Emily Compagno – an admirable journey – from captain of the NFL Oakland Raiders cheerleading team to Fox News TV star. Why did her dream of becoming a fighter pilot never come true?

Emily Compagno had an illustrious career before she became a co-host on Fox News’ “Outnumbered” alongside Kayleigh Mcenany. According to her bio on Fox News, She has a diverse background in law, political science, and sports, which comes in handy as an anchor. Even though her opinions are sometimes controversial — like when she had Kenyans up in arms by alleging that pregnant Kenyan women could not leave the house — she still remains a popular figure.

Compagno always seemed destined for greatness. The El Cerrito native is the daughter of a naval pathologist and a genealogist. In an op-ed for Fox News, she describes her dad as someone whose “impeccable standards, insatiable intellectual appetite, and never-ending work ethic blessed us all.” She revealed that her family has strong military ties, and she also wanted to join the armed forces. However, Compagno’s dreams were crushed when she applied to serve in the U.S. Air Force. She wrote, “My goal was to be a fighter pilot and then a test pilot for NASA. I went to Space Camp and Aviation Challenge, the Air Force Academy’s Summer Scientific Seminar, and secured any related internship I could find — and was told again and again I was too small to be a fighter pilot.” After spending two years at the USAF ROTC at the University of Washington, she was again rejected, and decided to pursue a career in law. Even though she could not pursue her initial dreams, she would go on to have a successful career.

Emily Compagno was captain of the Oakland Raiders’ cheerleading team

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Before Emily Compagno hit the big time as a news contributor for Fox News, she used her athletic and motivational skills as a cheerleader. In “An All American Christmas,” Compagno revealed that she started ballet classes at the age of three (via Fox News), and shared, “Dance was such a significant part of my life and our family.” Luckily, she managed to incorporate those moves to further her career and start to make a name for herself in the spotlight.

Compagno showed off a different side to her personality when she joined the National Football League Oakland Raiders cheerleading team. On her bio on the Fox News website, the “Outnumbered” co-anchor revealed that she captained the squad. Later, the United Service Organizations chose Compagno and four other cheerleaders to visit American troops in Kuwait and Iraq. In 2009, she told SFGate why she believed the Raiderettes were special, saying, “We’re known for the difficulty and intensity and sharpness of our choreography … Like, ‘Emily, I want you to back up just an inch.'”At the time, Compagno also shared why it was important to her. She explained that she satisfied her “love of performing” when she took to the field. She added, “I don’t see it as an alternative or a replacement to my career. It complements my life.” Of course, Compagno already had a fulfilling full-time career before she joined the squad proving just how multi-talented she is.

Emily Compagno was a lawyer first

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Emily Compagno’s story is perhaps a testament to her ability to adapt. When she was told that she was too small to be a fighter pilot and all her options for this career path were blocked, she diversified and went to law school, per her op-ed for Fox News. She was already a practicing attorney when she became an Oakland Raiders cheerleader. She also told The Wrap that her law colleagues encouraged her to try out for the team. Compagno revealed, “They were former professional athletes and coaches themselves and they represented a lot of professional athletes in many high-profile cases.”

Compagno told SFGate that many people couldn’t reconcile the two seemingly different jobs. She said, “People in the legal field are always surprised when they learn I’m a Raiderette. I don’t broadcast it; I don’t have my team poster in the office. And there’s equal surprise when people first know me as a Raiderette and find out I’m an attorney.”

It’s interesting that she again adapted and became a correspondent. However, this career path she may have predicted in 2009 when she told SFGate that she would love to work for a major television network in the future. Compagno mused that she wanted to be a correspondent or a legal analyst. When she became a co-anchor on “Outnumbered,” she revealed, “The common denominator in my background is I was always pursuing a passion mixed with an opportunity.”