A Full-Circle Mentorship: Commander DiPaulo Gives Back

The Academic Mentors Project is celebrating 40 years of serving DPS students, and stories like that of Commander Phillip DiPaulo remind us why mentorships matter.

As highlighted in CRI's January 2024 newsletter, Commander DiPaulo, a former mentee in the program over 30 years ago, credits his early exposure to aviation through his mentorship as a key influence in his decision to become a Naval Aviator. After an accomplished career in the Navy, logging over 3,000 flight hours, he recently retired and returned to Denver to begin a new chapter as a First Officer for United Airlines.

When he generously offered to mentor a student interested in aviation, we jumped at the opportunity. Charlie, an 8th grader at Morey Middle School with dreams of becoming a commercial pilot, was given the mentorship of a lifetime. Through his time with F/O DiPaulo, Charlie explored aviation careers, visited the United Airlines training center, and even took the controls in a 737 simulator—practicing takeoffs and landings at DIA. Their journey also included a visit to the Wings Over the Rockies Museum, where F/O DiPaulo shared his expertise on military aircraft.

Reflecting on the experience, Charlie shared:
"We spent two hours practicing landings, takeoffs, and just flying around. I had a great time learning and practicing protocols and even got to try on the oxygen mask. It was an amazing experience and honestly one of the best afternoons of my life."

Seeing one of our past mentees step into the mentor role more than 30 years later was truly special. A huge thank-you to F/O DiPaulo for coming full circle—sharing his passion for aviation and inspiring the next generation of pilots.