Student Spotlight: Shay Sinnard

Shay Sinnard's passion for aviation began long before arriving at the University of Nebraska Omaha. After writing a paper about aviation in high school and spending much of her childhood traveling by air, she became interested in the industry and the lifestyle that comes with being a pilot. What started as curiosity quickly grew into a career goal, and today she is working toward her commercial pilot certificate, with plans to complete her checkride by September.

Outside of the classroom and flight training, Shay stays heavily involved on campus. She is a member of the UNO Flying Mavs Flight Team, where she competes in SCAN events and has represented UNO at both regional and national competitions. She is also active in Women in Aviation International and Alpha Eta Rho. In addition to her aviation involvement, Shay competes on UNO's track team as a long jumper, participating in multiple indoor and outdoor championship meets.

When reflecting on her time at UNO Aviation, Shay says her favorite experience has been being part of the flight team. Through the organization, she has built lasting friendships and created memories that have made her college experience especially meaningful.

Looking ahead, Shay is excited about a variety of aviation career opportunities. While flying for a commercial airline is an appealing path, she is also open to corporate and private aviation. If she chooses the airline route, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines are among the companies she hopes to fly for someday.

After graduation, Shay plans to become a flight instructor to build flight time before moving on to a regional airline and eventually pursuing a position with a major carrier.

When asked what advice she would give to incoming aviation students, Shay emphasized the importance of getting involved:

"My advice would be to try everything you can and get involved. I've met great people and made some of my best friends through the activities I'm involved in. Taking advantage of those opportunities can make your college experience so much more rewarding."