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Joe Timmerman
The Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport is home to a variety of small aircraft used to train students in aviation. While these small aircraft are commonplace, it was important for aviation students Nathan Hawkins and Max Tkach to welcome a passenger jet — a notably larger aircraft — to the airport to help their peers envision their future career possibilities with Republic Airways.
Fourth-year aviation flight student Hawkins and third-year aviation flight student Tkach both serve as ambassadors for Republic Airways, a regional airline headquartered in Indianapolis. Republic Airways ambassadors represent Republic on their respective campuses. Hawkins and Tkach are a resource to current OHIO students who may have questions about opportunities at Republic when there isn’t a recruiter on campus. Ambassadors must also plan at least one recruiting event per semester — which is when Hawkins and Tkach started brainstorming their next event.
“What are the odds they fly in a jet for us to look at?” said Hawkins remembering the early planning stages of the event.
In the past, most airline recruiting events at OHIO were opportunities to talk to people who work for the company, but Hawkins and Tkach thought flying in a jet would be monumental for their peers, the airline and the community. To their excitement, the airline agreed to their plan and the pilots of the aircraft were also fellow Bobcats.
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“Looking back at my time at OHIO, I always loved when recruiters would come talk to us. Now to be on the other end of that, I am really excited to talk to the next generation of pilots,” said Republic Airways pilot Dragoslav Cvijetinovic, BSA ’17.
When he was a student, Cvijetinovic served as an engineering ambassador, so he was no stranger to talking to students about their opportunities in aviation at Ohio University. His own experiences as a student bolstered his enthusiasm to return to the airport where he made his first memories in the sky.
“One of the best days that I had was right after I got my private pilot license. One of my first flights I did by myself was to visit my grandparents [in Cleveland]. My mom brought them to the Wadsworth Airport, and they were able to see me fly an airplane by myself. It was really cool and special,” remembered Cvijetinovic.
As a student, he was actively involved in extracurriculars like the Flying Bobcats and he sought out opportunities to learn from his professors and flight instructors. Cvijetinovic knew first-hand how his experiences at OHIO had enriched his life professionally and personally, which made this recruiting visit more special.
“It is one thing to talk to someone to help you get to your goals, but to see it, feel it and experience it. To bring in the equipment that these students have a possibility to fly when they graduate, it’s exciting,” said Cvijetinovic.
On the morning of March 26, 2022, the jet landed at the Ohio University airport while students enthusiastically waited for its arrival. Upon landing, the airstairs were moved to the doorway to let the pilots – and Bobcats — off the plane. Students were thrilled to be part of this event.
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“It was a funny sight to see everyone lined up to get on the jet,” said Tkach.
Tkach reflected on the success of the event recalling that it was eye opening for students and community members to be able to see the cockpit of the jet and learn about the mechanics of the jet firsthand from the people who fly them every day. Perhaps more importantly, students were able to speak to successful graduates of the aviation program and learn from their experiences.
“At work we must wear IDs; I wear mine proudly on an OHIO lanyard. The number of conversations that it sparks is remarkable. People say, ‘Oh yeah, this is going to be great. All OHIO grads are fantastic; this is going to be a great trip.’ We have a really great reputation,” said Cvijetinovic.
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Beyond the cockpit, Cvijetinovic was quick to elaborate that the quality of his degree was “world class” because of what he learned both inside and outside of the classroom. When he was teaching and instructing at OHIO, he acknowledged that the Aviation Department cultivates a culture of kindness, understanding and learning. In his opinion, these soft skills set him apart as a pilot.
“Those are characteristics that OHIO had that Republic shares. We do things outside of aviation that foster the growth of everyone. Just recently I drove to Indianapolis to be part of a Habitat for Humanity build in a hangar at the Republic Indianapolis Maintenance Center. They allow us to be the best versions of ourselves as pilots,” said Cvijetinovic.
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As an ambassador, Hawkins is also looking forward to working for Republic Airways one day.
“Republic has taken time out of their day and put in the effort to bring one of their airplanes to this event. A company that is willing to do that for people they don’t know is a great company to work for,” said Hawkins.
As Hawkins and Tkach prepare for graduation and the beginnings stages of their career in aviation, they are both excited about the impact of this event on current and future aviation students.
“I really wanted to do something for the students and the department. There were a lot of seniors involved in this project and it felt like a good send-off as we approach graduation,” finished Tkach.
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