Savannah Keys, a College of Communication and Information alumna, recently became a certified flight instructor, and will spend the next few years sharing her love for flying. Keys graduated from Florida State University in 2017 with a degree in Information Communication and Technology. She shared that she loved studying this field and originally intended to pursue a career in cyber security after graduation, but her connections to the aviation industry– her step-dad being a pilot and both her mom and aunt being flight attendants– led to her desire to at least try aviation which quickly became her passion.

Her career in aviation began when she was hired by American Airlines as a gate agent in 2017. Considering pursuing a role in management, she started working towards her MBA in 2019. Around the same time, she was hired as a flight attendant which only furthered her passion for aviation. A few years, an MBA, and a pandemic later, Keys went on her first introductory flight with her step-dad and loved it! Since then, she has completed flight training, flown her first solo plane, and earned several certifications and ratings including her flight instructor ratings. She plans to spend the next two years teaching others how to fly before pursuing a role as a commercial pilot.

On her journey, Keys shared, “I definitely did not take the traditional route to get where I am but I would not change it. I truly believe everything happens for a reason; each step in my journey has laid a solid foundation and shaped my future. I am excited for this next journey as a flight instructor and to watch others learn and grow.”