Aviation technology major and student orientation leader moves beyond borders

In Japan, moshi moshi is a greeting said over the phone as a way to establish a connection with whoever is on the other line. For Joan Moshi, who goes by Moshi Moshi, the name fits, as she constantly strives to establish connections with people and places, and to help others do the same.

As an aviation technology major at UAA, Moshi is fascinated with the universality of the aviation industry. Aviation and its professions impact virtually every single place on the planet, serving as a sort of global language. She was also driven by a strong desire to be a representative in the field, as she noticed early on that there were few women, and particularly few Black women, to look up to in aviation. Stepping into a heavily male-dominated industry, she wanted to serve as an active inspiration for young girls in her community and across Africa, proving that these complex technical spaces belong to them too.

Of course, having a reason and the means to travel doesn't hurt either!

"Most people know about the pilots, cabin crew and engineers, but it's a whole field with a lot of other careers," said Moshi. "Even with all those careers, they still are lacking females practicing it, and it's lesser numbers for African females. It's a costly career, it's hard to get in, but it's also not easy to make it through as a female, and I just wanted to be an inspiration to my community, be an inspiration to young girls in Africa."

Born and raised in East Africa, Moshi had already spent over three years working as a passenger service agent for a ground handling company that managed various regional and international airlines. Wanting to take her career to the next level by earning formal technical qualifications, she explored her options worldwide. Moshi chose to apply to UAA at the recommendation of her uncle, UAA social work assistant professor Amana Mbise, Ph.D. Despite not knowing exactly where Alaska was on a map, she took the leap, navigated the long visa process and officially arrived in August 2024 to pursue aviation maintenance technology.

Working toward associate and bachelor's degrees, Moshi credits UAA's aviation program with not only preparing her to enter the field, but also with giving her a more thorough understanding of every level of the aviation industry, even in how it operates internationally.

"It is a program geared toward success," said Moshi. "The professors and technicians are always there to help. They're also very accommodating of different kinds of people. With the skills I am learning, by the time I am done with my program with UAA, I do feel like, academically, I will be very much equipped to transition to the industry in all capacities."

Once she arrived in Anchorage, Moshi knew that ingraining herself into campus life would be the quickest way to build community and ease any cultural transition. Now, as a community and belonging leader, orientation leader, and peer academic and wellness leader, she wants to be a representative and supportive voice to other incoming international students who may need extra help navigating campus life. Because she knows firsthand exactly what they are going through - from missing family to language barriers - she dedicates her time to ensuring no one feels isolated or invisible on campus.

"In this world, we were never designed to handle things on our own," said Moshi. "Things can get overwhelming, and having somebody to talk to, somebody who understands your point of view, it builds almost a family for yourself - it gives you ties, it gives you friendships, it gives you networks."

One crucial bit of advice she offers to anyone looking to connect with a community is to be completely open minded. She describes this perspective as one of the most important lessons she has learned at UAA so far. For Moshi, being open minded meant pivoting her original plan to pursue air traffic control to aviation technology after learning that only American citizens can become air traffic controllers in the United States.

Another example of how open-mindedness helped Moshi is realizing that starting college later in life was a strength rather than a limitation - no matter where you start or where you begin, what's important is that you keep moving forward toward your ultimate destination.

"My biggest quote is that it's never too late to start," said Moshi. "I was 24 when I started and being a freshman with somebody who is 18 years old made me feel old, especially since I was living on campus. But I'm the kind of person that when the next door opens, let's move toward it, regardless of where the door is."