LYNNWOOD — When Tyler Ekse delivers the keynote speech to 500 Edmonds College graduates and their families at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett on June 18, it will mark a seminal moment for Ekse—and a far cry from where he was less than four years ago.
Three years ago, Ekse was standing on a Mercedes-Benz showroom floor as the youngest salesman in the building. As a recent high school graduate, he had the job many of his peers envied: high-end cars, commission checks, and corporate potential. But for Ekse, something was missing.
“I was thrown into the corporate world, and it just didn’t align with who I was,” Ekse recalls. “I didn’t feel like I had a sense of purpose or community. I realized I wanted an avenue where I could serve and develop my career the way I knew I could.”
Today, the Mountlake Terrace High School graduate is no longer selling cars; his passion has shifted to flying supersonic jets. This Saturday, he will graduate from the University of Washington with a degree in history. Having successfully commanded a wing of 88 personnel at UW’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 910, he has also secured a highly coveted seat in one of the most exclusive flight schools in the world: the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program.
Finding His Footing
Ekse’s path to the cockpit wasn’t a straight line. By his own admission, he was a “mediocre” student in high school. His purpose was more focused on being captain of the varsity wrestling team than on textbooks. But his dedication on the mat as a team captain helped him develop leadership skills that fueled his eventual trajectory.
When he decided to pivot from sales back to education, he chose Edmonds College to find his footing. At Edmonds, the transformation was immediate. Ekse credits the small class sizes and personal mentorship for his academic turnaround. He went from a struggling high schooler to an honors student every quarter at Edmonds. He boasted a 3.85 GPA when he applied to the ENJJPT program and maintained a spot on the Dean’s List at the UW for the majority of his time there.
“Edmonds gave me that environment to prove myself once again,” says Ekse, reflecting on his time before graduating from UW. “I found academic success there that I hadn’t found in high school. The confidence was built at Edmonds, and it became the stepping stone to bigger things.”
One of the most remarkable aspects of Ekse’s journey is how he balanced his education. Through a unique cross-town agreement, he was able to remain an Edmonds student while participating in the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Washington.
His schedule was grueling. As a commuting student, Ekse’s days often began with a 3:50 a.m. wake-up call to make it to Seattle for early morning physical training. He would partake in drills in his uniform at UW, then drive back to Lynnwood to finish his business credits at Edmonds.
Ekse’s discipline helped him reach a pinnacle during his senior year at UW. On Jan. 28, 2026, he took over as “Raptor One,” the lead wing commander of the 88 cadets for his detachment at the University of Washington.
As the highest-ranking cadet, Ekse was responsible for successfully leading, mentoring, and managing the entire cadet wing. His key duties included directing training, ensuring compliance with detachment goals, facilitating communication between cadets and cadre, and overseeing wing staff. It was a massive responsibility, but one that his commander, Colonel Sarah Babbitt, was entirely confident he would excel in.
“He’s a really impressive young man, and he’s gonna be a great officer,” Col. Babbitt noted during his tenure. “There are a lot of things on his plate, but I have confidence in Tyler. He knows all about grit, challenges, overcoming hard times, and leading diverse groups. To be able to take a team and lead them towards a singular mission is very impressive, and he’s shown that he can do it.”
Heading to the Elite Skies
Other decision-makers in the Air Force clearly echoed Col. Babbitt’s confidence. Ekse earned a highly coveted slot in the ENJJPT program at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. The statistics are remarkable: the Air Force selects only about 8-10% of pilot applicants each year for this elite, NATO-specific track.
After being officially commissioned following his graduation, Ekse will join a class of about 20 students later this summer who will spend the next year partaking in intensive academics, simulator instruction, and primary flight training before ever touching the cockpit of a jet. Along the way, he will know exactly where he stands in the program, as students are ranked based on their competencies in each drill and task. At the end of the year, each candidate participates in “Drop Night,” where they will get “pinned” and learn which aircraft they will train to fly.
The school is an elite coalition of NATO allies in which top recruits from 14 countries—including the U.S., Germany, Italy, and the UK—train together. Unlike standard flight schools, ENJJPT is a “fighter-bomber” only track, meaning graduates are destined strictly for “pointy and fast” aircraft like the F-16, F-22, or F-35.
While most selectees are engineering or other STEM majors, Ekse was the only history major selected for the program in his cycle.
He explained his decision to switch from business to history: “I was looking forward to my career in the United States military, and I wanted to understand what conflict looked like before I got involved, as well as some understanding of the political aspects of what I would be tackling as an officer.”
Despite the prestige of his NATO appointment, Ekse remains grounded in the lessons he learned as a wrestling captain at Mountlake Terrace and as a student at Edmonds and UW.
“Ten years from now, I want to be leading airmen to the best of my abilities,” Ekse says. “Whether I’m in the cockpit or not, it doesn’t matter to me. I want to make my Air Force better.”
For the Edmonds graduates who will hear Ekse’s powerful story during commencement, his message will serve as a reminder that “where you start” doesn’t define “where you land.” From a local car showroom to the elite skies of NATO, Ekse’s trajectory is officially airborne.
Edmonds College | edmonds.edu
The college serves approximately 18,000 students annually, including approximately 800 international students from about 55 countries. The college currently offers six Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, one Bachelor of Science degree, 66 associate degrees, and 111 professional certificates in 30 programs of study. The college operates two on-campus residence halls housing approximately 400 students. The college offers a wide range of comprehensive offerings: College credit in high school, basic education skills to earn a high school diploma/GED or to prepare for college, short-term non-credit training, continuing education, online degrees and certificates, and courses offered day, night, and weekend. Support services include childcare, a campus food pantry, 211 navigator, and mental health resources.
Source: Edmonds College
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
