Calyn Hartmann, who graduated from high school in 2020 and spent two years earning associate degrees in general science and arts at a community college, transferred to SEMO in 2022. She officially added professional pilot to her already demanding pre-med curriculum in 2023, thanks in part to encouragement from SEMO’s Director of Aviation, Miranda Sullivan.
Hartmann started as solely a pre-med major, and credits being able to get so much done to getting difficult pre-med classes, like Organic Chemistry, out of the way before she started flying. Her aspirations for flight school stemmed from traveling with her grandma. Having graduated during COVID, she didn't have the opportunity to travel as much, and had flown commercially for the first time during one of these trips.
After the second trip, she followed her fascination with the "behind the scenes" parts of the airports she now frequented, and after an internal battle against the pre-med courses she had dedicated her time thus far to and her growing fascination with flight, she decided to follow her passion for flight.
Hartmann notes that flying is something that reignites that little kid in her, and it makes for a job she is always excited to do. She has learned a plethora of skills through SEMO's hands-on experience approach, which has shown her a whole new world of the multi-faceted jobs done in an airport. The high-stakes, high-reward program has been a delightful part of her college journey.
Now a SEMO Senior, Hartmann is focused on filing her remaining elective credits and fulfilling her final flight certifications before graduation.
Though the path hasn’t been easy, Hartmann credits her work ethic and support network for helping her thrive. Balancing flight lessons, biology labs, and summer coursework requires discipline. She encourages everyone to try new things and to follow their passions, because it's never too late.
