Choosing a major can be an uncertain experience for many college students. For 20-year-old Brayden Spivey, the decision was clear from the start: he wanted to fly.
Spivey, a commercial/corporate aeronautics major at Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics, began his journey to the skies in his high school years in Atlanta, Georgia. While most students his age were living typical teenage lives, Spivey was already working toward his private pilot’s license — while training as a competitive swimmer.
“I got my private pilot’s license in 2023, my senior year of high school,” Spivey said. “At the time, I was also swimming and wanted to find a college that had both aviation and swimming. That narrowed down my options to only a few schools around the country.”
As he toured college campuses, Liberty immediately stood out to Spivey.
“When we visited Liberty, I fell in love with the campus, the community and the Christ-centered atmosphere,” Spivey said. “The School of Aeronautics just felt like the right fit for me.”
Although injuries later kept him from continuing his swimming career, Spivey believes that circumstance opened the door for him to focus entirely on aviation.
“The classes are some of the best I’ve ever taken,” Spivey said. “They’re challenging but rewarding. My favorite so far has been aviation leadership with Professor Mashburn. He doesn’t just want you to memorize information, he wants you to grow as a leader in the field.”
Spivey’s passion for flight extends beyond the classroom. He noted that his flight training has been both rigorous and transformative.
“It’s very structured here compared to where I came from,” Spivey said. “The expectations are higher and the amount of knowledge required is greater. But it’s made me a much stronger pilot.”
Behind his drive, Spivey has a strong support system to encourage him in his efforts.
“My family and friends have been behind me every step of the way,” Spivey said. “They’ve never told me I shouldn’t do this. They love that I’m pursuing my dream, and I think they’re also looking forward to a few free flights one day.”
Spivey’s story, however, did not begin with aviation — it extends even further. Long before he started flying, he was working behind the scenes with lighting and production at his church.
“I started volunteering with production in sixth grade,” Spivey said. “I mainly did lighting for middle school and high school ministry events and sometimes for our main worship services.”
That early experience carried into college, where Spivey joined Liberty’s Campus Production team after emailing them in his first year.
“When I found out students could be involved, I reached out right away,” Spivey said. “They brought me on for CSER, and I’ve been working with them ever since.”
From operating handheld cameras to setting up lighting trusses, Spivey has played a role in many of Liberty’s events. Spivey said new students should prepare to start small.
“At first, they’ll probably have you wrapping cables,” Spivey said. “It’s not the most exciting job, but if you do it well and show you care, people notice. That’s how you earn trust and get more opportunities.”
Though Spivey does not anticipate mixing aviation with production work, both fields have shaped how he approaches his professional goals.
“Aviation will be my career, but production is something I’ll always enjoy as a hobby,” Spivey said. “Both have taught me to stay focused, creative and disciplined.”
Looking ahead, Spivey hopes to combine his flight experience and Liberty education into a long-term career in commercial aviation.
“My plan is to become a flight instructor at Liberty after I graduate,” Spivey said. “Once I build up my required hours with the FAA, I want to join a regional airline and eventually make it to Delta. I’m from Atlanta, so working for Delta would be like coming full circle.”
When it comes to staying grounded, Spivey credited his faith for keeping him steady through flight training and college life.
“I have to remind myself to follow God’s plan and not my own,” Spivey said. “It’s easy to feel stressed, but when I do, I pray a lot. I give it to God and let him do his thing and he always comes through.”
Navage and Spearman are feature writers for the Liberty Champion.