A little over a year ago, I began this crazy new journey in my professional and personal life. I realized a life-long goal/dream, and I decided to pick up and transplant my family to a new town because of that realization. I'm not saying that it has all been a super easy journey, but I am saying that I can reflect on the last year of my life and feel satisfied that the year behind me was very well spent. And while this post might seem self-serving, I assure you that it is not. There is no way I would be writing this today if I didn't have the best wife and kids ever and the greatest work team ever assembled.
September 15, 2012, was officially my first day as the Aerospace Program Director at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Florida. One of my colleagues calls it the "college in the pines" because we have this really attractive green landscape with huge trees, spanish moss, and very nice grounds. Back then, this Aerospace program was brand new. Not a single student had enrolled in a class because no classes had been offered. I worked remotely for that first two weeks. I was in the deep end of the pool. The really deep end. So deep that I wondered how long it would take for me to surface. Regardless, man, it was fun!
Since I attended Middle Tennessee State University's Aerospace program, I had always wanted to find a way to get back to collegiate aviation at some point on my career arc. I knew that would be hard because it is a niche field with very high entry requirements. Still, I was content to dream the dream and wait for my turn. I had no idea that the opportunity would come so soon. "Out of the blue" is an understatement.
Since I attended Middle Tennessee State University's Aerospace program, I had always wanted to find a way to get back to collegiate aviation at some point on my career arc. I knew that would be hard because it is a niche field with very high entry requirements. Still, I was content to dream the dream and wait for my turn. I had no idea that the opportunity would come so soon. "Out of the blue" is an understatement.
Over the last year, an overwhelming amount of stuff has happened for me professionally. It is kind of crazy reflecting on it all now as I try to write this post. It's hard to believe this much could happen in a year. For my purposes as much as yours, I've compiled the hit list below. And please don't take this as a gloat-fest. None of this would have been possible without the special formula that came into being right as I arrived. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And, again, I have the best wife and kids ever - girls that will follow me into the great unknown with the utmost in support and encouragement.
October-December 2012: Policy Building and Preparing for the Curtain
I spent this time alone in Winter Haven. The wife and kids were still in our house in Gainesville. I worked incredibly long hours, because I could, and I went home or had visitors every weekend. It was during this period of time that the entire rationale behind this new program failed to pan out. So now the reason this program came on the scene no longer existed, and I had to quickly explain what that actually meant and what we should do about it. I used the extra time in the day to build our initial policy documents, finalize arrangements with our flight training provider, and prep for the first college course I was ever going to teach while simultaneously serving as my own boss. The early break in mid-December was amazing. I got the family moved down here, we found our current abode, and we were together again. And for some reason, I got paid to not go to work for two weeks. Working in education has its upsides, people.
January-May 2013: Off to the Races!
The first semester began with all kinds of fun and sudden realities. Every day it seemed like we were putting out one fire while three more sprang up. It was a constant race from one issue to the next. Our first class: nine students. Hardly a sell out crowd, but not zero either. These guys and gals were incredibly understanding and excited to be in the program. They were content to be our guinea pigs (or lab rats, depending on your perspective). We offered three core courses and two flight lab sections. It was the hardest I've worked in recent memory, but it was incredibly fun! Every day was exhilarating. I loved it.
In addition to starting the program and seeing our first students fly and solo an airplane, I got appointed to the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Airmen Training Standards and Testing (ATST) Working Group. Yes, it's a perfect government committee title. I got to work with some of the greatest minds in pilot training and testing to reimagine our current Practical Test Standards (PTS). We have since created revolutionary Airmen Certification Standards (ACS) documents that have a real chance at completely redefining pilot training and testing in the United States - one of my major soapbox goals since way back when.
I got to attend SUN 'n FUN as a sponsor and supporter and partner, which was a completely different and amazing experience over years previous. I created another entirely new degree for my program, Aerospace Administration. I began curriculum work on the first public Bachelor's degree in Aerospace for the state of Florida. People I didn't know started following me on Twitter and emailing me just because they had heard about me in the aviation press or through podcasts, media outlets, etc. This was very weird for me, but also extremely exciting. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was actually making a positive contribution to my favorite industry in the universe - aviation.
I spent this time alone in Winter Haven. The wife and kids were still in our house in Gainesville. I worked incredibly long hours, because I could, and I went home or had visitors every weekend. It was during this period of time that the entire rationale behind this new program failed to pan out. So now the reason this program came on the scene no longer existed, and I had to quickly explain what that actually meant and what we should do about it. I used the extra time in the day to build our initial policy documents, finalize arrangements with our flight training provider, and prep for the first college course I was ever going to teach while simultaneously serving as my own boss. The early break in mid-December was amazing. I got the family moved down here, we found our current abode, and we were together again. And for some reason, I got paid to not go to work for two weeks. Working in education has its upsides, people.
January-May 2013: Off to the Races!
The first semester began with all kinds of fun and sudden realities. Every day it seemed like we were putting out one fire while three more sprang up. It was a constant race from one issue to the next. Our first class: nine students. Hardly a sell out crowd, but not zero either. These guys and gals were incredibly understanding and excited to be in the program. They were content to be our guinea pigs (or lab rats, depending on your perspective). We offered three core courses and two flight lab sections. It was the hardest I've worked in recent memory, but it was incredibly fun! Every day was exhilarating. I loved it.
In addition to starting the program and seeing our first students fly and solo an airplane, I got appointed to the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Airmen Training Standards and Testing (ATST) Working Group. Yes, it's a perfect government committee title. I got to work with some of the greatest minds in pilot training and testing to reimagine our current Practical Test Standards (PTS). We have since created revolutionary Airmen Certification Standards (ACS) documents that have a real chance at completely redefining pilot training and testing in the United States - one of my major soapbox goals since way back when.
I got to attend SUN 'n FUN as a sponsor and supporter and partner, which was a completely different and amazing experience over years previous. I created another entirely new degree for my program, Aerospace Administration. I began curriculum work on the first public Bachelor's degree in Aerospace for the state of Florida. People I didn't know started following me on Twitter and emailing me just because they had heard about me in the aviation press or through podcasts, media outlets, etc. This was very weird for me, but also extremely exciting. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was actually making a positive contribution to my favorite industry in the universe - aviation.
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Summer 2013: The Calm Before the Storm
The Bachelor's degree was finished and sent to the State Board of Education for review. We added three new flight students for the Summer term. I built my first purely online, 16-week, college level course. I hired four new faculty members. We enrolled 14 new students for courses in the Fall term. Our total program enrollment went from 25 to over 70 students. I held on for dear life and tried ardently to make the best possible use of the slight lull in activity before the Fall term hit.
The Bachelor's degree was finished and sent to the State Board of Education for review. We added three new flight students for the Summer term. I built my first purely online, 16-week, college level course. I hired four new faculty members. We enrolled 14 new students for courses in the Fall term. Our total program enrollment went from 25 to over 70 students. I held on for dear life and tried ardently to make the best possible use of the slight lull in activity before the Fall term hit.
August-September 2013: Hi-Ho, Silver, AWAY!
Where do I even start? I'm still waiting to wake up. Our enrollment increased 300%. Embry-Riddle wanted to articulate credits and share space with us. Based on all the gains we have made through collaboration with the best partners in the world, the CEO and COO of JetBlue came to figure out what is going on with aviation education in Polk County. I got elected vice-chair of both the Winter Haven Airport Advisory Committee and the Polk Aviation Alliance. People really started listening to me. It was and still is extremely surreal. Our first flight students earned their Private Pilot Certificate, validating that this new and innovative training model does work.
To top everything off, four days after my one year anniversary with the college, the State Board of Education unanimously approved our Bachelor's degree proposal making us the first and only public institution in Florida with such a degree.
Where do I even start? I'm still waiting to wake up. Our enrollment increased 300%. Embry-Riddle wanted to articulate credits and share space with us. Based on all the gains we have made through collaboration with the best partners in the world, the CEO and COO of JetBlue came to figure out what is going on with aviation education in Polk County. I got elected vice-chair of both the Winter Haven Airport Advisory Committee and the Polk Aviation Alliance. People really started listening to me. It was and still is extremely surreal. Our first flight students earned their Private Pilot Certificate, validating that this new and innovative training model does work.
To top everything off, four days after my one year anniversary with the college, the State Board of Education unanimously approved our Bachelor's degree proposal making us the first and only public institution in Florida with such a degree.
Indeed, it has been a year well spent. I have enjoyed this new phase more than any I've begun previously. There is still so much to do, but I have no doubt we will get it done. But more than just doing it, we are going to knock it out of the park! Through the Polk Aviation Alliance, we are able to interface with aviation businesses and local municipalities in ways that I would have previously told you were impossible. Our college administration is innovative, smart, and incredibly supportive.
Even if the sky is the limit, that's no problem for us. We have airplanes, and we have pilots who can fly them! Soar Polk!
Here's to another awesome year!
Fly safely my friends.
-Eric Crump
Even if the sky is the limit, that's no problem for us. We have airplanes, and we have pilots who can fly them! Soar Polk!
Here's to another awesome year!
Fly safely my friends.
-Eric Crump
