Alessandro Rivero ’20 graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 2026 with a degree in Foreign Area Studies and a minor in Spanish. During his time at the Academy, Alessandro competed as a Division I soccer player while completing experiences including the Jump 490 solo parachute program, combat survival training and water survival training.
His time at the Academy also took him beyond Colorado, with opportunities to travel to Washington, D.C., attend conferences and visit the U.S. Naval Academy. One particularly memorable moment came during his senior year when Alessandro was coined by the pilot of Air Force Two while returning to Colorado aboard the Vice President’s aircraft.
Following graduation, Alessandro began pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, where he is currently stationed.
And 2026 brought another major milestone: Alessandro married fellow Air Force Academy graduate Gabby Rivero ‘25 in North Carolina, with St. Thomas’ own Fr. Murphy officiating! Fellow Eagle David Steffes ’20 stood alongside him as his best man.
Through all these new chapters, Alessandro still looks back fondly on where it all began:
“I loved my time at St. Thomas and still regard it as some of the most fun and memorable years of my life. I still keep in close contact with many of those friends and often look back on the experiences we shared, especially those on the soccer team. St. Thomas gave me friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.”
Congratulations to Alessandro on an incredible year of milestones and for continuing to represent what it means to be an Eagle. Eagle Fight Never Dies!