Student Spotlight: Sukhpreet Singh, Trombone

The ground starts to rumble and eyes look to the sky as the plane glides across. Sukhpreet Singh has always been fascinated by planes, a fascination that developed into a desire to pursue a career in aerospace. 

Sukhpreet Singh is an incoming junior and a member of the trombone section. At Michigan, he is an aerospace major with a minor in music.

"I first flew on a plane when I was less than four years old," Singh said. "It was fascinating to see myself floating in the sky. As the years passed, I became more interested in all the aspects of flight in general. That's actually what motivated me to go to the University of Michigan. It's ranked number four for public schools nationally. There are a lot of great industry leaders that come and teach here. There are a lot of project teams and national organizations students can become a part of and grow their skill set in. It's a very welcoming learning environment."

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for workers in the aerospace field. Among AIAA's members are corporate names, like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. 

At the university level, AIAA is a hub for inspiring and guiding students. 

"The goal of AIAA is to advance aerospace science," Singh said. "They host conferences, run publications and journals and create networking opportunities for professionals and students in the field. They also bring in guest speakers so that we can hear from professionals in the field and learn how to speak to corporate leaders."

Singh first joined the UM AIAA student organization during his freshman year. This past year Singh served as the chair of the outreach committee.

"Our main goals are to develop a passion for STEM fields in K-12 students and help them develop the tools to pursue careers in those fields," Singh said. "[On the outreach committee], we provide events (in-person and virtual) for schools to gauge interest in aerospace. Our biggest event of the year is Aero Day. This past year was the first time we have had an in-person Aero Day in three years. We brought in over 150 people, volunteers, parents and chaperones as well as nine student organizations."

During Aero Day, the students are split up by age group, with a wide range of activities. 

"The Bioastronautics and Life Support Systems (BLiSS) student organization had some of the younger kids make moon rocks using baking soda and different colors to simulate the texture and density of what a moon rock would feel like," Singh said. "There was another activity where they got to try on a pair of astronaut gloves and they had to try and build things with LEGOs to see what it feels like to do meticulous tasks and repairs with the gear on. They loved that."

Aero Day also included corporate partners and agencies. 

"Some of the older kids made a parachute," Singh said. "They had an egg in a cup and they had to launch it from the top of the atrium to see how stable the landing was. The Michigan Aeronautics Science Association made candy rockets with the kids. They got to learn about each part of the rocket and eat it at the end. Overall, it was an excellent day; they learned a lot and got very excited to learn about UM and different fields in aerospace."

AIAA's outreach committee is also coordinating a mentorship program for mentoring college freshmen in aerospace as well as to provide guidance for high school students as they begin the transition to college, and to create a more inclusive aerospace environment. 

"There's been a lot of work to promote inclusion," Singh said. "There is a course, Aero 200, where people in the industry come in and talk, and [inclusion] is definitely something on their mind. It all starts with the educational institutions. If the universities and institutions make an effort to bring in a more diverse range of identities, then we have a more diverse pool to recruit from."

Sukhpreet brings this same passion for inclusion and equity into his personal goals and leadership style in the MMB, including his participation in Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary music fraternity.

"I think one piece of advice I have for incoming members is to be ready to do what it takes," Singh said. "That is the motto of the trombone section. We strive to be the best we can be. I want to foster an inclusive and safe environment for everyone. That is something I set as a goal for myself each year. Kappa Kappa Psi was my way of giving back to the band as a whole, beyond the trombone section."

The MMB trombones are, according to Singh, like a family, with celebrated traditions and ample opportunities to spend time with one another.

"We all sing while we get ready together in the trombone hallway," Singh said, "tunes like 'Build Me Up Buttercup' and 'Hooked on a Feeling.' It's one of my favorite ways to get started on game days. We have that sense of community and goofiness that gets us focused. One of my favorite traditions outside of game day is the corn maze: each October, all the classes compete to see who can get out the fastest. I'm proud to say my class got out first my freshman year."

The closeness and sense of community in the section transcends the field. 

"Everyone can depend on one another," Singh said. "We can talk to one another and we support each other's achievements. We go to one another's concerts and events. We are not just confined to band; we are a family in every aspect. My favorite memory is the September 11th memorial show. That was the first show we learned. It was a lot of work and hours outside normal rehearsal time. It showed me that the MMB truly cares and is willing to put forth the time to make shows successful."

While balancing an aerospace academic schedule with band and organizational commitments is challenging, Singh has been able to find time to pursue his passions.

"If you are passionate about something, you have to make it work," Singh said. "I've learned to manage my schedule. This means I have to really consider the number of classes I take and how I spend my free time. It takes discipline and a lot of trial and error, but I'm in a position where I can say I have found a balance I am comfortable with."

Singh is widely known by others in the band as a passionate and kind leader who never misses an opportunity to encourage others, on and off the field.