A graduate student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide, Fitzgerald Ihekwoaba has one main goal: make aviation safer for everyone.
He is set to earn his master’s in aeronautics this year, with a specialization in aviation safety. His academic journey follows more than a decade in the U.S. Navy, where he served as an aviation mechanic. After witnessing the impact of a fatal Marine Corps helicopter crash, he felt a call to action. That moment fueled his mission to prevent future tragedies and protect those who work in the aviation industry.
His dedication has already been widely recognized. Ihekwoaba received the Embry-Riddle College of Aviation Worldwide Spirit Award and has been active across multiple campus organizations.
He sees education as a way to get him that much closer to achieving his goals and furthering his mission of improving safety. Graduating with a master’s degree will be an achievement he credits to thoughtful planning and disciplined execution, with an eye always focused on the bigger picture of lending his knowledge and service to creating safer skies.
For Ihekwoaba, two skills have been essential while balancing school work with a multitude of everyday commitments.
“Time management and establishing short-term and long-term goal expectations,” he says, were vital to helping him move through coursework step by step and keeping his vision clear.
The NSLS also contributed to his growth.
“The NSLS has refined me into a better leader by providing me leadership qualities and options through alternative means of success through diverse processes and methods,” he says.
This exposure to varied perspectives and strategies has strengthened his ability to lead and adapt with confidence.
When asked who he looks up to, Ihekwoaba does not hesitate. “My father figure Mr. Sean Lofthouse. Because he has continuously shown me what true leadership and integrity is, regardless of external boundaries and limitations.”
Character guides the way he leads. It is also the foundation of one of the most influential pieces of advice he has ever received. Another mentor left him with words that continue to shape his purpose.
“My late mentor, Mr. Johnathan Brooks, always told me that ‘a man with integrity is a man that can lead and succeed without fail.’ His words are what keep me striving and thriving.”
Integrity, to Ihekwoaba, is the true measure of a leader. Besides having that strong moral backbone, he believes leadership is about determination and never giving up.
“Leadership is having the willingness and ability to overcome obstacles that no one else could do or would want to do,” he says.
With graduation on the horizon, Ihekwoaba is already looking ahead. He hopes to work in aviation safety both domestically and internationally, with goals to join organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He also plans to continue his academic journey.
“My next goal is to obtain my second master’s. My achievement process is to utilize my NSLS short-term and long-term goal methods.”
With goals set, every milestone he hits will serve the larger purpose of improving aviation safety worldwide.
As for those seeking to develop as leaders themselves, Ihekwoaba touches on a cornerstone of leadership development: continual learning and upskilling.
“Always be willing to learn,” he says. “Whether it’s something new or something you have been taught before.”
To him, the best leaders do not stop growing. They remain teachable, open, and grounded in integrity. And with that foundation, the sky is the limit.
Meet Angel Thomas next to see how another Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University member relied on courage and persistence to grow as a leader and overcome extreme obstacles.