Despite obstacles, VU aviation student driven to graduate
May 09, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The first semester of his freshman year at 日韩中文字幕福利片鈥檚
Aviation Technology Center, Tywain Lockhart was struggling.
An arduous commute on weekdays involved taking two buses and walking the final two
miles to the ATC campus located at Indianapolis International Airport. He was working
as a janitor at night. He was also grieving the death of his brother.
鈥淢y first semester was a struggle,鈥� Lockhart says. 鈥淚 flunked four classes.鈥�
Yet the Indianapolis native remained determined to get a degree in Aviation Maintenance
Technology.
His lengthy commute alone would deter most people from forging ahead, but not Lockhart.
He continued working toward his goal and kept making the pre-dawn trip from his home
to ATC for a 7:30 a.m. class, despite only getting a few hours of sleep.
鈥淚 would get off work at 10:30 at night and I had to take the bus home,鈥� he says.
鈥淚鈥檇 get home at midnight and have to be up by 3 a.m. to catch the first bus. I鈥檇
have to catch a bus at the downtown terminal by 4:30 a.m. to get here on time.鈥�
Demand for aviation maintenance technicians is high. There is a need for 189,000 new
mechanics in North America through 2037, according to a Boeing study.
Driven by a love of working with his hands and dead-set on entering an industry brimming
with great job prospects, Lockhart remained determined.
鈥淢y second semester, they put me on academic probation,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t first, I had
to obtain a 2.8 GPA and if I didn鈥檛 they were going to take all my tuition money away.
I didn鈥檛 have the money to pay out of pocket for each semester. Over Christmas break,
I said, 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to keep failing classes.鈥�
He returned to ATC the second semester driving a car that his parents purchased for
him and with a stronger dedication to his coursework.
鈥淪econd semester I passed my first class with an A,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 started getting A鈥檚
and B鈥檚.鈥�
Lockhart has nearly completed an associate degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology
with a concentration in airframe and powerplant. He will proudly walk across the stage
to accept his degree at Commencement on May 10 on the ATC campus.
Lockhart credits ATC Director Michael Gehrich and Rick Evans, a senior faculty member,
for seeing his potential and helping him navigate the program with success.
鈥�I have a good support system behind me, knowing that they are there,鈥� Lockhart says.
鈥淭hey know you by your name. They ask you, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 going on? Did you get to class
on time?鈥欌��
Gehrich says they strive to meet students where they are.
鈥淲hen a student like Tywain makes it known that they are interested in being successful
and are not currently successful, then that鈥檚 when we really lock on and get them
on our radar screen to make sure we give them as much support as we can,鈥� Gehrich
says.
鈥淯nlike some of the other universities that take the approach that 鈥榯his is college
and you either you make or not,鈥� we don鈥檛 take that approach here. All of us are very
passionate about aviation. Most of us have been here for a very long time. Many of
us are VU graduates and we remember what it was like to be a VU student long before
we were a VU faculty member. We put all those things in place and say, 鈥楾his is a
young man or woman who wants to accomplish a goal and they鈥檙e not finding success
on their own, so how can we put in a little more effort with them to help them get
across the finish line?鈥欌��
Lockhart has reached the finish line.
He has landed a job with a coveted employer: GE Aviation. He will work at GE鈥檚 jet
engine assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana.
鈥淲e currently have about three job opportunities for every graduate within the state
of Indiana鈥here鈥檚 that much demand,鈥� Gehrich says. 鈥淚f a student is interested in
going out of state, then literally they can get a job nearly anywhere in the country.
鈥淕E is so coveted locally because it is the highest paying company right out of school.
The base pay is $30 an hour right out of school with no experience, and it鈥檚 a brand-new
facility.鈥�
Continuing his education is also important to Lockhart. He wants to transfer to Purdue
Polytechnic Indianapolis. VU and Purdue Polytechnic Indianapolis offer a joint degree
program. 日韩中文字幕福利片 who complete an associate degree in aviation flight or maintenance
with VU are eligible to transfer to Purdue Polytechnic Indianapolis to earn a bachelor
of science degree in aeronautical technology.
Lockhart has also started the process of earning his pilot鈥檚 license so he can repair
and fly his own aircraft.
鈥淥nce all the pieces started fitting together for him, it was really interesting to
watch Tywain transform,鈥濃�� Gehrich says. 鈥淲e went from a student who was not successful
at all to a student who is a cheerleader out in the commons, who is bringing other
students together, and creating study groups. I think once he understood why we push
in the direction that we do - for the student鈥檚 benefit and success - that he wanted
to spread the word to the rest of the students.鈥�
VU AVIATION TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The 92,000-square foot facility has two hangars and 15 aircraft, including a fully
functional Boeing 737-200, as well as two full-motion flight simulators and two stationary
simulators. 日韩中文字幕福利片 can earn a Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant
(A&P) certificate along with an Associate of Science Degree in Aviation Maintenance
Technology in just 20 months. 日韩中文字幕福利片 training to become commercial pilots can earn
private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings along with an Associate
Degree in Aviation Flight. More information is available at or by calling 317-381-6000.
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MARCIA MARTINEZ, University Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
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812-888-4162 office, 812-887-4635 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, vpuffer@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/news/newsroom