Aviation Maintenance Technician students join 2022 All-Washington Academic Team

Students recognized for academic achievement and community and college involvement.

By Jean Borst

Watch the 2022 All Washington Academic Team Ceremony on Thursday, May 12, 2022, 12:00 p.m. at https://spscc.edu/allwa.

Clover Park Technical College is pleased to announce that Aviation Maintenance Technician program students Brandon Lee and Owen Zhu have been named to the 2022 All-Washington Academic Team. They will be honored at a virtual ceremony May 12.

Now in its 26th year, the All-Washington Academic Team recognizes students from community and technical colleges across the state. The program honors individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to success in the classroom and their communities.

“We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of Brandon and Owen,” said Dr. Joyce Loveday, Clover Park Technical College President. “This honor is a testament to their academic achievements and positive contributions to their communities.”

Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee’s academic achievements have landed him on the All-Washington Academic Team for a second consecutive year.

“To be selected to the team once was a big deal,” Lee said. “To be selected twice in a row is an incredible honor.”

It’s quite an accomplishment for someone who came out of high school unsure of what was next. The 21-year-old Bethel High grad worked a part-time job for six months after graduation before he decided he wanted a career in aviation. Lee was inspired by his cousin, who completed the same CPTC program and got a job as an aircraft inspector with Amazon.

While Lee was initially interested in working on helicopters, he now has his eye on bigger birds.

“During my time in the Aviation Maintenance program, my primary interest has shifted,” Lee said. “In fact, I currently have a deal with Horizon Airlines to work on their aircraft after graduation.”

Owen Zhu

A native of southwest China, Owen Zhu attends CPTC as part of a collaboration between the college and the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. His time as a high school exchange student in India sparked his interest in experiencing new cultures. When he had the opportunity through his school in China to attend CPTC, he applied without hesitation.

Zhu has embraced his CPTC experience and made a point to share his skills with others. He is a math peer tutor in the CPTC Tutoring Center and served in student government as chair of Student Health and Wellness. He sees his selection to this year’s All-Washington Academic Team as one way he can honor the instructors, administrators and students who have helped him succeed.

“I’m so proud to be a CPTC student, and so happy to make my alma mater proud of me,” Zhu said. “This award doesn’t belong to me alone. It belongs to every CPTC student who wants to be better.”

After graduation, Zhu plans to return to China to complete his undergraduate degree and hopes to pursue his master’s degree in the U.S. “I would like to do that in Washington state, if possible,” he said. “I love it here.”

The All-Washington Academic Team program is sponsored by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges, Washington State Association of College Trustees and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Watch the 2022 All Washington Academic Team Ceremony on Thursday, May 12, 2022, 12:00 p.m. at https://spscc.edu/allwa.