After gaining a wealth of experience as the Aviation Operations Manager at Delaware River and Bay Authority's Wilmington Airport, Kelvin Lesene now has returned to his alma mater to assume the directorial leadership of the DSU Aviation Program. — *In this photo:* After gaining a wealth of experience as the Aviation Operations Manager at Delaware River and Bay Authority’s Wilmington Airport, Kelvin Lesene now has returned to his alma mater to assume the directorial leadership of the DSU Aviation Program.

On Campus

DSU alumnus returns to lead DSU Aviation Program

Friday, April 25, 2025

Another graduate of the DSU Aviation Program has returned to his alma mater to lead the University flight school.

Over the last year, Capt. C.J. Charlton, DSU Aviation Class of 1995, temporarily suspended his work flying for United Airlines to serve as the interim Director of the Aviation Program.

Now Kelvin Lesene, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management as DSU in 2015, has been named as the new permanent Director of the Aviation Program.

After his DSU graduation, Mr. Lesene made his mark as an Airport Operations Coordinator from 2015-2021, and then as the Airport Operations Manager, both at Wilmington Airport of the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

During his tenure at the Wilmington Airport, Mr. Lesene earned a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Wilmington University.

A native of Wilmington, Del., Mr. Lesene said during his DSU undergraduate years, returning to lead the program was not on his list of career possibilities.

“I knew that I wanted to come back and teach because there is a class in Airport Planning Management in the curriculum,” Mr. Lesene said. “But never in my wildest dreams, imaginations, and thoughts did I think I would come back and lead the department.”

During his undergraduate years, Mr. Lesene had internship experiences at the Philadelphia International Airport, at Summit Aviation in Middletown, Del., and with Dassault Falcon Jet/Wilmington Corporation.

Mr. Lesene his most immediate goals are to strengthen the aviation culture at DSU and achieve the program’s recognition as one of the premiere flight schools in the country.

The new Director of the Aviation Program succeeds Lt. Col. Michael Hales, who led the program for seven years until the end of 2023 when became the CEO of United Airlines’ Aviate Academy in Goodyear, Arizona.

Mr. Lesene will oversee the Aviation Program’s fleet of 27 planes, its flight training and aviation management curriculum, as well as its base of operations at the Delaware Airpark in Cheswold, Del.