Lasallian Founder's Alumni Award: Distinguished Alumni, David Nyikos

May 26, 2023

From the Bishop Kelley Class of 1991.

David Nyikos is a distinguished alumnus with extensive experience in International Security and Military Operations. His worldview is vast, and he’s used his expertise to create a safer, more secure tomorrow. His work has proved his ability as a leader and model of dedication and courage.


After graduating from Bishop Kelley in 1991, David attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences, he completed pilot training at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and F-15 follow-on training. With the training, David flew F-15 jets in Virginia and Alaska and acted as a forward air controller at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. Upon earning his Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology, he was selected as a Service Chiefs’ Intern at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He commanded a squadron in San Antonio and led men and women in ground and air combat in Afghanistan and over Iraq. He returned to school and earned his Master of Arts in Political and Military Sciences at the Royal Belgian Military Academy. He then worked as a representative for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman at the NATO Headquarters. He served as Director of the Joint Air Component Coordination Element and Chief of Staff of the NATO Air Component Afghanistan before returning to the United States as the Deputy Director of Operations at Air Combat Command.


David successfully led military squadrons to receive awards as the best air superiority squadron and the best support squadron in the Air Force. David is the current Chief of Defense Cooperation for the United States Air Force at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague, The Netherlands, coordinating security cooperation activities between the Department of Defense and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.


Beyond his professional positions, David has found time to volunteer across the country and the world. He’s coached basketball for the non-profit Upwards Sports and has found opportunities to serve in each school his children have attended. David Nyikos has found a balance between serving his country, maintaining an incredibly successful career, and building a strong family with an enduring marriage.


David’s intrinsic motivation to serve others and leave the world a better place than he found has led to his successes and ultimate recognition today.


Lasallian Founder’s Alumni Award

Recognizing the accomplishments of Outstanding Bishop Kelley Alumni who exemplify the five core principles of the Lasallian Mission; Faith in the Presence of God, Quality Education, Concern for the Poor & Social Justice, Respect for All Persons & Inclusive Community.


If you know a deserving BK Alumni, please nominate them here:

https://www.bishopkelley.org/alumni#LasallianFoundersAlumniAwardsNominationForm

November 17, 2025
This past summer, God blessed me with the incredible opportunity to go on the Campus Ministry mission trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Going into the trip, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived in Nashville, I was placed in a group of people I had never met before. We were all from different states, with completely different backgrounds. This was definitely a little bit outside of my comfort zone. But, from that very first day, I realized that God had put me in that group for a reason. We quickly grew close through working together and commuting on the hour drive to our work site, praying and sharing stories of faith on the drive. Our service project assignment was repairing a house for a woman named Lavern. There, we repaired and painted her shutters, front door, and porch. We cleaned her gutters, organized and got rid of unnecessary things in her shed, chopped down bushes and trees, trimmed overgrowth, and even did some drywall repair inside of her house. She was one of the kindest people I have ever met - so full of gratitude and joy, even in difficult circumstances. Every morning when we showed up to work, she greeted us with a smile and words of encouragement. Seeing her faith and positivity really opened my eyes to how powerful gratitude can be. Throughout the week, we had Mass every single morning. Starting my morning with Mass made my days full of joy and gratitude. We also had different activities at night, such as Eucharistic Adoration and confession. I had no idea how much these moments of prayer would affect me, but they did significantly. I had never truly experienced God in the way I did the evening of Adoration. Sitting in Adoration with everyone quietly singing and taking time just to be still with God was one of the most peaceful and powerful experiences I have ever had. There was also a woman who gave us a talk every evening. Her talks helped us to reflect on our faith and our purpose. Her words helped me to think more deeply about how God is present not just in the big events, like the Mission Trip, but in every single part of my life, the good and the bad, the joys and sorrows, and the wins and the losses. As the week started to end, I felt closer to God than I ever had before. And even though my air mattress deflated every single night and the showers were absolutely freezing, this trip reminded me that faith is not just something that we practice on Sundays, it is something that we live out through service, community, and love for others every single day. It showed me that when we step outside of our comfort zones and open our hearts, God meets us there and transforms us in ways that we would have never imagined. This Mission Trip did not just change the house that we worked on, it changed me. It deepened my faith, strengthened my trust in God, and helped me see how powerful it can be when we serve others with joy and humility. I would like to leave you all with one thing: At the end of the week, Lavern wrote me a letter. When I opened it, it read, “Write the vision and make it plain.” Now, if I am being honest, when I first read this, I was super confused, so I looked it up. What I found was amazing. This is a Bible Verse, Habakkuk 2:2, that means writing down your vision is a way to show God that you believe He will help you accomplish what He has called you to do. So BK, write the vision, and make it plain .
October 23, 2025
Click here for 2025-2026 Q1 A Honor Roll Click here for 2025-2026 Q1 B Honor Roll Stellar work, Comets!