Donnelly Announces 2018 Service Academy Nominations

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly today announced his 2018 nominations for admittance to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY; the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. Donnelly was honored to nominate 29 students to the Military, Air Force and Naval Academies. The nominees, along with their hometowns, are listed below:

Military Academy

Ryan Alt, Greenwood

Seth Bolden, Fishers

James Boso, Indianapolis

Carter Davis, Fort Wayne

Matthew Kiesel, Evansville

Sean Rogers, Plainfield

Carson Smith, Lafayette

Evan Snyder, Logansport

Joshua Thombleson, Martinsville

 

Air Force Academy

Korie Berdine, Valparaiso

Elijah Edwards, Columbus

Staci Gibson, Indianapolis

Andrew Graef, Bloomington

Ella Kenninger, Camby

Joseph Leistner, Whiteland

Katherine O’Shea, Munster

Ethan Piergalski, LaPorte

Drew Priest, Santa Claus

Benjamin Vorisek, Carmel

 

Naval Academy

Finn Anderson, Columbus

Brett Boswell, Bargersville

Adam Davis, Granger

Braden Delaney, Valparaiso

Sophie Fox, Evansville

Joseph Haines, Indianapolis

Edward Howell, Carmel

Max Parent, Indianapolis

Jake Rodgers, Culver

Brogan Welch, Greenville

 

Donnelly said, “Our young men and women who attend our nation’s service academies exemplify the best of Hoosier values. As Indiana’s Senator, it is my honor every year to nominate outstanding young men and women to our service academies, and if accepted, I know they will serve our country with dignity and excellence. Thank you to everyone who applied for your desire to serve and protect our nation.”

The individuals chosen were evaluated using a competitive system recommended by the academies. The selection process includes a personal interview by Donnelly’s Service Academy Nominations Committee and a thorough review of the applicant’s essays, academic records, letters of recommendation, community involvement, character, and leadership experience.

A congressional nomination is not a guarantee of admission. The final decision will be made by the academy itself following a “whole-person” evaluation that considers a candidate’s character, scholarship, leadership, physical aptitude, medical fitness, goals, and motivation.

High school students interested in applying next year or in the years ahead for a service academy can visit Donnelly’s website (www.donnelly.senate.gov) for more information.