Hello, my name is Patrick L. Batey. I’m a third-year resident student at Vaughn College; my major is Airport Management with a minor in Air Traffic Control. I live in Upstate New York, in a small town called Watertown. I have two brothers – being a middle child, it’s sometimes a struggle having to look up to one and set an example to another. I try to live my life by certain mottos. My favorite one is “everything happens for a reason.” No clue who said it, I just roll with it.
I wouldn’t be as close to the aviation industry as I am now without Vaughn College. One thing I have heard about aviation is that it’s a tough industry, but once you’ve made that first step, you’re in. The office of career services, along with other employees at Vaughn set me up with the best opportunities for networking in the aviation industry. Going to numerous career fairs, conferences and even political meetings, it was only a matter of time until I found a place to gain work experience. I gained that experience when I interned at Watertown International Airport over the summer. 
It was one of the best experiences I could have, working alongside the
manager. Working in a small airport means less people and more things to do. I worked in my own office along with the marketing department, filing and driving a truck around the airport to supervise construction. Many people would agree that being trained onsite is just as important as learning about the industry in class.
In my spare time, I enjoy sports and being outdoors. I’ve participated in many sports such as gymnastics, lacrosse and tennis. I was on the tennis team at Vaughn for a year (Go Warriors!). Everybody knows that once the winter hits it’s brick out, so at home I take time out to hunt and snowboard. The office of student affairs has hosted snowboarding and ski trips to Mount Killington in Vermont, the biggest mountain on the east coast to snowboard! I don’t just snowboard, I also enjoy longboarding; sometimes you’ll see me cruising around campus between classes. I also believe in staying healthy as well. I enjoy cooking my own food in the residence hall kitchen, and work out five times a week to stay fit. I go to church every Sunday in
Astoria, which is a really interesting and diverse community. My friends and I also like to go to the city. Vaughn’s campus is close to Manhattan, and there is always something fun going on and Times Square is always a big hit. I enjoy dancing, so when performers get on the train it’s nice to throw them some change.
I plan on finishing my bachelor’s degree in Airport Management in May 2016, hopefully after a few more internships. My goal is to work in the upstate region or become an Air Traffic Controller. Staying involved on campus has helped me open doors into the aviation industry, and has made my Vaughn College experience truly memorable.