For This Boeing Scholar, an Aeronautical Science Degree is a Ticket to Tomorrow

Prescott student and Boeing Scholar Zsoee Eisel (‘21) was introduced to aviation early, having spent much of her childhood flying around the world with her mother, a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines. She knew she wanted to continue traveling when she grew up – only she would be the one flying the plane.

Her passion only grew when she joined Teen Flight 7, a local program in her hometown of Beaverton, Oregon, that gives high school students a glimpse at the engineering side of aviation through hands-on building experience. Program mentors inspired Eisel‘s love for learning and played an influential role in her choosing Embry-Riddle.

“I also had heard a lot from my mother, who would always ask the pilots on her flights about the school,” she said.

Growing up in Boeing country

Coming from the Pacific Northwest, Eisel remembers constantly hearing about The Boeing Company as well.

“Boeing is a huge name in aviation,” she said. “It was an honor to have such a reputable company believe in me.”

In 2019, she enrolled at Embry-Riddle and began working toward her B.S. in Aeronautical Science. From flight training to academics and extracurricular activities, being selected as a Boeing Scholar has inspired Eisel to push herself in every aspect of her life, she said.

Along with the financial support to pursue her dream, the program has provided Eisel with an opportunity to make lifelong connections – one of which being with her roommate and fellow Boeing Scholar Anna Scott.

What other aviation activities are available at Embry-Riddle?

Highlights from her experience as an Eagle include receiving her instrument rating and commercial pilot’s license, as well as finding community in campus organizations like Women in Aviation and the Granite Mountain Ninety-Nines. Eisel is also the rising president of Eagle Aero Sport, a club sponsored by the College of Aviation that is building a custom RV-12 aircraft at Prescott Regional Airport.

“I’m very fond of Eagle Aero Sport because it reminds me of my time with Teen Flight 7,” she said. “The club’s end goal is to utilize the plane for performance flight testing to learn more about its aerodynamic characteristics.”

Most recently, Eisel began volunteering with the Young Eagles program through her local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter. As a volunteer pilot, she introduces local youth to the world of aviation by taking them on free discovery flights – an experience she also gained through the program at 17 years old.

“I’m glad I’m able to give back as a volunteer,” she said. “I especially love working with the young girls because it’s always wonderful to spark interest in the minds of future female aviators.”

Ready for the next level

For now, Eisel plans to build her hours as a Certified Flight Instructor at Embry-Riddle and apply to Propel, Delta’s career program for college students. She hopes to one day work for Delta Air Lines and potentially fly for the Air National Guard.

She also looks forward to representing Embry-Riddle as one of six female pilots participating in this year’s Air Race Classic collegiate competition.

“Passion is what drives the gears of this world,” Eisel said. “From personal experience, if you care about something enough, you can do it – even if it seems daunting.”

What can you accomplish here? Apply now at Embry-Riddle and find out!