Eagle takes aim at elevating her accidental aviation career

A decade after taking a job as a customer service representative for a fixed base operator in Fresno, California, Alexandria Prather-Sellers (’23) has turned what was a temporary opportunity into a dream career.

Prather-Sellers, who is pursuing her Master of Science in Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide Campus, is today the general manager for Atlantic Aviation at Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

She also was recently named a 2022 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 Award Recipient by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

“I am immensely honored and humbled with gratitude,” Prather-Sellers said in her video acceptance of the tribute. “I sincerely thank NBAA for their recognition of my work.”

Her rise to the top started in 2013, after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from California State University – Fresno.

“I was unsure what avenue I wanted to take regarding my career and education,” she said. “I took some time off from school and, unbeknownst to myself, pursued a career in aviation without intending to.”

Her pursuit may have been unintentional, but her success certainly was not. She credits the “unwavering support” of friends, family, mentors and colleagues, adding that her co-workers have given her the strength to “challenge myself and perform better.”

For Prather-Sellers, one of the latest challenges comes in the form of the renowned graduate program in Management at Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s College of Business.

“As I continued to climb the corporate ladder within the private aviation sector, I realized that if I wanted to move beyond a general manager position, I needed to set myself apart from the rest,” she said.

And that’s where Embry-Riddle came in.

“I chose Embry-Riddle because of its astounding reputation within the aviation industry,” she said. “I found that several of my upper management colleagues received their degrees from Embry-Riddle. I found that there was an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment when they discussed their experiences.”

That wasn’t the only reason she chose the school. As a busy professional, Prather-Sellers needed the flexibility only a distance-learning leader such as Embry-Riddle Worldwide can provide, a feature that’s made a huge difference.

“Having the ability to pursue my master’s program on my own timeline was non-negotiable when deciding what program to choose,” she said. “The program flexibility, learning from experts in the field and the tremendous reputation is what made Embry Riddle the right choice for me.”

Prather-Sellers says she has been thrilled with the Embry-Riddle experience so far, especially when it comes to the university’s academic counselors and accomplished faculty.

“The academic counselors are prompt with responses and helpful when directing me toward my next steps within my academic career,” she said. “The professors are intuitive, helpful and extremely knowledgeable in their field of study. I get the overwhelming sense that they genuinely enjoy teaching and molding the future generation of aviation. It’s a breath of fresh air learning from experts in the field and growing not only as an individual but as an industry.”

As she looks ahead, Prather-Sellers says earning her master’s will “not only be a personal accomplishment in my life but a career achievement as well.” It also will be the catalyst to a brighter professional future.

“I have continued to rise to the top in each position I have held thus far, and I do not want that to stop,” she said. “I have made a conscious choice to better myself and I want to continue to work hard, set myself apart from the competition and better this industry through my contributions. Knowledge is power, and through hard work and determination anything is possible.”