Middle Georgia State MVP: Ryan Dimes
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, September 23, 2013 3:47 PM
Category:
Finding Greatness
Macon, GA
Full Name: Ryan Dimes.
Age: 21.
Hometown: Warner Robins.
Residence: Eastman.
High School: Warner Robins High School, where he participated in cross country, track, tennis and the jazz band.
Family: Mother, Julie Dimes; father, Chris Dimes.
Current Employment: Lineman at the Perry-Houston County Airport.
Degree Objective: Bachelor of science in business administration, fixed wing aviation concentration. "My ultimate goal is to go into the Air Force as a pilot and eventually go into a corporate or fractional aviation department."
Class Rank: Senior.
Primary Campus: Eastman.
Career Goals: "I have always wanted to fly in some capacity. After a year at Georgia
State, I transferred to MGSC and entered the aviation department. My father was a captain in the Army and I, too, had goals of joining themilitary. I figured the Air National Guard would be a perfect fit for me and was lucky enough to be selected for my dream job of flying the E-8C for the Georgia Air Guard. My goal is to stay in the guard as long as I can, retire, and then work as a corporate pilot."
He chose Middle Georgia State College because … "As a freshman at Georgia State University, I knew there had to be a better route to my aviation goals than the biology program I was in at the time. After a bit of research, I narrowed my transfer choices down to Middle Georgia State and Auburn University. Auburn had the traditional college feel with football and all, but MGSC was close to home and more aviation oriented. The school's aviation program is one of the best in the nation and the decision to transfer to MGSC became an easy one. The dedication and knowledge of the faculty and staff to helping students achieve their goals were second to none. I know I could not have achieved my goals without MGSC."
His favorite professor is … "Easily my favorite professor is Dr. John Steigerwald. I have had him for
aviation meteorology, aviation law, aviation safety and now advanced navigation. It's like he is a human encyclopedia of aviation knowledge. He is also one of the most helpful professors at the school. I honestly don't know how he gets his work done when so many students stop by his always-open office. Professor Steigerwald always keeps his classes interesting and different every day and it is easy to see he is truly passionate about what he teaches."
His favorite place to study is ... "At my desk in my apartment with some classical music playing.
Unfortunately, I sometimes forget when exactly my tests are and my study location ends up being in the hallway ten minutes before the test is supposed to start. But most of my studying is done well ahead of time."
One thing people don’t know about him is ... " In my free time I referee NCAA soccer games around the Southeast. I enjoy dealing with players and coaches and learning more about the game, plus it's not bad money."
His friends make fun of him because … "My close friends at MGSC find small things and make fun of me for them. For example,if I stumble over my words while talking, someone will say, 'I remember
when I first learned to talk!' When I am typing in a new song to play on the television, I will have a few typos and it turns into a feeding frenzy of insults about my typing skills. After each occasion, I shed a single tear and move on, leaving a small shred of self worth behind me."
The one person he'd most like to meet … "As much as I would like to have a dignified response to this question and say someone like Ghandi, Ronald Reagan or Martin Luther King Jr., I would most like to meet pro golfer Phil Mickelson. He is a class act and a pretty cool guy."
Five years from now he sees himself ... "I will be fresh out of undergraduate pilot training with
the Air Force and flying the E-8C JSTARS at Robins Air Force Base. If I am called to be a traditional
guardsman, then I will be working on finding a civilian flying job in my spare time. My goal is to eventually become a full-time guardsman. I have been truly blessed to achieve my goals and there is no way it could have been done without the support from my family and friends."