At the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, we put a lot of effort into our Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) outreach. We talk about all of the events and successes from this often, but we don’t talk enough about the one who makes it all happen.
Jamie Loving has been working for the Federal Aviation Administration for 19 years. Before coming to the FAA, she started her career out as a 3rd grade teacher in the Mid-Del school system, where she taught for 2 years. At the time, there was a lot of uncertainty with budgets, so Jamie began applying for other jobs. She was hired in Student Services in the FAA Academy on a one-year temporary status. After becoming a permanent employee in Student Services for several years, she moved into various roles within the FAA Academy, both in the Training Services Support Division and the Academy Director’s Team. Jamie recently joined the Quality Systems and Business Resources Staff (AMC-3) as the STEM Outreach Education Program Manager.
As a child, Jamie always wanted to be a teacher. She says, "I am excited for the opportunity my position in AMC-3 gives me to tie everything I have learned in the FAA and the Academy back to my beginning in education."
Jamie admires people who are organized, she says it’s something she needs help with daily. She also admires people who are honest and kind, as those are traits that she tries to model for her kids. She loves the beach, going to the lake, playing golf, watching anything her kids are involved in, and anything involving the University of Oklahoma.
The greatest advice she has ever received is to not be afraid of making mistakes, and to learn from them.
In Jamie’s short time in her role as the STEM Outreach Education Program Manager, she has already made an impact on many children, and will only continue to do so. She recently took the STEM Outreach team to Tuttle High School, where they held their first-ever "Aviation Day" on March 29, 2023. Students were able to come and go between classes to learn more about various aviation careers. The team participated in this career day, where the FAA Academy provided a computer "PRACTICE" exercise, so that students could see what it’s like to be an Air Traffic Controller. The benefits of bringing aviation outreach to this rural campus was beneficial to all involved. Just two days later, students from Putnam City High School came to the Aeronautical Center for a Center-wide tour. Nearly 50 students attended the visit that Jamie coordinated, where they were able to see some operations first-hand in the Transportation Safety Institute’s (TSI) boneyard, where they became "certified" in accident investigation. Following the boneyard visit, students went to the FAA Academy where they learned about radars, radomes, and the critical mission of the FAA Academy. They were also able to do some hands-on activities with U.S. Customs & Border Protection equipment, which the FAA Academy supports through their technical training to the agents.
Jamie is now planning for the Center’s annual Aviation Career Education (ACE) Camp that occurs in June. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) in partnership with AAR, Airframe Maintenance-Oklahoma City and Metro Technology Center’s Aviation Career Campus are thrilled to announce the return with this year’s theme: "I am an Aviation Influencer!"
ACE Camp’s mission is to introduce students to a variety of careers that are available in aerospace, to learn about aviation, and to understand the importance of air transportation within our economy and society.
The Quality Systems and Business Resources team is eager to see where Jamie takes the STEM outreach program, and we’re confident that she’ll continue to inspire students across the state of Oklahoma about the benefits of aerospace!
Welcome, Jamie!
