Kris Kent
A lifelong dream of flying helicopters is coming true for Kris Kent, who envisions
a career of conducting aerial pilot work in forestry or agriculture. He's setting
a high bar in the process.
"He has exceeded expectations, with a performance that rivals the top graduates in
the 17-year-old COCC Aviation program," says Karl Baldessari, program director. A typical student completes their flight
training in eight academic quarters, adds Baldessari: "Kris is on track to complete
his training in six quarters, including five Federal Aviation Administration certifications
and over 200 flight hours."
The dean's list student, with a 4.0 GPA, is a U.S. Army veteran and a former EMT and
firefighter. He was recently named a 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar —
one of just 50 in the country — by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a scholarship
administered by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Kent was also selected for a spot
on COCC's 2024 All-Oregon Academic Team.
"COCC's history of dedication, and being one of the few helicopter schools in the
country to offer this type of training for veterans, is what drove me to go the distance
to be here both figuratively and literally," says the Tennessee transplant, who aspires
to initially serve as a helicopter flight instructor in Central Oregon. "Despite the
challenge, this journey fuels my commitment to success."