This WWCC grad looking at a flight career

Loryn Travis’ dreams are starting to take flight.

In addition to getting a high school diploma, Travis is landing two associate of science degrees at Walla Walla Community College this week. She lives in Pomeroy and is a senior at Pomeroy High School, but she’s also been attending classes online through WWCC’s Running Start program.

In the fall Travis plans to attend Washington State University to work toward a bachelor’s degree. Then she’s heading to Florida to attend a Delta Air Lines flight school to get a commercial pilot’s license.

The idea to fly a commercial plane began with her dad, who always wanted to be a commercial pilot but didn’t pursue it. He’s been trying for years to persuade Travis and her brother to get into piloting.

However, that wasn’t Travis’ initial goal.

“For the longest time I wanted to be a surgeon — that was originally the reason I got into Running Start,” Travis said. “I decided halfway through that I no longer want to go into the health care field and it took a few months to figure out what I did want to do.”

That’s when her dad again threw out the idea of being a commercial pilot.

“It would be amazing to travel for a job and getting to travel all over the world,” Travis said. “And it would be really cool to say I can fly a plane.”

At first she, like many others mulling jobs involving travel, thought “flight attendant.” Then her dad gave her some advice: “If you’re going to work in an airport you should be a pilot, then you don’t have to deal with as many people.”

Even though piloting is a field that’s dominated by men, that’s not a deterrent or a motivator for Travis. She knows that many airlines and airline schools might accept her into their program or company to boost their diversity hires.

“A lot of places accept women easier, which I feel like I’m going to use to my advantage,” she said. “Not a lot of women say they are commercial airline pilots but that is something I can say because that is what I’m going to be doing.”

It might help her get her foot in the door, but after that, she’ll be flying on her own.

One of the places she’s hoping eventually to travel to is Tokyo.

“I’m a big fan of big cities — I find them really charming,” Travis said.

However, before Tokyo, the first stop in her travel plans is WWCC graduation Friday. Her time there will help speed up the time it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree and cut down on costs.

Travis’ adviser at WWCC helped her with her academic path toward her career, creating a path forward through aeronautics and engineering. She took classes in calculus, physics and chemistry the past year, as well as music appreciation, math, English and American sign language her first year.

“I actually wasn’t planning on getting two (associate degrees),” she said. “I was only planning on one at first.” But she found out she’d completed enough classes for two.

With two degrees in hand, she’s already made one landing toward her future destination.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.

MORE INFORMATION

IF YOU GO

What: Walla Walla Community College Clarkston graduation

When: 4 p.m. Friday; 5:30 p.m. nurse pinning

When: Clarkston campus quad

MORE INFORMATION: Walla Walla Community College, Clarkston campus, had 145 applications for graduation this year, which is more than last year.

In a statement, Chad Miltenberger, Clarkston campus dean, said that “graduation is always an exciting time of year” because it is the culmination of all the work for students and educators.