Faith and Philanthropy Fuel an Emerging Business Leader
A scholarship helped turn a class project into a global mentoring platform.
Declan Daleiden, a senior studying Aviation Business Administration at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, is building connections that lift others along with him. With a GPA above 3.7, he balances economic theory and corporate ethics with the same precision he applies to his professional goals.
After receiving his second Bill Cutter Memorial Scholarship, Daleiden continued developing AVLINK.blog, an online platform where university students interview business-aviation leaders and share real-world career insights. Hosted by a student-run team across states, the site has already created a space for mentorship where it didn’t exist before, expanding through partnerships in business and corporate aviation. “We’re building the kind of conversations I wished existed when I started,” he explains.
Scholarship support made that growth possible by freeing him to pursue the project with clarity and focus. “You saw investing in my future as important,” he says. “I guarantee it will be used toward good learning.”
Daleiden’s experience extends across multiple corners of aviation and business. As a mentee with Honeywell International, he worked closely with a Scottsdale-based leader, meeting in person at tradeshows including NBAA | BACE in Las Vegas. The experience strengthened his interest in the global corporate aviation landscape and affirmed the role of mentorship in shaping outcomes.
His most recent professional step took him to Chicago as a Parts and Leasing intern with Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI), where he improved procurement workflows, supported SO/PO optimization and inventory management, and collaborated with data and IT teams to develop a Copilot agent that enhanced information flow and operational efficiency.
On campus, Daleiden works with the STEM Outreach Center, coordinating field trips, operating the help desk and contributing to student training. His roles reflect a natural instinct toward service and leadership, grounded in both humility and ambition.
His future goals continue to evolve as he gains experience. Daleiden no longer plans for law school. Instead, his interest has shifted toward aircraft finance, a field where his analytical approach and passion for aviation meet. He also remains committed to service-driven aviation, viewing business strategy and positive community impact as complementary pursuits.
Daleiden’s blend of initiative, curiosity and faith has become his hallmark. The generosity of donors who believed in him is already multiplying—into interviews, networks and new opportunities for others. Through his work, aviation becomes more than a means of moving people through airspace. It becomes a way to connect hearts, ideas and missions across continents.