Kathleen Giblin '15 '16

From a very young age, Kathleen was mesmerized by the concept of air travel. Her parents had given her multiple opportunities to travel as a young girl, and in her mid-teens, she realized that the aviation industry was where she was destined to be. Now, as a young woman entering the industry for the first time, Kathleen feels prepared and confident for this new chapter in her life.

A triple alumna from Lewis and an avid international traveler, Kathleen Giblin ’15 ’16 recently began her professional aviation career with United Airlines headquarters located at the Willis Tower in Chicago.

In her new position as a crew scheduler, she is accountable for ensuring that flights are appropriately staffed in accordance to the Federal Aviation Regulations and collective bargaining agreements. Assisting with scheduling issues, planning for reserve coverage, and monitoring legalities are among some of her additional responsibilities. Previously, Kathleen worked as a Graduate Assistant for the Business Office at Lewis where she also worked as a student worker during her undergraduate studies.  

“I am very confident in the aviation education that I received at Lewis University and am hopeful that my knowledge and experience will help me through any obstacles that might come my way,” Kathleen says.

United Airline’s mission is rooted in diversity and inclusion, so she feels as though it is an environment in which anyone, regardless of gender, race, age, or ethnicity can thrive, including her. She is eager to begin her journey as a female leader in the aviation industry.

“Women have come incredibly far in this field, and I am excited to see where my path leads,” adds Kathleen.

During her junior year at Lewis, Kathleen had the opportunity to study business at University College Dublin while studying abroad in Ireland, which is where she first realized she wanted to pursue her MBA. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Administration in 2015, she began working as a Graduate Assistant for the Business Office and taking graduate level courses. Shortly after, Kathleen decided to also enroll in the Masters in Project Management program to earn an additional master’s degree.

Kathleen is thankful for all of the opportunities she had during her time at Lewis University, starting from her very first campus visit. “Lewis has some fantastic admissions counselors and administrative staff members that made me (and my parents) feel like part of the Flyer family from day one.”

Having graduated with two master’s degrees under the age of 24, in the short time span of only five semesters, while holding down a full-time and part-time job, Kathleen is glad to have some time to herself without having to worry about assignments and projects. She plans to eventually pursue a management role in finance or operations. Down the road, Kathleen would also like to enroll in another degree program in hopes to teach in either a university or professional work setting.

“For now, my goals are to focus on my new job, absorb as much as I can, meet new people, and take full advantage of the flight benefits to see the world!” Kathleen says with a smile.

Besides traveling, Kathleen spends most of her spare time with her family including one younger brother and four younger sisters. She also enjoys running, and has participated in the Chicago Marathon the past two years. She plans on improving her previous times by training to run with a charity in the 2017 event.

February 2017

 

<< Back to decade

 

Did you know we have more than 40,000 alumni worldwide? Read feature stories and news items online about some of our most notable alumni. Read more.