Air Force ROTC Cadet Gears Up for Challenging U.S. Air Force Academy Semester Exchange

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Air Force ROTC Cadet Cameron Todhunter has been selected to train and study at the U.S. Air Force Academy, the nation's largest and most selective institution for developing Air and Space Force officers.

As part of a semester exchange program, Todhunter will attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, during the Fall 2025 semester. He is one of only two Air Force ROTC cadets in the nation to earn a spot in the program, which has limited slots and is highly selective because cadets are expected to integrate into the rigors of the academy while balancing coursework, training and leadership development.

“There will be many challenges,” said Todhunter, who is part of Detachment 028 on the Prescott Campus, “But I expect to be held to the same standard as the other U.S. Air Force Academy cadets. I will work extra hard to keep the pace.”

Todhunter, an Aerospace Engineering (Aero Track) major, said the news that he had been chosen to attend the Air Force Academy was unexpected and exciting.

“I think the experience will help me to become the best officer I can be, giving me more perspectives of different leaders,” he said. “By being in a new environment, I can add new tools to my leadership style.”

Todhunter has requested a rigorous and diverse course load that reflects his engineering background and focus on military service. This includes coursework on aircraft design and performance, material stress analysis and behavior, as well as ethics. He is also interested in unique training at the academy, including parachuting, marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat.

“These courses would make me more confident during high-stress exercises,” said Todhunter. “My goal is to expand my technical skills while developing my leadership abilities as a future officer.”

Col. Russell Davis, commander of Detachment 028, said Todhunter “is the perfect fit for this opportunity.”

“He embodies the Air Force’s core values: ‘integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do,’” he said. “I am confident he will represent AFROTC, Embry-Riddle and Detachment 028 with excellence.”

From Newnan, Georgia, Todhunter credits Embry-Riddle with shaping him into the cadet he is today. He joined the Air Force ROTC after an impromptu encounter with a cadet during a campus tour.

“The tour guide said she was in AFROTC and offered to set up a meeting with the recruitment officer,” he recalled. “I’ve wanted to be a fighter pilot for as long as I can remember, but I never knew how. In that meeting, they asked me what I wanted to do. I told them I wanted to fly, and they told me I could. So, I decided to join.”

Todhunter said his Embry-Riddle education and his mentors have prepared him to take on the challenge of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“Embry-Riddle has provided me with opportunities to grow in ways I never expected,” he said. “From the incredible mentorships I’ve received to the academic challenges, this university has pushed me to exceed my expectations. I especially want to thank my academic advisor, Kim Tyler, for helping to make this opportunity possible.”