ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Naval Academy refers to this night as their version of the NFL draft, families, friends and academy students fill the arena to watch the selection take place, cheering and celebrating as each person heads to the stage.
Unlike the draft these men and women choose where they want to go, and there is ship for every midshipman.
But like the draft the one’s who get first pick have the biggest advantage.
Maeve Swick was one of the first 15 to pick her ship, she chose the USS Paul Ignatius, she will be heading to Spain.
“I just feel over the moon and it’s like a huge relief to finally know where I’m going and just, I don’t know I can kind of start to plan for my future," says Maeve Swick.
Maeve says being at the academy means a lot to her since her own father once taught here, she says today she believes she made her parents proud.
“They are really excited too they were definitely watching the live stream my mom was stressed O think she thinks I was going to Norfolk I tried to fake them out right at the end," she says.
What are her hopes now that she knows where she is going?
“My first concern is just going to be like trying to be the best officer I can be. I just want to make a difference honestly so just doing my best to be as good at my job as I can be that's like my main concern right now. I'm super excited to see the world to travel too that's something is going to be a really cool opportunity.”
But before she leaves, she offered a bit of advice for the midshipmen who’s turn it will be next year to choose their ship.
“It's definitely really nerve wrecking but just be the best person that you can be every single day and like use your gifts to the fullest. Just try to be a light to other people and that will serve you so well in any aspect anything you choose to do in life," says Swick.
The future service warfare officers will graduate and be commissioned on May 24th and will report for duty soon after.
