WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today released the names of 37 Kansans who will receive his nomination for appointments to U.S. Service Academies entering the class of 2018.
“I am proud to nominate this outstanding group of young men and women to our nation’s service academies,” Senator Roberts said. “This is a very impressive and highly competitive group of nominees who are outstanding representatives of Kansas in every way. It is great to see so many young Kansans seeking to serve in our nation’s military, and I wish all of our applicants the best.”
Senator Roberts sent a video to all the students who received nominations, which can be viewed here.
In making the nominations, Senator Roberts followed the recommendations of his Academy Screening Board. The nonpartisan board is comprised of eight volunteers from across Kansas and is overseen by Gilda Lintz, Senator Roberts’ District Director and Military Academy Coordinator in Topeka. As part of the decision-making process, board members conduct personal interviews with the applicants, as well as review their written applications, G.P.A. and standardized test scores.
Once nominated by Senator Roberts, the applicants then must meet the individual admission requirements of each academy. The academies will make the final decision on who will receive an appointment of admission. Due to the limited number of openings at each academy, not every nominee will receive an appointment. The academies this spring will announce appointments for the class entering in July 2018. Senator Roberts’ nominees are as follows:
United States Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
Katherine Baldessari, Wichita
Cole Dudley, Manhattan
Thomas Finn, Overland Park
Ryan Fitzgerald, Leawood
Caroline Gatschet, Topeka
Jerad Habben, Shawnee
Clair Ivey, Shawnee
Alexander Lim, Overland Park
David McCune, Valley Center
Camden McFarland, Girard
Caden Merrick, Overland Park
Ernest Pereira, Leawood
Cole Resnik, Topeka
Jacob Ruder, Wichita
Jack Steiner, Andover
Leah Wiegers, Lansing
Dawson Williams, Dodge City
Thomas Wrinn, Wichita
United States Military Academy at West Point – West Point, NY
Carter Black, Wichita
Zachary Bolen, Ft Leavenworth
Gabriel Casmus, Lansing
Collin Cushing, Independence
Benjamin Hanson, Olathe
Carson Krakar, Olathe
Hayley Murguia, Olathe
Dennis Rice, Prairie Village
James Sayles, Meriden
Luke Windish, Wichita
United States Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY
Carson Lucas, Leavenworth
Caden Merrick, Overland Park