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Aerospace, Community-youth, Youth

Visit to ERAU Daytona Beach Campus

  • 09 May 2025
  • Text by Sreenath Vijayakumar, Student Government Association, ERAU Asia

Sreenath Vijayakumar—Sree for short—a student at Embry-Riddle’s Singapore Campus and the Student Government Association (SGA) President for ERAU Asia, recently had the opportunity to visit the Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. Read more about his personal recount highlighting his experiences and takeaways from the visit.

Discovering New Horizons, Making New Connections

Throughout the trip, I have had many amazing moments, but one that truly stands out was getting a bird’s-eye view of the Kennedy Space Centre – a premier multi-user spaceport and research and innovation facility for the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration – during a Discovery Flight.

Flying in a Cessna over the iconic site on Cape Canaveral, where so many historic space missions have been launched was surreal — I could not resist taking tons of photos and videos! What made the flight even more special was sharing it with two new friends: Ander Turueno Garcia, the SGA President for Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, and Christopher Sorensen, the SGA President for the university’s Prescott Campus. We spent time talking about student leadership, campus events, and the different challenges our student bodies face. It was eye-opening to hear their perspectives. As Chris put it, the Discovery Flight was not just about sightseeing — it gave us a chance to connect, exchange ideas, and see Embry-Riddle through the lens of students from different corners of the world.

During my visit, I also had the rare opportunity to attend a Board of Trustees meeting, where university leadership shared insights into Embry-Riddle’s future direction, strategic goals, and student-cantered initiatives. It was inspiring to see how much thought and planning goes into creating the ERAU experience across all campuses. In the Board of Trustees’ student life committee meeting, I heard student voices represented at a level that made me realise just how important our role is as student leaders. It gave me a broader perspective on how we, as SGA and student leaders, can be active contributors not just within our campus, but in shaping the future of our university. From the meeting, I also gained a clearer understanding of how my leadership in Singapore and throughout ERAU Asia is making a difference to the university from a global standpoint.

Meeting Ander and Chris in person meant a lot to me. We spoke not just as SGA leaders from different campuses, but as passionate aviation students committed to making a difference in our communities. I walked away from those conversations with new ideas, fresh motivations, and a stronger sense of connection to the larger and global ERAU family.

Embry‑Riddle Student Government Association presidents Christopher Sorensen, Sreenath “Sree” Vijayakumar and Ander Turueno Garcia fly over the Daytona Beach area. Photo: Embry‑Riddle

Immersed in Campus Life at Daytona Beach

From the moment I stepped onto the Daytona Beach Campus, I was blown away by the sheer scale and vibrancy of the environment. The campus is huge — and its aviation operations literally take up a significant portion of the Daytona Beach International Airport grounds for flight training and fleet maintenance! That’s when it really hit me just how aviation-centric and hands-on the schooling environment is in Daytona Beach. Their training fleet is impressive, with a few dozens of Cessna 172s and Diamond DA42s lined up on the runway and ready for take-off. Inside the academic buildings, they were packed in with loads of simulators, including an incredibly realistic Bombardier CRJ-200 full-motion simulator. I felt like I was walking through a professional airline training centre, but this is just a part of the entire campus.

However, what truly took me by surprise was seeing students working on the Eco Car EV Challenge—a project where they transform a gasoline-powered vehicle into a fully electric vehicle (EV), all while integrating advanced safety technologies. That challenge really stuck with me and demonstrated how Embry-Riddle’s focus goes far beyond aviation, encouraging students to explore innovation in engineering, sustainability, and technology in ways that impact multiple industries.

ERAU C-172 Lineup. Photo: Sree, ERAU Asia
Eco Car Challenge Initiative. Photo: Sree, ERAU Asia

There were also an overwhelming number of student-led initiatives — over 300 clubs covering everything from drone racing to cybersecurity to humanitarian work – all actively happening on campus. The energy on campus was contagious, and there’s no shortage of places to collaborate. Facilities include labs, research spaces, student lounges, and even a dedicated lounge for student leaders. Ander, the Daytona Beach SGA President, even has his own office on campus — which really speaks volumes about how much the university values student leadership and engagement.

One more thing that stood out to me: the career support here is incredibly strong. Students here have regular access to on-campus job fairs, where companies from the aviation and tech sectors come to recruit students for internships and full-time roles. It’s clear that from day one of their academic experience, students are being prepared to transition straight into the workforce.

ERAU Daytona Bay Campus. Photo: Sree, ERAU Asia

A Shared Passion for Flight and Leadership

What truly connected me with the students here was our shared love for aviation. I’ve dreamed of becoming a pilot for Singapore Airlines since I was young — and visiting a campus filled with others chasing the same dream as I felt inspiring. I would be the first in my family to become a pilot, and moments like this make me feel one step closer to that goal.

Although I was born in India, I spent most of my childhood in Singapore. I later returned to India for high school, where I lived with my mother for a few years. I’ve always been fascinated by anything that moves—cars, bikes, planes—and growing up attending airshows in Singapore only deepened that passion further. Flying between India and Singapore to visit family gave me early exposure to airports, aircraft, and eventually sparked a strong desire in me to be in the cockpit one day. After high school, I served two years of national service in the Singapore Police Force before beginning my degree in Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle’s Asia Campus. I also work part-time as a dispatch assistant in flight operations at Changi Airport, as well as a student assistant on campus. I’m also part of the Honeywell Mentorship Program and have recently earned my uncrewed aircraft pilot license.

Bringing It All Back to Singapore

My visit to Daytona Beach wasn’t just inspiring—it was packed with learning opportunities. I gained so many insights into how the SGA operates on other campuses and returned with fresh ideas we could implement in Singapore. One of my favourites? Late-night study sessions hosted by the SGA, where students are given a quiet space, snacks, and support to focus on their assignments. I’d love to introduce something like that at our Asia Campus.

This journey reminded me of how interconnected we are as Embry-Riddle students — no matter where we are from. It also reaffirmed why I chose ERAU in the first place: to grow, to lead, and to be part of something that is shaping the future of aviation and aerospace.

One of the most impactful parts of my visit was learning how the SGA Presidents at the Daytona Beach and Prescott Campuses lead and support their student communities. Listening to their experiences and approaches gave me valuable takeaways that I’m excited to bring back to Singapore. From event planning strategies to the way they engage with students and administration, it opened my eyes to new possibilities. More than anything, it motivated me to do even more for our students at the Asia Campus — to keep improving, keep listening, and keep finding new ways to serve and support our vibrant community.

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