When she first arrived at Embry-Riddle, Aeronautical Science student Liyat Tsehai said she had to learn not to measure her progress against classmates who already had aviation experience.

“It is very easy to feel like you are behind,” she said.

Now a rising senior, Tsehai, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has earned her private pilot certificate and instrument rating.

Jesse Rodarte, a flight instructor who previously worked with Tsehai during her instrument training, said her enthusiasm stood out from the beginning.

“Communication between the instructor and student was almost effortless," Rodarte said.

Liyat Tsehai was selected as a 2023 Boeing Scholar, an initiative from The Boeing Company to develop students for careers in aviation.
Liyat Tsehai was selected as a 2023 Boeing Scholar, an initiative from The Boeing Company to develop students for careers in aviation. (Photo: Liyat Tsehai)
Scholarship support has been crucial to Tsehai reaching her personal and educational goals at Embry-Riddle. She entered the university as a 2023 Boeing Scholar, receiving $7,500 annually for two years. She also received $5,000 annually through the Aero Club Foundation of Washington scholarship program, reapplying each year for four years and receiving $20,000 in total support.

“Receiving these scholarships means a lot, both from a financial and inspirational standpoint,” Tsehai said. The scholarships, she added, also act as “a heavy motivator because it is proof that hard work does get recognized.”

Tsehai expressed appreciation for the professors, tutors and flight instructors who have contributed to her progress. Rodarte said that even when Tsehai was not his student, she continued to update him whenever they crossed paths.

“It was great seeing her progress through the course and complete her instrument rating,” he said.

But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Tsehai had to overcome motion sickness brought on by turbulent summer flights.

“I found that carrying cold water and opening the air vents to get some fresh air blowing on your face helps,” she said.

Working with multiple flight instructors taught Tsehai that students may need different approaches to understand the same material. Learning to recognize what she needed — and to advocate for it — became part of her growth as both a student and pilot.

Tsehai encouraged students who come to Embry-Riddle without previous aviation experience to remind themselves that “everyone learns at a different rate.”

“You might be part of conversations where you feel like you have no idea what they are talking about. However, it is important not to compare yourself to others, as we are all on different journeys with different backgrounds,” she said.

Beyond the university, Tsehai credits her mother with providing unwavering financial support for her education and flight training and her father with inspiring her to pursue aviation and continuing to encourage her.

Tsehai expects to graduate in 2027 and hopes to earn her certified flight instructor and instrument instructor qualifications by then. She would like to instruct at Embry-Riddle before eventually earning a multiengine rating and becoming a multiengine instructor.

She hopes her success inspires young people to overcome hurdles and persevere.

“If you are brave enough to pursue your dreams, there is always a way to help achieve it," she said.