My shoes have wings. No, I’m not Hermes, nor did I just drink a can of Red Bull. Rather, my shoes have the ability to take me far beyond those sensible heels that reside in office cubicles worldwide; they will take me to the sky…literally. My name is Gina Trivellini, and my passion lies in aviation.
Since my first air show at eighteen months old, I’ve been fascinated by airplanes. For the past eight years I’ve been volunteering at my local municipal airport and museum, and more recently have begun taking flight lessons to eventually earn my pilot’s license.
I’m lucky enough to have parents who have driven me to explore my interest in airplanes. One of the programs they enrolled me in – an aviation camp a few summers ago – is the reason that I ultimately decided to pursue a career in aviation in the future.
Throughout my childhood I knew that I wanted to someday help improve the lives of others, but I was never sure what to say when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Attending aviation camp was simply for fun – I got to go behind the scenes (and through countless metal detectors) in and around the Atlantic City Airport to see the runway pavement testing, baggage security screening, wind tunnels and a whole lot more.
One particular day at camp, a woman speaking about her career asked us, “Who here has considered becoming an aeronautical engineer?” A few boys – but only one girl – raised their hands. The woman went on to tell us that she was a rarity in a field dominated by males, but that she loved her job. She couldn’t emphasize enough how high the demand was for women engineers. Her words made such an impression that I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the career for me. Extensive research opened my eyes to endless opportunities. It wasn’t long before I realized that the ever-changing field of aeronautical engineering would allow me to do what I loved and see my impact on the world each and every day.
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