"Where Are They Now" continues with Regals softball alumna, Blake Lewis. She was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region Third Team in 2015 as well as First Team and Second Team All-SCIAC in 2015 and '14, respectively. In the CLU softball record book, Lewis' name can be found in many categories. For a season, she ranks third in doubles with 13, seventh in homeruns with seven, and is tied for eighth in RBI with 40. For her career, she ranks tied for fourth in homeruns with 14, eighth in doubles with 31, ninth in RBI with 101, tied for ninth in walks with 50 and 10th in slugging percetage with .537. Now, Lewis is a New York City based flight attendant for Delta Air Lines.
What year's where you at Cal Lutheran and what made you want to come here?
I attended Cal Lutheran from 2012-16. I wanted to attend Cal Lutheran because I loved the campus, the athletic facilities, and I was able to play softball. Thousand Oaks was also close to my hometown, so my family was able to be involved in my athletic career and support our team.
While at Cal Lutheran, what was your experience like?
Throughout my four years at Cal Lutheran, I was able to interact with so many different professors, athletes and coaches that taught me so many valuable skills that I now use in my day-to-day life. The classes were intimate and interactive, the CLU community was supportive and positive, and I was able to grow and learn a lot about myself during those four years. I also met some of my best friends at Cal Lutheran and I will cherish the memories we made forever.
How was your experience with the team and other athletes?
My experience with CLU the softball team is hard to put into words. It is an experience that I am so grateful for because I made some of my best friends on the softball team. We had to work hard, motivate each other, and persevere to accomplish our goals, and we did that while having fun. The coaches encouraged us to set goals for ourselves and gave us a work ethic that I still carry with me in my career today. I'm thankful for the leadership that was given and taught to me during my four years at CLU, from my coaches and my teammates. The entire CLU athletic department is like a family. I loved being able to support the other athletes at their games as well as other athletes coming to support the softball team.
What is your current job, and how did Cal Lutheran prepare you for that?
I am currently a New York City based flight attendant for Delta Air Lines! Delta Air Lines has strong core values of honesty, integrity, respect, perseverance, and leadership. From the classrooms to the softball field, those same core values where taught and encouraged throughout my time at Cal Lutheran.
How did being a student-athlete prepare you for your professional career?
Being a student-athlete taught me the importance of communication and trust when working with a team, that I now apply to my daily life at work. As a member of the softball team, we had to communicate on and off the field to ensure that we were successful. We also had to place a great deal of trust in our fellow teammates. As a flight attendant I work on a team with fellow flight attendants, some I have just met. We trust each other that our individual responsibilities are being accomplished and work as a team to ensure the safety of our passengers and ourselves.
What is your favorite part about the job?
My favorite part of being a flight attendant is the traveling and being able to share the benefits of traveling with my family and friends. I had always wanted to participate in the study abroad program at CLU but was never able to. Since graduating, I have been able to visit so many amazing places around the world for work and for fun.
What is a typical day at your job?
I don't think I have a "typical day on the job" as my schedule changes constantly. Flight attendants are given our schedules a month in advance, but we are always prepared for those schedules to change. Things like weather, aircraft mechanical issues, and delays are all things we juggle and adapt to. I begin a rotation on my schedule by first flying from Dallas, Texas (where I currently live) to New York City (the airport where I am based). Once in New York I begin my trip which can range in length from 2 to 4 days. I work flights to various cities throughout the day providing passengers with safety information and inflight hospitality. At the end of the day, we layover in a particular city, and the layovers can range in length from 10 hours to over 24 hours. Depending on how much time we get to spend in the city, the flight crew will get together to explore different sights in that city. The crew continues this daily routine, laying over in different cities each night until we ultimately finish the trip in New York, and I am then able to fly back home to Dallas for a few days off.
Did you know you always wanted to do this, or when did you know what you wanted to do?
After graduating I wasn't sure what was next for me. I had an opportunity to be a ball girl for the Texas Rangers baseball team for the 2016 season, so I decided to move to Texas and try something new. I had always wanted to travel so I applied to be a flight attendant thinking it would be something fun to do until I figured out what I wanted to do next. Little did I know it would turn out to be my dream job! I think I knew this was what I wanted to do forever in the first few months of work when I was able to surprise my mom with a trip to Paris for her birthday. I had always thought that being able to take a trip like that would be impossible, but by becoming a flight attendant it became possible. I can't picture myself ever doing anything else!
What does it mean to you to be a Regal?
When I think of the word Regal I am overcome with a sense of pride. I am proud to be a Regal. It was a privilege to be on the softball team and represent such an amazing University for four years!
