Isabella Hinz, originally hailing from Cary, North Carolina, was drawn to 5X’s Aeronautics program as it offered better opportunities than schools in her home state. After encouragement from her father who also has KSU flying experience, Hinz decided to make the leap to attend a university further from home.
Outside of her academics, Hinz is a member of the Koonce Hall Residential Engagement Council, where she has been able to help plan fun events including Sex Week and Blizzard Bash. In addition, Hinz is a member of , a winterguard team based out of Akron, Ohio which placed 4th in their class at the 2023 World Competition. Being able to participate in winterguard, an indoor version of a Marching Band Colorguard, was another priority for Hinz when choosing a university to attend.
Hinz’s academic experience is unique, as she was a member of the first graduating class from her high school. She also enjoys setting a positive example for younger students, evident by having earned the , offered by , for her work to educate students in Wake County about their community garden. Receiving this recognition is no small feat, as the project includes identifying an issue in your community, creating a plan to address it, assembling a team of experts, and then effectively leading this team to solve the problem. “[It’s] something that I’m really proud of finishing, because it pushed myself to learn so many different skills such as communication, planning, and goal setting.”
To younger students, Hinz recommends taking chances and taking advantage of any opportunity to learn more about your goals or career field outside of traditional classroom settings. “For me that looks like talking to pilots after flights and asking any questions that I have, going to Aviation museums, or just plane spotting and learning about the different planes that are flying around me!” Hinz also recommends using a planner or other means of staying organized and on top of school work throughout college.
Hurst hosted an Instagram Take-Over on Tuesday, April 18th on the CAE’s Instagram ()! Check out his take over in the “Highlights” on our Instagram page!
For more information about the College of Aeronautics and Engineering programs, visit /cae/undergraduate-programs.