
Florida Tech students are making their dreams become reality as they now have the opportunity to be more immersed in the world of aeronautics and aerospace engineering.
“I was talking to somebody in the Residence Life department at the time, mentioning that I would like to stay involved in the department somehow even though I was moving over to the College of Aeronautics,” said Warren Pittorie, an instructor in the College of Aeronautics and a former resident director. “I didn’t hear from the department for a few weeks, then somebody came up with the idea to start another living-learning community.”
The aviation living community—Let’s Fly—was established on the second floor of Brownlie Hall and took in freshmen aviation and aerospace engineering students this fall.
Pittorie explained that an LLC is where students are placed together on a floor or within a building based on a common majors, common interests or common program affiliations.
The Let’s Fly LLC is the third LLC on campus, joining the Women in STEM and the Honors College LLC.
Keeping with the theme of aviation, Pittorie reached out to College of Aeronautics alumni and asked for donations to decorate the hall.
“Those that did reach out had a lot of stuff to donate,” Pittorie said. “We have a bookshelf with a couple aviation books, and we put a lot of study tables up there as well, rather than a lounge to hang out and watch tv.”
Both RA’s in Brownlie hall, Kerrington Witherspoon and Michaela Salazar, are aviation students.
Witherspoon, a sophomore, said, “I have the same responsibilities as other RA’s. We’re trying to plan trips to get students to Melbourne airport, down to Vero Beach to the Piper manufacturing facility, Cape Canaveral and guest speakers.”
Pittorie explained that although the events are targeted towards the LLC students, others would also be able to participate.
Witherspoon said that so far the residents are enjoying the LLC and utilizing the common area to hang out and study.
Thus, the newly added LLC on campus has connected more students in a comfortable living space where they can achieve success above and beyond.