U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) has announced the 2021 student nominations from the State of New Mexico to enter the United States Service Academies.
Nominations include Los Alamos High School seniors Thomas Oldham and Kelly Wetteland, both to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
“New Mexico has a rich history of service in all branches of our military. I’m honored to further that tradition by nominating some of New Mexico’s best and brightest to our United States Service Academies,” Sen. Luján said. “Through their diligence and dedication, each of these students have demonstrated a tremendous commitment to our state and our nation, and I know they will continue to make New Mexico proud.”
2021 Service Academy Nominees:
U.S. Military Academy – West Point, NY
- Wyatt Chapman – Aztec – San Juan College High School
- Camden Cox – Rio Communities – NM Military Academy
- Steven Craig – West Point – James O’Neill High School
- Lauren Cruz – Rio Rancho – V. Sue Cleveland High School
- Thomas Fotter – Albuquerque – La Cueva High School
- Zachary Neel – Albuquerque – St. Puis X High School
- Maksymilian Olszowka – Albuquerque – NM Military Institute
- Nathan Ortiz – Las Cruces – Organ Mountain High School
- Guillermo Paul – Farmington – San Juan College High School
- Aubrey Rice – Rio Rancho – Corrales International School
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY
- Roger Aguiar – Albuquerque – Sandia High School
- Gavin Filip – Rio Rancho – The ASK Academy
- Michael Gray – Albuquerque – Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science
- Lance Miller – El Prado – NM Military Institute
- Natasha Sun – Albuquerque – Albuquerque Academy
- Benjamin Williams – Rio Rancho – The ASK Academy
U.S. Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
- Diego Aragon – Mora – Mora High School
- Diego Garcia – Albuquerque – Volcano Vista High School
- Naithan Gurule – Los Lunas – Los Lunas High School
- Annika Irvine – Albuquerque – Axiom Christian Classical Academy
- Khristin Lovato – Serafina – NM Military Institute
- Lee McDonald – Clovis – Tivy High School, AR
- Henry Mitchell – Albuquerque – Albuquerque Academy
- Thomas Oldham – White Rock – Los Alamos High School
- Mario Sumali – Albuquerque – La Cueva High School
- Kelly Wetteland – Los Alamos – Los Alamos High School
U.S. Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, CO
- Trevor Anderson – Albuquerque – La Cueva High School
- Caden Box – Albuquerque – La Cueva High School
- Alex Chang – Las Cruces – Centennial High School
- Sarah Fischer – Rio Rancho – V. Sue Cleveland High School
- Naomi Lisko – Gallup – Home School
- Margaret Matthews – Albuquerque – La Cueva High School
- Mari McClain-Yu – Albuquerque – Early College Academy
- Maximus Passeno – Los Lunas – Valencia High School
- Sara Perez – Albuquerque – Albuquerque Academy
- Luke Vaughn – Albuquerque – Volcano Vista High School
Interviews took place in early Fall. Senator Luján’s Service Academy Selection Board considered all the applications from the young New Mexicans interested in attending the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Academy nominees submit an application that includes a personal statement, resume, letters of reference, academic transcripts, and standardized test scores. If nominated by Senator Luján, applicants must meet the individual admission requirements for each academy. Students may be nominated for more than one service academy. The academies make the final decision on who will receive an appointment of admission.
Selection to U.S. Service Academies is among the most competitive and rigorous in the country; regardless of the number of qualified applicants each Member of Congress nominates, only a select few are accepted by the service academies each year. Those selected will enter the academies in June 2022.