Falcon Cadet Interview

Falcon Cadet Nicole Severson Interviewed by Cadet Guadalupe Mendez

Mendez:  How do you become a Falcon Cadet?

Severson:  First you apply to the United States Air Force Academy and if you make it through the applications process, you are almost accepted. Except you need one more year of prep. They offer you a scholarship to go to a Military Preparatory School for a year, and then you get better chances of getting in the next year.

Mendez:  Is it an easy process?

Severson:  No, the application process for the Academy itself is very intense. You need to apply for nominations with two of your State Representatives, two Senators, and also a Congressman. You can also apply with a Vice President, and if you are from a military family you can apply with the President as well. Each application requires three letters of recommendation. You have a lot of packages to send out and you have to write essays for it. You have to fill out all the applications for each individual representative and it’s pretty long, so no, it’s not an easy process.

Mendez:  Are you going into the Air Force because your family was in the Air Force?

Severson:  I’m the first person from my family to go to the military. It’s just something I’ve been interested in for a long time.

Mendez:  How do you feel being the only one?

Severson:  It’s pretty cool.  No one from my family really knows about the military, so they have a lot of questions for me. I didn’t know a lot, but since I got here I learned a lot right away. It’s kind of intimidating.

Mendez:  Why are you at Wentworth?

Severson:  When you get offered the Falcon scholarship, you get to choose between seven preparatory schools that you can go to. I chose Wentworth because it’s an academy, military, academic, athletic and it has every aspect. Also, because Wentworth has 100% of the past Falcons make it, so it’s pretty good odds to make it through the Academy.

Mendez:  What are your goals?

Severson:  My goals are to attend the United States Air Force Academy and become a pilot. I’m excited to begin the year there and I also want to join the jumping team there. I enjoy jumping from high heights.

Mendez:  What do you like about being a Falcon?

Severson:  I like the challenge because we get treated a little different. Everyone expects more of us, it seems, because everyone here is Army and we are Air Force. It’s cool and we really need to push ourselves, since we keep hearing how good the Falcons from previous years were really good. But I like it, people at Wentworth are awesome.  Everyone is pretty cool.

Mendez:  Tell me about yourself!

Severson:  I love to run and cook. I enjoy doing yoga and do scuba diving. I also love to travel. This summer I went to Europe, France, and Switzerland. It was a bit scary at first because it was the first time I went by myself, but it was pretty cool. I like to water ski and to play basketball. I will be playing for the basketball team and I’m also doing cross country, since it’s something all Falcons need to do. But it is fun.  I really enjoy it.