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W hen Lauren Quandt was 7 years old her family visited the Kennedy Space Center. They witnessed a satellite launch and she was captivated. In high school, she had the chance to dual-enroll at MIAT College of Technology and spent half of high school and an extra year after working toward her Airframe and Powerplant mechanic's license and an associate's degree. For maintenance, her mentor is Steve Paone, who invited her to work with him fixing aircraft at the local airport while she was taking flight lessons. Her flight mentor is William Kuehnel, her first flight instructor. She is currently a student at Western Michigan University, double majoring in aviation flight science and aviation mainte- nance technology. She has won scholarships through Women in Aviation International, Experimental Aircraft Association, Western Michigan University's College of Aviation, and just recently, a scholarship through the Michigan Business Aviation Association. Quandt began working as a line technician at Avflight Willow Run in order to pay for flight lessons. The job required her to learn how to tow, fuel, and service aircraft ranging from Cessna 172s to Gulfstream IVs to Boeing 737s. At that time, she was finishing up the degree program at MIAT, A&P; already in hand, and beginning classes at Henry Ford Community College, taking pre-requisite classes in preparation to attend Western Michigan University. Next, she began working as a temporary assistant A&P; at Sierra West. She hopes to be working at Western Michigan University as a flight instructor by this winter. Nominated by Amy Kienast, direc- tor of career services, MIAT College of Technology: "Lauren is a double major in aviation flight science and aviation maintenance technology at Western Michigan University. Her long-term goal is to work in corporate aviation where she would be a pilot and mechanic on the aircraft. Lauren is very competitive in nature, and has competed with the precision flight team at the NIFA Safety and Evaluation Conference, received her Commercial Single Engine and Commercial Multi Engine Airplane Certificates, and repre- sented Western while competing in the Air Race Classic." To give back to the industry, she participates in aviation events and encourages young people to give aviation a shot. "I cannot wait to become a flight instructor so that I can share my love for the industry with others," she says. She believes that the things she has learned as a pilot will help her as a mechanic, and vice versa. "I want to be able to fly aircraft, but when something goes wrong," she says, "I want to have the ability to diagnose and fix the problem." LAUREN QUANDT Student, 22, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI AVIONICS S ERVICES F OCUSED ON THE FUTURE. Find out how we can keep you: • Connected • Compliant • Aware • In Control • On Track PentastarAviation.com/avionics 248-666-8388 mtxcontrolgroup@pentastaraviation.com ©2017 Pentastar Aviation ® AMT Congratulates this year's winners of the Next Gen 40 Under 40 Award Combining a passion for aviation with an emphasis on maintaining a License to Learn are attributes for winning candidates and the basis for tomorrow's workforce. Remember to nominate friends or co-workers for next year's awards competition. Deadline is June 15, 2018.