From dispatching critical missions across the Great Lakes to being crowned Miss Michigan American 2025, Shelby Hastings (B.S.’16, University Studies) embraces every challenge as an opportunity to grow and inspires others to do the same.
Shelby discovered her passion for aviation at a young age and quickly set her sights on the College of Aviation at Western Michigan University, ranked as one of the best flight schools in the nation. She jumped headfirst into campus life and leadership, working in recruitment and advising at the College of Aviation and serving as the vice president of the Women in Aviation chapter.
Her time at Western also opened doors to traveling across the country for the renowned World Aviation Training Symposium, the world’s largest gathering of aviation training professionals. Shelby attended the symposium twice as a student, once as an attendee and once as a keynote speaker, the first Bronco to ever do so.
“It’s that opportunity coming through Western that I will always remember, because what a cool experience for a 20-year-old to be able to speak to industry leaders and speak to 400 people. What a privilege that was,” she said.
Throughout her years pursuing her undergrad at WMU, Shelby found a new purpose for her aviator career. In December 2010, she obtained her private pilot and dispatch license and began working for Pentastar Aviation, the contractor that managed University of Michigan Survival Flight—a critical care transport program which delivers lifesaving medical care and organ transplants across the state of Michigan and beyond.
“That was the most rewarding experience, because you’re literally picking up organs for transplants for children,” Shelby said. “I’ve had an experience where a flight might break down, or it’s only good for a certain amount of time, and it’s up to you to fix it and figure it out. It’s those types of pressure environments I learned to handle that I’m proud of. I know there’s a child because I, at two in the morning, figured it out.”
When Shelby met her husband Ben Hastings (B.S.’12, Aviation Sciences), College of Aviation alum and full-time flight pilot, she decided it was time to forge a new path in her career and pursue a newly discovered interest. 
“I worked briefly in finance and marketing for small businesses, so I think that’s where I got my passion for small business,” she said.
Today, Shelby is at the helm of developing a 70-acre outdoor resort located in Cadillac, Michigan. The Haven of Cadillac is expected to open Memorial Day weekend of 2027, and Shelby has charged into the project with the spirit only a Bronco could have.
Her newest venture in business isn’t the only thing Shelby’s tackled this year. In July 2025, she was awarded the title of Mrs. Michigan American in the annual Mrs. Michigan America pageant competition. She went on to represent the state of Michigan in the national Mrs. America pageant, where she placed in the top six contestants.
“I decided last year, before I had my developmental property, to do something for me. So I competed and I won, and now I have the networking that comes with going outside your comfort zone and changing your trajectory,” she said.
Wherever she is on the career ladder, Shelby carries her experiences at Western close, using her diverse skillset to navigate tribulations and triumphs—whether it’s delivering a heart for transplant or laying the foundation for her resort.
“Aviation teaches you a lot of things. It teaches you to be able to pivot, to manage a crisis,” she said. Without my degree in aviation and experience, I wouldn’t have that skillset to this day. It all trickles back to that initial decision to go to Western.”
Shelby encourages Western students and alumni to seize any chance to break through their comfort zone and step into something new—a perspective that has allowed her to reach new heights in the sky, break new grounds in business and find her footing onstage.
“Don’t be afraid to pivot, and don’t let fear dictate what you do,” she said. “A great piece of advice that I was given was ‘Your breakthrough is on the other side of your fear.’ That’s the message I’d like to send—don’t make decisions based on fear.”
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