Jared A. Thomas is the son the Army CWO3 Jason L. Thomas who lost his life in June of 2018. Jared had just finished is Sophomore year at Auburn University. 
Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) stepped in at the time, and in addition committing scholarships for the remainder of his college paid off Jared’s Student Loans from his Freshman and Sophomore years. With Jared already in college, SOWF immediately informed him of the programs and opportunities offered through the Foundation and Jared got involved right away.
Jared participated in the SOWF College to Career Transition Program, aided by the support of Mr. Jimmy Palumbo, COO, PIVIT U. PIVITU, in collaboration with SOWF, is a program focused on preparing and empowering the student while ensuring success and career readiness. PIVIT U provides one-on-one coaching over typically a 12-month period, connecting the student with a coach who meets with the student at least once per week at the student’s availability. PIVIT U assists in the development as a career professional and includes receiving and being coached in resume-building, networking, personal branding, job interview skills, and steps for obtaining internships.
When Jared applied for the SOWF College-to-Career transition Program in February 2019, he expressed “My dream job is to fly for Delta Airlines.”
One year later, Jared has completed a semester internship with Delta Air Airlines and this is what he has to say about SOWF and the college to career program.
“SOWF played a pivotal role in me landing my dream internship. They provided professional development resources such as PIVIT U and removed the financial obstacles allowing me to get the education and training needed to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot.”
Having access to a professional development program like PIVIT U was significant in my success and I believe it will play an essential role in the rest of my career. Jimmy at PIVIT U helped make me a better candidate for my dream internship by providing me with the professional resume and interview skills needed to stand out from the competition. While I met the Delta Airlines internship’s minimum qualifications, PIVIT U helped me more effectively communicate my skills on both my resume and during the interview, which ultimately landed the internship position with Delta Airlines.
In the Fall 2019 Semester, I interned with Delta Air Lines’ Flight Operations department at their headquarters in Atlanta, GA. During my internship, I was able to network with industry professionals and learn about the logistics that go into running a global airline. Not only did this give me a much better understanding of the airline industry, but the skills I gained at Delta will help me become a more professional pilot moving forward.”
Jared Austin Thomas is expected to graduate in June of this year with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Flight Management from Auburn University and is well on his way to reaching his dreams.
It is the honor and privilege of Special Operations Warrior Foundation to help our students navigate the college to career process and help to prepare them for success, we are so proud of Jared and our other students and graduates, and are honored to be a part of their stories.
