At only 17 years old, while balancing school and lacrosse, Ani Mazzulli already has her pilot’s license – and she’s just getting started. While many high schoolers are still unsure about their career paths, Mazzulli has already committed to one where discipline, hard work, and leadership are needed.
As a senior in high school, Mazzulli plans on pursuing her dream of receiving an aviation spot with a mechanical engineering degree at the Coast Guard Academy (CGA), in addition to playing lacrosse.
With a handful on her plate as a teenager, she has had to manage her time efficiently and effectively.
“I have to hold myself accountable outside of my practices… I have to have really good time management skills because of my other extracurriculars I’m involved in. So, I’d say it’s made me a lot more structured, not even in the sport, but outside of it,” Mazzulli said.
As captain of the ELHS girls’ lacrosse team, Mazzulli demonstrates leadership, and determination. Mazzulli inspires her teammates on and off the field. On the field, last year she earned first team All-State. She creates a sense of belonging for everyone and builds an inclusive enviroment.
“She has an impact on everyone and makes you want to work harder and be a better player, especially because she comes to practice every day,” junior Cassidy O’Brien said. “She also has a very positive attitude, which has a ripple effect on the team.
Beyond playing lacrosse, Mazzulli was also selected to participate in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Citizenship Training Program, where she learned how the government works and how government officials run their office. She mentioned that many students who attended CGA had participated in this program. During the program, Mazzulli participated in mock government activities and worked with her peers on leadership and government projects. This experience strengthened Mazzulli’s leadership skills, which reflects traits valued by CGA.
Moreover, her dedication to hard work and discipline has been recognized by faculty members, who admire her ability to balance academics, sports, and extracurriculars while being able to remain humble about her accomplishments. Her commitment demonstrates the qualities and determination that will prepare her for success at CGA.
“She does things with a lot of grace. Like, she wouldn’t probably compliment herself about that…She’s an extremely
humble person, I would say,” history teacher Hamilton Hernandez said.
In addition to applying to CGA, Mazzulli also applied to West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy.
The process of applying, however, wasn’t exactly your typical common app. Mazzulli needed a letter of recommendation from a senator. After requesting a letter of recommendation from Congressman Joe Courtney, Senator Chris Murphy, and Senator Richard Blumenthal, she finally landed an interview with Senator Murphy.
“It was a 10-minute interview, so I had to talk fast and get my points across,” Mazzulli said. “It was very intimidating.”
In addition, Congressman Courtney sent Mazzulli a letter saying that he was giving her a congressional recommendation.
When Mazzulli attended flight schools, she encountered a significant gender imbalance, as the majority of the students were males.
“Being a student pilot, 70 percent of the people in my flight school, and flight schools I’ve been in in the past, are males,” Mazzulli said. “Women are very underrepresented in the aviation and STEM community.”
This experience strengthened her perseverance to succeed and emphasized the challenges of working in a male
dominant field.
Mazzulli’s experience shows that with hard work, determination, and discipline, dreams can be achieved.
Her advice to future applicants: “Don’t be discouraged because [admissions] want to see who wants it more, but that’s why their applications are so complex. Their goal with the application process being so hard is to see who’s going to follow through and finish their application.”
