper rudder coordination. I remember feeling very comfortable, knowing this is what I was meant to do, but I also remember the feeling that I had a long way to go.

As it turns out, a long way is not so long when you are training at Embry-Riddle. Three more years of flight training and now I am a licensed Commercial Pilot. I have over 270 hours of flight time and have flown in collegiate flying competitions. I have a job offer from a major regional airline and plan on starting flight instructor training soon. I have learned about topics I knew pretty much nothing about before coming to college. Extensive details of aircraft systems, how the stability of the atmosphere affects thunderstorms, the detailed aerodynamics of a tailspin… All topics I had literally zero understanding of prior to coming to Embry-Riddle. All of this was done while simultaneously earning a college degree.

The reason I am mentioning all of this is that I wanted to let you all know that as I post my future blogs, I will be explaining in detail all of my cool experiences at Embry-Riddle, whether it is going through flight training, being on the flight team, or hanging out with friends and enjoying all of the awesome scenery that Prescott has to offer. But really, the main point I would like you to take away from my experience is that whatever you do here, you will learn way more than you thought possible. You will gain way more skills than you thought possible, and you will become someone ready to succeed in whatever field you go into. You will do all of it while having a blast!

I look forward to sharing more with you!

Playing in the Dirt

Posted on May 17, 2017 by #ERAUPrescott

Stage One of making a fuse bead on the fusion machine – Heating

I rarely paid much attention to the concrete in my everyday life, except to determine whether or not it would be there to catch me if gravity decided to work. I knew that it came from a mixture of what I thought was dirt and water, and that it was used to build things like skyscrapers, bridges, and sidewalks. Little did I know that this “dirt” was actually cement, and that people’s lives depend on how well it was made.

One of the days I was particularly dirty from mixing cement samples for testing.

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work for a cement plant as a quality control intern, learning the chemical and physical components that goes into making cement. This internship was designed to further my knowledge in my degree program, forensic biology. Though the two seem unrelated, the education I received in my courses, both in the lab and in the classroom, proved invaluable to learning and utilizing the chemistry used to make cement. In return, working at a cement plant provided important lessons that I can apply for the rest of my life.

My first few weeks at the cement plant consisted of training and obtaining my miner’s certification through MSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration. I learned the layout of the plant, safety procedures, and how cement was made. This process has many steps, and each of these steps are tested and adjusted to ensure that the cement will be of good quality, as determined by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Stage Two – Mixing

Stage Three – Setting Into Molds

The Final Product

There is physical testing, which requires making and testing concrete made from the cement, and chemical testing, which is done to check the actual composition of the cement. I mainly focused on the chemical testing. I learned how to manipulate various reactions to gather information, something I did in my chemistry courses at ERAU. These results were actually recorded and used, so I learned how important thoroughness and accuracy is in real-world applications.

The materials necessary throughout the cement making process

The heating tower viewed from the cement silo

I learned how to work in a professional environment, and how important it is to be able to critically think and solve problems. It was an experience I enjoyed!

My Internship at the Endophyte Service Lab at Oregon State University

Posted on May 17, 2017 by #ERAUPrescott

My summer at the Endophyte Service Lab at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon has been an enlightening and very knowledgeable experience. This opportunity has provided me with the experience to greatly increase my knowledge and understanding of skills in the areas of chemistry, toxicology, and teamwork, as well as closely relate to my future aspirations of becoming a forensic biologist.

Working with these professionals as well as other students who have common interests with me in achieving their goals has been extremely knowledgeable and eye-opening as to what my future career entails. I have learned many helpful lab skills and techniques that would relate to an actual forensic analyst’s career as well as how to use machines such as Mass Spectrometry and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Fluorescence, as well as extraction techniques and finally how to analyze the data they generate.

My job was to perform extractions of lolitrem B, ergovaline, and ergotamine mycotoxins from various grasses used for feeding livestock. The process for one extraction typically took about 3 hours and involved a lot of micropipetting, centrifugation, and drying of solvents on an N-Vap instrument. Measurements had to be extremely precise to obtain accurate results since it was on a microliter level. One tiny little air bubble could ruin the rest of the process and generate inaccurate results!

If it weren’t for the practice and knowledge I obtained from my courses at Embry-Riddle, such as Foundations of Biology 1 and 2, General Chemistry 1 and 2, Organic Chemistry 1 and 2, Microbiology, and Genetics, I would have never been prepared for the massive amounts of micropipetting I had to perform as well as any of the terminology or basic skills needed to achieve good results at my job. My courses gave me the confidence to be successful at the Endophyte Service Lab, and my experience in the lab gave me the confidence and knowledge to further pursue a forensic biology degree.

Watch Student UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Club

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Colton

In today’s video blog, Colton gives you a glimpse into one of the most popular on-campus attractions for Riddle students… The UAS club!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEU0xwbdHu0&feature=youtu.be

For more information, comment below to get in contact with someone!

Stay tuned for more exciting videos about life at Embry Riddle and its surroundings.

The Tales of a First Year Student

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Colton

If you are anything like me, the anticipation of going into college has you asking a lot of questions. “What will it be like to be on my own?” “Am I going to make close friends?” “Will I have any free time at all?”

I could sit here and try my best to write down my experiences from my Freshman year, but that sounds pretty boring. So instead I made this video! Check it out to see my Freshman experiences and tips!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqPBTQp_K7w

As you can see, I had an absolute blast my first year in college. I can’t wait to see what adventures and opportunities I take part in in Fall 2015!

Top Secret ERAU Secret You Must Take Advantage Of!

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Adam

If you happen to be a Riddle student then there is about a 50/50 chance that you know something that many others don’t. Curious to know what I am talking about? Embry-Riddle started as flight school in 1925 and the training great pilots continues to be a strong degree program. But, not only is ERAU a top flight school, it is a major contributor of graduates to the Engineering, Business, and the Global Security & Intelligence industries.

Why is being a non-flight student at a University with a flight program COOL? I can almost guarantee that any non-flight student knows at least one pilot. And, any student that is a pilot knows that you can include one of your friends on a ride-along during an instruction. You may think, oh well that’s not a big deal, but it is! To share the experience of flying with your friends is awesome!

Just last weekend I went on a ride along and took a couple pictures from the back seat. For someone who has only flown in the large 747 plane it was a hell of an experience. It was a great way to start off spring break and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

The view in one of our practice areas.

So if you are a student at ERAU then ask your flight friends about it, and if you are an incoming freshmen then be sure to make friends with a pilot! And don’t worry about safety, the instructors at Riddle are pretty incredible. So be sure to take advantage of this experience that most of your friends at state universities won’t ever have.

Thanks for reading, stay tuned.

It’s a White Tuesday!

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Cherie

So today we were all pleasantly surprised to see some snow! It wasn’t snowing when I went to PT this morning but, it sure was when I headed off to class this morning! Take a look at our gorgeous campus in the snow!!

Snow Falling in front of the AXFAB in central campus

Central Campus

My view from the upperclassman dorms this morning.

It usually snows anywhere from one to six times during the winter here in Prescott and its the first time that quite a few of our students get to see some snow! With that said, when you are thinking of attending our University take the climate into consideration as well. We have relatively mild winters and fantastic summers with the average temperature in the high 80’s. If that is something you would like then Embry Riddle Prescott is the place for you! Sign up to take a tour today!!

Keeping up With all Your Work

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Adam

For some students it may be easy just to attend class and ace all the exams and for others like myself, this would lead into a down fall with grades. So today I will go into a few personal tips on keeping up with all the course work in order to maintain good grades.

When it comes to engineering courses at Embry-Riddle there is work to do outside of the classroom. Most of the time it will take more then just attending class to pass with good grades. The most significant tool I use to study and keep on track is homework. When you keep up with homework it becomes easier to stay on top of everything. It also helps retain the information for when the exam comes around.

The next step is to be sure you attend class and… pay ATTENTION… it isn’t enough to not skip class but to attention is the key. Sometimes teachers may be less than exciting but the knowledge they hold is essential to the learning process.

The last thing I would say is to take a break when you feel like you need one, even if its barely Tuesday and you’re feeling way too stressed or unfocused to do anything. It’s okay to relax for a bit, in fact, it’s crucial to improving your performance when you’re tired or not focused.

So keep your head in the game and remember why you are doing all this hard work. Stay motivated! Thanks for reading.

The Ragnar Relay

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Adam

Ready to get your race on? I know I am. I am sure everyone has heard of the Tough Mudder by now and if you don’t already know the Ragnar relay race is like it but harder. Be prepared to get pumped!

Ragnar is an overnight running relay race. The Ragnar trail series consists of teams of 8 that complete 120 miles over the course of two days and one night. Yes this means you get to camp out! But camping and running is only half the fun! Not only is this relay race based on a team objective. At the race there will be live music, bonfires, food and it brings together thousands of awesome people each year.

Click on the link to check out the Ragnar page for more information.

https://www.ragnarrelay.com/ragnar

I decided to do the Ragnar trail series in November at McDowell Mountain with a buddy that is in USMC (PLC) Platoon Leaders Class with me. As a student at Embry-Riddle you will meet a lot of great people with some different and some very similar interests. This is a great scenario where you will meet people that will get you excited to reach out and push your limits! Its a great experience! I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities like this. At Embry-Riddle you will find a lot of chances like this arise which is what makes it a great place to attend college.

I will also run with my buddy who is a part of Team RWB (Red White Blue). A Veteran nonprofit organization that helps veterans across the nation in a plethora of ways including coming together and running marathons or exciting events like the Ragnar.

So check it out! Grab a couple friends and hit those trails! I can’t wait to get started next weekend! Ill keep you posted after the run and let you know how it went! Thanks for reading.

Living Off Campus

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Adam

One topic that may strike your interest as an incoming freshmen is “What is it like to live off campus?” You might wonder what are the pros and cons? Well I’ve got some good news for you! Today I will go a bit into the differences of living on and off campus.

To start off if you don’t already know, freshmen at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are required to live on campus their freshmen year. Although, there are some exceptions for those that are unable to live on campus or if you are local. You may call admissions 928-777-6600 or check out the website for more information on that. http://prescott.erau.edu/admissions/

Living off campus is a BIG step! You have to keep tabs on your bills and make sure you’re roommates are all in and responsible!

So now to the fun part, as I currently live off campus I have a bit of insight to share. The best thing about living off campus in my opinion is the home feeling you get. Every morning you wake up in your own bed and have breakfast in your kitchen. You have your own room again!

Now for the cons. Sometimes you may be forgetful, leading me into my biggest problem. If you live 15 to 20 min. away from the school then chances are you don’t want to waste time or money on gas driving back because you forgot something very important. Well by living on campus you can completely eliminate this problem because it takes maybe 5 – 10 min. to walk to your room and back to class.

Of course the big decision is yours to make after your Freshman year. I know some prefer the convenience of living on campus but some like myself are willing to give up convenience for my own apartment.