{"id":97092,"date":"2025-09-23T15:05:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T20:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deltastate.edu\/news-and-events\/?p=97092"},"modified":"2025-09-23T15:05:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T20:05:13","slug":"taking-flight-delta-states-aviation-students-soar-in-summer-internships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deltastate.edu\/news-and-events\/2025\/09\/taking-flight-delta-states-aviation-students-soar-in-summer-internships\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking flight: Delta State\u2019s Aviation students soar in summer internships"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n

CLEVELAND, Miss. \u2014 <\/strong>The whine of jet engines drowned out the Mississippi heat as Casey Ray, headset on, guided a plane into position at George M. Bryan Airport. For the Starkville native and Delta State University senior, this wasn\u2019t just a summer internship\u2014it was her runway to the future. In addition to Ray, two other Aviation Management majors, Gavin Wells and John \u201cHouston\u201d Turney, spent their summer of 2025 diving into the world of airport operations. Their stories, woven from grit and ambition, show why Delta State\u2019s Commercial Aviation program is a launchpad for the industry\u2019s next leaders.<\/p>\n

At George M. Bryan Airport in Starkville, Casey Ray, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aviation Management, worked as an Aircraft Lineman under Airport Operations Manager Rusty Bouchillon. From fueling planes to marshaling aircraft, Ray became the heartbeat of daily operations. Her work ethic was so undeniable that the airport invited her back to manage the chaos of Mississippi State\u2019s football season home games. \u201cDirecting planes felt like second nature by the end,\u201d Ray said. \u201cYou realize how much you\u2019ve learned when you\u2019re out there making it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the state line in Louisiana, senior Gavin Wells faced a different challenge. At Monroe Regional Airport, where he interned as an Operations Specialist, the small staff leaned hard on him during a wave of maternity leaves. The Lake Village, Arkansas, native endured long commutes to keep operations humming. \u201cSome days were relentless,\u201d Wells admitted, \u201cbut knowing I was keeping things together for the team made it worth it.\u201d His reliability earned him the respect of colleagues who saw him not as an intern, but as a cornerstone.<\/p>\n

For junior John \u201cHouston\u201d Turney, the summer was a homecoming with high stakes. At Huntsville International Airport\u2014named the South\u2019s Best Small Airport by Newsweek for 2024-2025\u2014he worked alongside interns from Auburn and Alabama. Under Chief Operating Officer Kevin Vandeberg, Turney got a front-row seat to the inner workings of a major hub, from control tower tours to executive meetings. \u201cSeeing how safety, logistics, and passenger experience connect was eye-opening,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a machine, and I got to see every gear.\u201d<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t just stories of summer jobs\u2014they\u2019re proof of Delta State\u2019s Commercial Aviation program in action. \u201cOur students don\u2019t just study aviation; they live it,\u201d said Maggie Moran, Instructor of Commercial Aviation. \u201cCasey, Gavin, and Houston stepped into professional roles and excelled because our program builds that readiness.\u201d Through partnerships with regional airports, Delta State ensures its students don\u2019t just graduate with a degree\u2014they leave with experience, confidence, and connections.<\/p>\n

The numbers back it up: Delta State\u2019s College of Business and Aviation consistently places students in competitive internships that lead to careers. For Ray, Wells, and Turney, the summer of 2025 wasn\u2019t a break\u2014it was a beginning. As they return to campus, their sights are set higher than ever, ready to take the controls of aviation\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

For more on Delta State\u2019s Commercial Aviation programs, visit deltastate.edu\/business-aviation<\/a>.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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