Student Profile: Ryan Bieryla
Major: Social Sciences Air Transportation and Music
Year: 2nd Year
Hometown: Grapevine, TX
When looking for the right school, Ryan Bieryla knew that his search had to be narrow. He was looking for a school with good programs in aviation and music and was certified by the VA (Veterans Affairs) for Post 9/11 GI Bill funding. As a veteran, Ryan was able to receive tuition assistance through the VA, but the program needed to be certified. He said that, between the strength of the school’s offerings in his interest areas and the proximity to Columbus, OSU became the clearly right decision for him.
“I’m pretty plugged in with both the center for Aviation Studies at the Geography department here, and I love the kind of hybrid model where I get opportunities to learn from both. I remember being in the first Bookends course [part of the required GE package introducing incoming students to college] with students from Geography, Atmospheric Sciences, and GIS. That’s when I realized how cool it was to have these majors working in the same department and could see some of the potential for bridging gaps. I’ve loved the geography courses in transportation security and how that connects to the jobs I’ll be looking for when I finish,” he said. He mentioned that one of the biggest challenges has been in Cartography (GEOG5200) he is currently taking. “As far as maps go, I can read sectional charts, but there’s a lot I didn’t know about projections and the software of making accurate maps. I’m really enjoying it but it’s definitely stretching my abilities as well!”
Ryan is planning on taking the flight dispatch sequence as part of his aviation major, hoping to work as a flight dispatcher for a major airline. He is also really excited by the possibilities of the advanced air mobility industry, which uses new flight technologies like drones to innovate the transportation industry. He participated in the Ohio Air Mobility Symposium in 2024, which brought college students together with industry leaders and representatives from the Pentagon to consider how to continue crafting a forward thinking aviation industry in Ohio.
Ryan’s advice to future students is to remember to get out of your comfort zone. “Especially if you’re moving far from home, get plugged into activities that you think you might enjoy. It’s a great way to meet people and make a new home. Despite being from Texas, I didn’t really do any line dancing. But there’s a whole new community I’ve been able to get involved with because I thought, hey, I’ll take a chance on this.”
When asked where in the world he’d like to go, he said that he would love to go to Austria to practice his new German language skills and to experience some of the choral music traditions there.
Find out more about the Social Sciences Air Transportation major.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Bieryla