Her passion for space and aviation led Laura Gerhold to the perfect job

For some people, everything falls into place beautifully as the career choice they made in grammar school becomes a reality. For many others, careers are revealed through a series of obstacles, opportunities and turning-point clarity.

Laura Gerhold began with a passion for space and aviation. Her career flight path hit some air pockets but ultimately landed her in the perfect job. She is the chief academic advisor and assistant director of undergraduate programs for the Department of Aerospace Engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

Always strong in math and science, she attended space camp in Huntsville when she was in fourth grade and telling anyone who would listen that she wanted to be an astrophysicist. In high school, at a second space camp, she met an astronaut.

“He was the pilot for Eileen Collins, who was the first female shuttle commander. And I was like, I need to become a pilot.

“It’s very expensive to get a pilot’s license and no one in my family was in aviation, but my mom found a scholarship through our local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association for a high school student to get their pilot's license.”

Gerhold applied and didn’t get it. Later, she saw a story in the newspaper with photos of the five finalists, all guys.

“The next year, I decided I wouldn’t try for it again, but my mom and I ran into the EAA guy in the grocery store the night before the scholarship was due. He said I needed to apply so I did. This time I got selected as one of the finalists.”

Of the five finalists, Gerhold was the only girl. They all had to give a presentation at an EAA meeting about why they wanted the scholarship.

“I showed up wearing a lovely red sweater and a tan pencil skirt, my version of business casual, and the other four guys walk in wearing suits and ties. There were maybe four women in the room, my mom and wives of the EAA members. It was a very intimidating environment.”

Gerhold said she was convinced she wouldn’t get it but did. About six months later, she was doing flight training with her instructor. She shared with him that she was sure they’d regretted not giving the scholarship to one of the others.

“He said, ‘What are you talking about? The vote was unanimous.’ It changed my perspective completely. I’d convinced myself that the choice was close and it wasn’t at all. But that was the narrative I had fed to myself at that time.”

She received her pilot’s license as a senior in high school and was admitted to the University of Illinois’ Institute of Aviation. The institute was a two-year program, then she would transfer to another department for her bachelor’s degree major.

“I was convinced I was going to do aviation then aerospace engineering, so I was taking calculus, physics and chemistry my first semester. It was really hard. The math and physics classes in college were vastly different than high school.”

Gerhold was salutatorian of the senior class of 96 students at her rural Illinois high school.

“Ten of us had taken the calculus class that was offered but there were no AP classes. Then I came here and realized how woefully under-prepared I was. I also recognized that aerospace engineering students studied way more than I wanted to.”

She continued in the professional pilot’s program but now in what was the post 9/11 world, the aviation industry was uncertain. Her parents said they’d support her in aviation, but she needed to get a degree in something employable in case aviation doesn’t work out.

What transpired next was a series of landing attempts.

From her part-time job at a credit union, she was encouraged to major in business.

“My mom loved this idea, but after one semester of accounting, micro- and macroeconomics, and I was like, nope. I have no desire to do this.”

Gerhold transferred to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, studying integrative biology.

“I’m not going to lie. Organic chemistry did not go well.”

That’s when she found the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.

“I could do a concentration in fish and wildlife conservation and take all of the biology-type courses that I enjoyed way more than the pure science stuff.”

NRES was her final transfer. Her bachelor’s degree took her five years, but because of aviation, she was able to work part time as a flight instructor while finishing school. She was also tapped to help get a new academic advisor in aviation up to speed.

“I'd been working there part time for three years. I was very familiar with both the curriculum and a lot of the administrative things in that office. By March of my senior year, my supervisors knew he wasn’t going to stay, so they asked if, when I graduated, would I take on an advisor role in aviation.”

That summer, as a graduation gift, she and her parents went to the Women in Aviation Conference in Orlando, Florida.

“The conference was great. I love aviation. But I remember thinking, I don't want any of these jobs. The lifestyle of a commercial or corporate pilot isn't the right fit for me. So, we’re at Orlando Airport and I burst into tears. It was this huge confession to my parents.

“Flying itself is amazing. I also really loved flight instructing because when a student gets it, it feels fantastic. The part I didn't love was having to be away from home for long durations and all the things I would miss. I was not prepared for how that lifestyle would impact what my life would look like.”

Gerhold accepted the aviation advising position. But a few years later, the Institute of Aviation was removed from the University of Illinois.

“I was heartbroken. I had become so invested in the program. It was a really hard time.”

That’s when Brian Woodard came into the picture. He was an aerospace Ph.D. student, knew the department was losing its coordinator of undergraduate programs and encouraged Gerhold to apply.

In March of 2013, she started her new job advising aerospace undergrads.

“I realized this was a perfect home for me. I loved space, found aviation and now I had both.”

Gerhold said she still has the rocket she made at space camp.

“That rocket was probably the first indicator that I wasn't going to be an aerospace engineer. I was more into the decoration. Whether if flew or not, it looked pretty.”

Interestingly, what Gerhold said she finds most challenging about advising aerospace engineering students is also why she is uniquely qualified to do the job. She has lived what they are currently going through.

“When students are struggling with more than just study skills or time management, I have to hold the mirror up to reality and help them answer the hard questions.

“Aero students have to work hard and there is absolute frustration when they can’t grasp a concept. It’s not just about being good in math and science. To be an engineer, you need to ask what’s wrong and how you can improve this. Not everyone has that skill set.”

Gerhold said it’s rare, but sometimes it gets to the point that a student asks her what would happen if they decide to change majors.

“They feel like switching majors is a failure. That’s when I tell them, I’m never going to be upset about that. I’m here to help you.”

Gerhold said she’s a perfect example of someone who bounced around for a long time before finding what she enjoyed.

“Opportunities will present themselves in life and you need to decide it if’s right for you or not. I’m happy to help students figure that out. I will also celebrate their victories and be their biggest cheerleader.”

Gerhold said when she answers questions from juniors in high school about getting admitted to the aerospace program, she tells them she’d rather see a student doing things they are passionate about—band, soccer, whatever—and are also excelling academically.

“There’s a belief that if they haven't done all of the engineering things, it's a detriment to their application. No one has time to do everything at the highest level possible. I’d much rather see an applicant with quality over quantity.”

When Gerhold isn’t advising students, instructing a global culture course in preparation for leading a short study abroad trip to Brazil or South Africa, she is likely volunteering her time and helping others.

Gerhold has a part time job with the Rape Advocacy Counseling and Education Services as a medical advocate for survivors of a sexual assault. She also volunteers on the rape hotline.

She joined Junior League in the early 2000s, where she said she has built her most beautiful friendships. With one of those friends, she started the nonprofit Family Room, which focuses on providing for foster children who are entering into care.

“We’ve been in existence for six years. Helping to provide clothes and supplies for children who are newly placed in foster care. It’s a critical need we saw in the community, and it comes directly from skills we learned in Junior League.”

Gerhold has been successful in many ways, including earning an MBA from Illinois along the way. But, in terms of her career happiness, she recalled a conversation she had on the front porch with her parents.

“I said to them that they must be so disappointed that I spent so much of their money doing this aviation thing that never turned into anything. And my dad said, ‘No, it's how you got to where you are. Had you not done aviation, you wouldn't have started working in the aviation office or become an academic advisor in that program. And then you wouldn't have ended up in aerospace engineering.’ They saw that everything led me to where I needed to be. You never know what path is going to lead you to your future.

“That’s what I am for the students I advise. I want them to feel as grateful that their aerospace engineering time here led them to wherever they are today and they're happy, just like I feel about where my time and experience has led me.”