ABA Degree Sets Student Up to Stand Out in the Business of Aviation

Timothy Gelfer’s aviation dreams started, fittingly enough, on board a Dreamliner.

He was 12 years old and on his way to London, but the excitement of an overseas trip that was a gift from his parents was overshadowed by the brand-new Boeing 787 and its leading-edge technology.

“It was a very awesome experience,” Timothy said. “I did some of my own research on the plane, and I became very interested in aviation and started researching more planes, and it took off from there.”

Why Choose an Aviation Business Administration Degree at Embry-Riddle?

Fast forward nearly 10 years, and Timothy’s passion for aviation now encompasses all aspects of the entire global industry and has fueled his pursuit of the B.S. in Aviation Business Administration that he will earn in May 2024 from the College of Business, Security and Intelligence.

His bachelor’s degree complements the hands-on experiences and high-level internship he’s enjoyed at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus.

“With my degree, I can go into aircraft manufacturing, like with Boeing, or I could go into airport management, or I could go into the airlines,” Timothy said. “My ultimate goal is to be a leader in aviation.”

His journey to aviation leadership started with that flight to London and continued when he returned home to his native Las Vegas. He started planespotting at Harry Reid International Airport and getting increasingly interested in how aircraft and aviation worked.

By the time he started high school at the prestigious Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas, Sandy Ridge Campus, he had also gotten involved in the Civil Air Patrol. Although he was sure about an aviation career, he wasn’t sure what form it would take.

“At first, of course, I wanted to be a pilot,” he said. “But it just didn't seem like my passion was necessarily for flying the plane. I wanted to know more about the industry itself.”

Given that Timothy’s dad and grandad were engineers; that seemed like a viable path at one point.

“Then I realized I wanted to do a little bit more,” he said. “I remember landing at Heathrow Airport in London, and they had so many different flights coming in, and so many different cultures were there in just this one terminal, and I thought that was so amazing. Our world is so small and so connected because of aviation.”

It was that realization that set Timothy directly on his current course.

I saw that a business program was somewhere I could make that specific impact; not necessarily an impact like designing the plane or flying the plane, but as far as connecting the world and helping aviation do what it does best.

One of his mentors, a former World War II pilot, told Timothy about Embry-Riddle, and right away, the ABA program jumped out at him. So did the fact that the Prescott Campus was just a few hours from Las Vegas.

“My mentor told me Embry-Riddle was the ‘Harvard of Aviation’ and the best place to go,” he said. “I also heard good things about it in school and from the Civil Air Patrol. Then I saw the ABA program and knew it was exactly what I wanted to do in aviation.”

Right away, Timothy felt he had landed in the right spot. The program is geared toward those who want to build a strong business foundation with the networking skills required for a management career, and it also helped to know that 96% of Embry-Riddle students are either working or pursuing their advanced degrees within a year of graduating.

“There are so many opportunities at this school. Basically, everyone in aviation knows about Embry-Riddle, and I knew I would be successful in aviation if I came here,” Timothy said. “It was an obvious choice.”

One of the initial things that stood out to him was the quality of the instruction. Embry-Riddle professors are renowned experts in their respective fields and are deeply connected to the industry.

“They've either spent many years studying aviation specifically, or they've had 20 or 30 years in the industry and are sharing that experience with students,” Timothy said. “You can connect with them, and they give you real-life insights about how the industry actually is.”

“The Aviation Business Administration program prides itself on nurturing future leaders of the aviation industry, and Timothy exemplifies the very best of what we aim to achieve,” said School of Business Chair Dr. Jules Yimga. “His academic achievements and leadership in our community have set a new benchmark for excellence.”

What Kind of Hands-On Experience Can You Get at Embry-Riddle?

Timothy believes Embry-Riddle also stands apart because it offers opportunities to build a practical experience that is hard for undergraduates to find anywhere else. For example, Timothy’s senior capstone project this school year involves consulting for an actual client.

He and other business students from Embry-Riddle’s Prescott and Daytona Beach campuses are consultants for Ocean Autonomy Cluster, a Norwegian company developing sustainable ferries and other seagoing vessels to help address traffic congestion, climate emissions and safety challenges.

This assignment follows on the heels of his involvement last year in a consulting project for Seabrokers, another company from Norway focused on autonomous transportation solutions in Scandinavia and the U.S.

Within the transportation sector, both projects are geared toward leveraging emerging technology to move people from place to place more safely, sustainably and efficiently.

“It's working with a lot of new technology and finding new ways of thinking,” Timothy said of his work with the consulting team. “We are looking at things that will also be big for the future of aviation, and it’s really cool because we are learning about them firsthand.”

Giving students valuable practical experience is among the key goals of the Eagle Consulting Project, Dr. Yimga said.

Under the seasoned guidance of Associate Professor Richard Gibson, the Prescott Campus project has soared in 2023, expanding to 13 student teams executing 17 innovative virtual consulting projects with companies around the world.

“This growth reflects a deep commitment to international collaboration and hands-on learning, providing students with critical real-world experience and business intelligence skills for their future careers,” Dr. Yimga said.

What Clubs and Organizations Can You Join at Embry-Riddle?

Timothy has also taken advantage of the connections built through the student branches of professional organizations at the Prescott Campus. He is president of the American Association of Airport Executives chapter and is thrilled about the experiences and networking opportunities it offers.

“We invite prominent guest speakers to help expose students to things beyond what they learn in the classroom,” he said. “They get to learn from these professionals, and they get to network with them.”

Through the chapter, Timothy has taken behind-the-scenes trips to major airports nationwide, including visits to Phoenix Sky Harbor, SeaTac, LAX and also Van Nuys, one of the world’s top executive airports.

The AAAE group also spent time at Alaska Airlines headquarters in Seattle and is planning trips soon to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Chicago, where they will tour O’Hare and Midway airports and the headquarters for United Airlines.

“These kinds of trips are something I think that only Embry-Riddle can really do because of our reputation and our chapter being a part of AAAE,” he said.

Timothy also has high praise for the Aviation Business Networking Club on campus.

“We help plan trips to the National Business Aviation Association conferences in Las Vegas and Orlando to help students get more networking opportunities and learn about business aviation,” he said. “Both of those clubs have definitely helped me.”

Does Embry-Riddle Help You Get Internships?

Another major highlight of Timothy’s Embry-Riddle journey was his internship last summer with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in Washington, D.C., where he worked on the organization’s professional development programs and got to join the NBAA Congressional lobbying team working on the FAA reauthorization bill.

“That was amazing and something I never expected I would get to do,” he said. “I got to meet with lawmakers and talk to them about business aviation. I also learned a lot about how D.C. really works, and that was such a cool opportunity.”

Timothy said plenty is in store for anyone joining Embry-Riddle's ABA program.

“If you are passionate about aviation and want to help it grow, this is the degree to pursue,” he said. “Embry-Riddle has so many resources, and I have really enjoyed going to school every day. In terms of both a business degree and aviation degree, I think you get a good return on your investment with it.”

Timothy believes another key to success is getting involved.

“There's so much that Embry Riddle is able to provide just beyond going to classes,” he said. “Whether through clubs or working on campus or networking with people, take advantage of these opportunities because they will make a difference when you start your career.”