by Pete Rosenbery
CARBONDALE, Ill. — More than 130 Chicago-area high school students will be introduced to Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized aviation program when United Airlines brings them to Southern Illinois Airport near Murphysboro on Saturday, Oct. 19.
One of many high school students arrives for the 2023 United Airlines-SIU Aviation Career Day at Southern Illinois Airport. (Photo by Carson VanBuskirk)
United Captain Tom Stewart, First Officer Trent Medernach, along with 29 United volunteers — many of whom also are SIU Aviation alumni — will be among those helping students who are considering aviation careers to chart their own flight plans during the 24th United -SIU Aviation Career Day.
The career-oriented presentations to students include Q&A opportunities, tours of the aviation program’s home — the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center at Southern Illinois Airport — and tours of the SIU campus. In addition to the high school students and United volunteers, five SIU Aviation staff and student ambassadors will arrive as well. The airline’s volunteers come from various departments, including maintenance technicians, pilots and flight attendants.
Collaboration is a “win-win” for United, SIU
SIU’s aviation program comprises aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technologies.
Chien-Tsung Lu, School of Aviation director, said the collaboration with United which dates back to 1994, is “win-win activity” for the participating students, United and SIU Aviation. The program was interrupted briefly by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The career day allows students to gain a better understanding of the program, curriculum and facilities, Lu said, adding that the event “highlights the airline industry’s confidence in SIU’s aviation programs.”
“These are prospective students whom we want to recruit to the aviation program, and they can understand the environment of the aviation program on campus,” Lu said, noting that many SIU Aviation graduates work for United.
“We want to continue to have a strong connection with the airline — a strong, solid pathway for our graduates so that they are able to go to United or elsewhere. This is a good activity of events that create mutual benefits for all parties.”
The partnership extends beyond the career day. In September 2022, SIU and United signed an agreement that provides the most secure career path for aviation students interested in becoming professional pilots through United’s Aviate career development program. As members of an Aviate university partner, SIU aviation students and instructors who apply and are successful in the Aviate selection process will join the program, receive a conditional job offer from United and enjoy the benefits from a defined career path.
“We are very excited to continue this long-standing partnership between United and SIU, more importantly, the amazing opportunity for the students,” said Stewart, a Chicago-based captain, line check pilot and flight operations manager. “We look forward to engaging the students and showing them the vast career opportunities at United. We will do everything we can to shape their dreams into a reality”.
SIU Aviation alumni piloting students
This is the first time Stewart has flown the trip. A 1991 graduate of Lake Park High School, Stewart began his aviation studies at SIU with only a 30-minute introductory flight in his logbook. Over the next two years, he obtained his certificates and ratings to become a staff flight instructor his junior year and had an internship with United Airlines in Denver as a senior.
After graduating from SIU Carbondale in 1995 and returning to Roselle, Stewart worked as a flight instructor before being hired by Continental Express Airlines in April 1998. Hired by Continental Airlines in 2006, Stewart flew the 757 and 767 for six years before transitioning to the 737. After the airline was merged into United Airlines, Stewart upgraded to captain and in 2014 became a line check pilot.
Medernach joined United Airlines in January 2024 and flies the 737 out of O’Hare. A native of Batavia, Medernach began flight training when he was 16 years old at Aurora Airport in Sugar Grove, Illinois. He toured SIU Aviation as part of a United Airlines-SIU Aviation Career Day flight in 2014 and enrolled in fall 2015.
Medernach was a four-year member of the Flying Salukis and worked as a flight instructor his senior year. After graduating in May 2019 in aviation technologies and aviation flight, he returned to Aurora Airport, where he was a flight instructor and mechanic before spending three years with SkyWest Airlines, including his final year as captain. Medernach volunteers his time as a flight team competition judge.
Career opportunities on the increase
Over the event’s history, more than 3,000 high school students have participated. While designed to introduce students to the wide range of opportunities within the aviation industry, organizers note, the career day serves as a recruiting mechanism, particularly for women and other underrepresented groups. While annual numbers vary, between five and 20 participants each year will return to SIU to pursue an aviation career.
The Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook for 2024-2043 projects over the next 20 years the need for 2.3 million new commercial aviation industry personnel, including 674,000 pilots, 716,000 maintenance technicians and 980,000 cabin crew members, as worldwide fleets are expected to nearly double.