INDUSTRY
MAKING CONNECTIONS COUNT
William “Tre’” Baca III (’23), an Aerospace Engineering graduate from the Prescott Campus, remembers having talks with his grandfather about his interest in mathematical equations and careers that would let him put it to use.
“He has always believed in me — even when I never thought I had the potential to pursue something in engineering,” he said. Embry-Riddle was Baca’s “number one choice” because of its small learning environment and the opportunities it presented for hands-on classroom experience and one-on-one interaction with professors, he said. Baca was also a campus ambassador for the Admissions Office, a role that has allowed him to form lifelong connections on campus and among members of Embry-Riddle’s extensive alumni network. One of Baca’s most impactful experiences was meeting alumnus Norman Knight (’90) while attending an admissions event in Houston. Knight, who also earned his degree in Aerospace Engineering at the Prescott Campus, is director of the Johnson Space Center Flight Operations
Directorate for NASA and has over 30 years of experience in the industry. “I was able to get his personal email and phone number, and he gave me great advice when it comes to school and in life in general,” Baca said. Baca encourages first-generation students like him to make sure they use all the resources the university has to offer — especially its vast industry connections — and never lose sight of their goals. “I always tell myself on a daily basis, ‘If I can believe it, I can achieve it,’” he said. When it comes to his dream job, Baca is quite literally shooting for the stars; he hopes to become an astronaut or aerospace engineer.
Embry-Riddle alumnus Norman Knight (’90) and Aerospace Engineering student William Baca III (’23) met at an event in Houston, Texas.
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