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.
