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Story by Tessa Henderson 

South ��ֱ���� State University is home to over 250 student organizations. Each gives students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and build community across campus. This is the fifth in a series of profiles about students taking on leadership roles at State. 

The Women in Aviation Club, as described by Madeline Davis, is a community and support system that promotes professional development within aviation, focused on women in South ��ֱ���� State University’s aviation program. 

As its president, Davis hopes to take the Women in Aviation Club to the next level. There are about 50 women enrolled in the aviation program at SDSU, and she hopes to motivate as many of them as she can to join the club. 

The sophomore from Grinnell, Iowa, was first inspired to pursue aviation as a career when her dad took her up for a ride in his plane. Since then, Davis has pursued a major in aviation and minors in Spanish and innovative and applied thinking. 

The decision to attend SDSU was easy for Davis. With a perfect proximity from home and in-state tuition rates, she knew SDSU would be the perfect place to kickstart her independence as an adult. 

Davis decided to run for president of the Women in Aviation Club after feeling a calling to apply for the position. At the time, Davis had only 40 flight hours and no certifications to her name. 

With support and encouragement from the club’s faculty adviser, Davis was selected for the post and has enjoyed every part of the journey since. 

“I think of myself more as a delegator and more of an assistant to my team,” said Davis when asked what her duties include as president. “I really like to let (my teammates) have creative liberties over what they’re doing, and I’m there if they need me to pick up something or if they want something looked over.” 

The Women in Aviation Club holds meetings every other week, where members have bonded over meals. Outside of meetings, the club co-hosts a Fly-In breakfast with the Flying Jacks club. The club also hosted a chili cookoff during the fall. 

Davis and her team also want to host guest speakers, or even female flight instructors at SDSU, to come and talk to the club. 

The Women in Aviation Club isn’t the only activity Davis is involved in on campus. She came to SDSU on a music scholarship and plays the clarinet for The Pride of the ��ֱ����s Marching Band and SDSU’s Wind Symphony. 

You can also find Davis working for the SDSU Foundation as a student engagement officer. 

Davis is keeping an open mind about her future in aviation. “I am kind of going where the wind takes me right now. … If life calls me to the airlines, then I’ll go to the airlines, but it would also be kind of cool just doing whatever and seeing where the field can take me.” 

Davis said she would not have the success that she has in the club without her support system. 

“I always want to make sure that everybody knows the success that I’ve had is always because of my executive board behind me,” Davis said.