Pali students, staff and families gathered on May 26 in Mercer Hall at Pali’s annual senior awards ceremony as retired Air Force Colonel Matthew Glenn, class of 1998, presented senior Nikos Vasilevski with his official appointment to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Vasilevski is among a small percentage of students nationwide selected to attend the academy, one of the most competitive military institutions in the country. Admission to the academy includes full tuition, housing, meals, medical care and extracurricular expenses, along with a monthly stipend across four years–an educational package valued at nearly $600,000.

Appointments to the academy are highly selective, with candidates typically ranking amongst the top 20% of students in their graduating classes while demonstrating excellence in academics, leadership, physical fitness and service to their communities. The acceptance rate hovers around 14%, making the process comparable to admission into the nation’s most elite universities. 

“The application process started as early as my junior year with academic qualifications seeing if I was a potential candidate,” Vasilevski said. “Then there was a lot of communication with my admissions liaison officer (ALO) and interviews, physical evaluations and essay writing.”

For Vasilevski, the appointment carries great meaning.

“[The ceremony] was a great culmination of all my efforts across the application and preparation process coming together,” Vasilevski said. “It also allowed me to reiterate how grateful I am for this opportunity.  

What ultimately drew Vasilevski to the Air Force was his passion for engineering and aviation. 

“I’ve always known I wanted to do something with engineering,” he said. “When I started researching options for that around my sophomore year, along with the intelligence work my uncle does for the army, I was introduced to different service academies and scholarships that could help me on my path toward what I want to do.”

He received the official news in early January that he had been accepted into the academy. Colonel Glenn served as Vasilevski’s ALO, mentoring him throughout the extensive application process. 

“It takes courage to stand up right now, so thank you, Nikos, for having that courage and commitment to your country,” Glenn said during the ceremony.

The application process for the Air Force Academy extends far beyond a traditional college application. In addition to academic transcripts and essays, candidates must complete rigorous physical fitness evaluations with requirements such as completing a mile run in under 6 minutes, medical examinations and interviews with congressional nomination boards composed of military veterans and public officials. Most applicants must secure a nomination from a member of Congress before receiving an appointment. 

Physical preparation played a major role in the process. Candidates are expected to meet demanding fitness standards before arriving at the Academy, where incoming cadets undergo Basic Cadet Training during the summer. The program includes military drills, endurance exercises, leadership development and intense mental conditioning designed to prepare students for military service. 

Vasilevski said his decision to pursue the Air Force is rooted in both service and academics. He plans to study engineering, a field the academy is nationally recognized for, while preparing for a future career as an officer and pilot. 

“I really want to pursue aerospace engineering and aeronautical engineering, so I felt that the Air Force has the resources to best prepare me for that,” he said. “Along with a full ride and a smaller class of cadets where I can get the support I need, the Air Force is really on the cutting edge of innovation in the field I want to pursue.” 

Unlike traditional college pathways, academy graduates enter the military as commissioned officers following graduation, taking on leadership roles across aviation, engineering and national defense. Graduates commit to a minimum of five years of active-duty service after completing their education.

Military life, Glenn noted, demands sacrifice and resilience. Cadets face long periods away from family, intense mental and physical stress and the responsibility of national service. However, academy graduates are opened up with pathways toward careers in aviation, engineering and defense leadership.

“It’s definitely not for everyone with so many sacrifices involved, but I’m excited for the upcoming journey,” Vasilevski said. “I see the five years of service as real hands-on experience and an opportunity to give back.”

Glenn, who recently retired after 30 years of military service, reflected on the significance of Vasilevski’s appointment and the sacrifices that accompany military life. 

“I know you’re in for an adventure and a lifetime of meeting some of your best friends that you will ever know,” Glenn said.

As Vasilevski prepares to leave for Colorado Springs this summer, he will join a new class of cadets beginning one of the nation’s most rigorous military and academic programs, carrying both the responsibility of service and pride of representing the Pali community.

“Pali has become this place I’ve really been able to plant roots in the past four years and with everything that’s happened, I’m so honored to represent this community and serve my country.”

Glenn closed his appointment speech, describing Vasilevski’s new responsibilities in the Air Force as him becoming a “guardian of the nation’s protectors across land and sea.”

Vasilevski added, “This whole path has been such a lesson in service and most of all, I feel that the Air Force gives me a chance to belong to something bigger than myself.”