Redirecting Her Flight

A female teacher stands in her science classroom.

(Photo: Karsten Moran)

Alyssa Machado, MAT’23 (Flor)

By Kenna Caprio

Travel, aviation, education — all early interests for Alyssa Machado, MAT’23 (Flor).

She translated that initial pull to aviation into a career as an aircraft dispatcher. “Dispatchers ensure flights are safe,” Machado says. “They make sure the airplane’s performance allows it to land at the intended airport, make sure enough fuel is on board and monitor weather conditions for a safe flight.” Machado worked for an aircraft charter company, managing aircraft for wealthy individuals and companies who were chartering out their planes to recoup costs.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Machado was laid off. She found similar work with a new company, but her passion had cooled by then, and she made the decision to go back to school to become a teacher.

“While I was a dispatcher, I taught an aviation class at a local community college and fell in love with teaching,” says Machado.

As she researched teaching programs, she connected with Miriam Singer, retired associate professor of education, director of the MAT program and associate director of the Peter Sammartino School of Education. Her relationship with Singer was a deciding factor in selecting FDU.

“Both Dr. Singer and Dr. Kate Spence [associate professor of education and director of the Peter Sammartino School of Education] are incredible,” she says. “They truly want all of their students to succeed and thrive in their education careers. So much time, planning and effort goes into lesson plans, especially in your first few years of teaching, and FDU provided me the foundational knowledge and pedagogy to be successful.”

Machado currently teaches middle school science in New Providence, N.J.

“There is a lot of physics, weather and earth science in aviation, so I can use my skills and experiences from being an aircraft dispatcher in my teaching,” she says. “I’ve also always enjoyed biology and chemistry — teaching middle school means I can dabble in all types of science. Middle school is a great sweet spot because you can push the students academically, but it’s not as specialized as high school. The learning is hands-on and students really enjoy that.”