MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION, Minn., -- While many students take the time between their school years to relax and recharge, Cheri Rohlfing, Director for the Minnesota Aviation Career Education Camp, decided to take an aerospace class between her junior and senior year where she “accidentally got into aviation.”
“I went to the first camp as a student between my junior and senior year in high school,” Rohlfing said. “That was 27 years ago.”
The residential camp for students is a week-long program that introduces participants to a wide variety of careers in the aviation industry through the use of hands-on projects, guided tours and even flight experience.
Sponsored by Minnesota’s Department of Transportation office of Aeronautics, the Federal Aviation Administration and supported by a large group of volunteers from within the industry, the camp provides a pathway to students wanting to explore the many different careers in the field of aviation.
“When I was in High School, I kind of accidentally got into aviation,” Rohlfing continued. “I took a science class called Aerospace Science and it wound up being Private Pilot Ground School.”
While in the class her instructor told her about ACE camp, so she attended and that’s where she said it finalized her goal to work for Northwest Airlines. In time, her goal was realized and she became a pilot with Northwest. After the merger with Delta Airlines, she became an Airbus A320 First Officer.
For more than 20 years she has volunteered and been heavily involved with the MN ACE camp to help mentor those interested in becoming future aviation professionals.
She is also an advisor to the aviation student organizations at Minnesota State Mankato, Board Member & Banquet Chairperson for the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame, Air Space Minnesota Board Member and founding member of two Women in Aviation chapters in MN; Stars of the North and Northern Lights.
Her passion for encouraging today’s youth to pursue a career in the field of aviation is shared by a host of volunteers from many different organizations like aviation students from Minnesota State Mankato, FAA employees, airline employees and even members of the military.
“The staff for our camp is mostly volunteers,” Rohlfing continued. “They do this because they believe in this camp and are passionate about it.”
Rohlfing elaborated further that students have the opportunity to fly in a helicopter, fly an airplane with the help of a flight instructor, ride along in a C-130 flight at the 934th Airlift Wing, tour the air traffic control tower and walk through the Delta Airlines maintenance hangar.
“They get to do a lot of exciting hands-on activities,” Rohlfing said. “I could go on and on.”