Posted on March 4, 2019 by Michelle Skidmore
By Trevin King
In 2014 I graduated from UTSA with a degree in Criminal Justice. My time spent at UTSA not only gave me an excellent education but also great memories, opportunities, and lifelong friends. Through my experiences with the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma (APS), I made some great connections and ended up receiving an incredible internship with Mark Chadwick from the Bexar County Office of Emergency Management. That internship led to other great relationships and memories such as working security for the Spurs games and concerts at AT&T Center. Henry Meade, a lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice and advisor to APS, helped me navigate through my college journey and gave me great career advice.
I received my first job with Diligence International, an international life insurance investigation company. Although that particular job was not a great fit for me, I grew fond of being located so close to Addison Airport in Dallas and seeing the planes fly overhead. I realized that I wanted to pursue my life-long passion of flying and someday become an airline pilot. Before graduation at UTSA, I commented that perhaps I could use my criminal justice background and my passion for flying together in what would be the perfect job. Right now, I’m enjoying my flying career and using the skills I gained from being a student in the UTSA Criminal Justice program.
In 2016, I received the last of my pilot credentials. I then began building the flight time needed for employment with the Airlines. I started by working for U.S. Sport Aviation at Addison Airport and then for Baker Aviation in Ft. Worth, flying a Citation II jet. After flying over 1500 flight hours and getting my ATP certification, I am now First Officer with Piedmont Airlines/ American Eagle. I will, in about a year, become a Captain for Piedmont Airlines and then will eventually transition directly to American Airlines or be qualified to apply at any of the other major airlines in the U.S. or abroad. Many thanks go to my UTSA family for giving me so many opportunities and opening a wide path to a great future.
— Michelle Skidmore
