Front & Center News from Fork Union Military Academy – February 2, 2024

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Jostens will be back on campus, Monday, November 6th during the lunch periods for those cadets that still want to order a FUMA class Ring. At this time, they can pick out a ring, get sized, and fill out an order form. Once this is completed, our Jostens representative will call parents for the deposit. These cadets will be presented with their rings at a special Ring Ceremony in the Spring. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. White at whiter@fuma.org.

Kristin Firewicz Studios is our authorized vendor to provide custom cadet portrait services. If you are looking to get some outstanding custom portraits of your cadet, just contact Kristin Firewicz. Make sure you take advantage of the Autumn colors! Learn more at: https://kristinfirewiczstudios.com/fuma

Stories in this issue:

  • Battalion Commander Eathan Schroyer Receives Byrd Leadership Award
  • The Academy Honors Cadets with Exemplary Cadet Dinner for Term 2
  • Alumni Weekend Save the Date
  • Happy Birthday to the January Babies
  • Cadet David Owen Earns Eagle Scout Rank
  • Cadets Adventure Out to Rocky Top Climbing Gym & Unlocked History Escape Room
  • This Week's College Acceptances
  • Upcoming Admissions Events
  • Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Battalion Commander Ethan Schroyer Receives Byrd Leadership Award

RICHMOND, VA – Fork Union Military Academy is proud to announce that senior Ethan Schroyer has been honored with the prestigious Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award. The recognition was bestowed upon Schroyer at a ceremony held on Thursday evening.

As the Battalion Commander holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Schroyer emerged as one of the 11 Virginia high school students selected for this esteemed award, which is presented to outstanding students in each congressional district in Virginia. Schroyer was specifically chosen from Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.

Established in 1995, the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award program aims to recognize and nurture public service, which is critical to the preservation of American democracy, by awarding Virginia’s high school seniors who demonstrate a combination of excellence of character, qualities of leadership, devotion to duty and academic accomplishment with a $25,000 award.

The nomination process, which commences annually in September, involves all public and private high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia nominating one senior who best embodies the spirit of the award. This year, the Award Screening Committee, comprised of Deans of Admission from prestigious institutions such as University of Virginia, the College of William & Mary, Washington and Lee University, and Virginia Tech, diligently reviewed over 300 applicants. The 33 finalists underwent separate interviews over two days in Richmond by the Award Selection Committee, leading to the award winners' announcement.

Schroyer, son of Jason Schroyer of Newport News, Virginia, and Sophie Schroyer of North East, Maryland, has been a Trustee Scholar at the Academy since 2020. Alongside his role as the Battalion Commander, he serves as the captain of the Debate Team, is an active member of our track & field program and has been a member of the Interact and Quadrille clubs at Fork Union. His impactful work with the Afghani refugee community in Charlottesville stood out to the Award Selection Committee.

Schroyer’s dedication to service and academic achievements were further highlighted as he received the 2022-23 National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship for the Summer Arabic language program, spending the summer of 2022 in Amman, Jordan. While awaiting college admission decisions, Schroyer is considering deferring enrollment for a year to return to the Middle East and continue his service to native populations while perfecting his Arabic language skills.

In his letter of recommendation for the award, Fork Union’s Assistant Director of College Placement and Academic Services, Dr. James Benson, stated, “Every time I interact with Ethan, I come away energized and filled with hope for the future leaders of society.”

Schroyer’s remarkable achievement marks him as the first cadet to receive the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Award at the Academy. Last year, Ousmane Dieng was named a finalist, making Fork Union one of the few schools in the award’s history to have back-to-back finalists.

For more information on the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award, please visit https://byrdleadershipaward.org/.

The Academy Honors Cadets with Exemplary Cadet Dinner for Term 2

In a celebration of academic achievement and exemplary conduct, Fork Union Military Academy recently hosted the Exemplary Cadet Dinner to recognize outstanding cadets who maintained four demerits or fewer and earned a place on the honor roll during the second academic term. The event, held this past Monday at the Estes Dining Hall, welcomed 94 deserving cadets to the prestigious dinner.

The Exemplary Cadet Dinner is a special occasion where the dedicated staff and faculty of the academy come together to serve a gourmet meal to the honored cadets. Volunteers from the staff and faculty take on the roles of waitstaff, ensuring the cadets are served with excellence, from pouring their drinks to handling the cleanup.

As an added perk, cadets automatically become eligible for a raffle drawing during the dinner, offering them the chance to win exciting prizes generously donated by the academy's staff and faculty. The range of prizes is diverse, including gift cards, delightful goodie baskets, and exclusive FUMA merchandise, among other enticing items.

Heartfelt congratulations are extended to the outstanding cadets who qualified for the Exemplary Cadet Dinner in Term 2. Their commitment to excellence in both conduct and academics deserves this well-earned recognition.

  • Tyler Ackenbom
  • Christopher Acosta-Serrrano
  • Daley Adams
  • Mason Alston
  • Jayden Anderson
  • Jordan Anderson
  • Adele Angelidi
  • Braden Arenella
  • Joseph Athey
  • Jafar Bah
  • Omarion Barber
  • Joseph Billingsley
  • Ayden Bland
  • Charles Bost
  • Nico Brown
  • Solomon Brown
  • David Burnett
  • Benjamin Burtram
  • Seth Cella
  • Carmello Cinsere
  • Jacob Clodfelter
  • Nicholas Coleman
  • John Cottey, III
  • Gordon Currey
  • Francisco Duarte
  • Haggai Dulo, Jr.
  • David Eaton
  • Ian Egbert
  • Bilguun Enkhtur
  • Sebastian Espino Jimenez, Jr.
  • Jayden Ginty
  • William Girod
  • Adrian Gomez
  • DeSean Goode
  • Cameron Gray
  • Miles Graybill
  • George Gurney
  • Laith Haddad
  • Nhan Hoang
  • Sean Hurley
  • Preston Inman
  • Dominic Jackson
  • Jaden Johnson
  • Josiah Johnson
  • Tyran Johnson
  • Levi Jones
  • Gabriel Keener
  • Val Kelestyn
  • Isaiah Kittrell
  • Aidan Koffa
  • Destin Lamadrid-Burkett
  • Juan Leyva Saavedra
  • Philippe Lianavwa, Jr.
  • Christian Lopez
  • Laine Luke
  • Tyler Manglicmot
  • Nehemiah Mayuga
  • Aaron McDaniel
  • Isaiah McDaniel
  • Hunter McDonnell
  • Joshua McGuire
  • Yannick McLean
  • Tucker Miller
  • Noah Miller
  • Everett Mitchell
  • Harry Momolu
  • Ronan Montes
  • Christian Mukhisa
  • Daouda Niang
  • Kenny Nzamwita
  • David Owen
  • Niv Patel
  • Thinh Pham
  • Jaydn Pieron
  • Simon Price
  • Chrysander Rahardjo
  • Moses Rattin
  • Ellis Roberts
  • Pierce Roberts
  • Dylan Rwagasana
  • Brandon Scheel, Jr.
  • Ethan Schroyer
  • Jackson Sereno
  • Matthew Synder
  • Kadin Stremlau
  • Charlie Tierney, Sr.
  • Malachi Walsh
  • Ethan Wells
  • Carter Wesson
  • Levi Wikoff
  • Max Williams
  • Nicholas Willis
  • Michael Wilson, Jr.
  • Zhichen Xie

Save the Date: Alumni Weekend - May 3-5, 2024

Calling all alumni! Mark your calendars and get ready to relive the glory days on Alumni Weekend!

📅 Save the Date: May 3-5, 2024

We're thrilled to announce that Alumni Weekend is just around the corner! It's the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old FUMA brothers, reminisce about unforgettable memories, and create new ones that will last a lifetime.

To ensure you have a comfortable stay during the weekend, we have partnered with some fantastic hotels in the area. Click the button below to find a list of hotels offering special room blocks exclusively for our alumni. Don't miss out on securing your spot, as rooms go fast!

While you're at it, be sure to check the registration page periodically for details. We have an exciting lineup of activities, including alumni BBQ, golf tournament, retired faculty luncheon and an unforgettable gala dinner.

So, dust off your yearbooks, put on your school colors, and get ready to show your Blue Devil pride! Let's make this Alumni Weekend the best one yet! We can't wait to see you all back on campus.

Happy Birthday to the January Babies

This past Thursday, Fork Union Military Academy celebrated all cadets, staff and faculty who have birthdays in January with prayer, cupcakes and fellowship.

A huge thank you to SAGE Dining who continues to surprise us with amazing desserts each month.

Happy Birthday to:

STAFF/FACULTY

  • Catherine Garcia
  • Anne James
  • Barbara McCarthy
  • Angela Bishop
  • Robert (Bob) Williams
  • Nancy Chance
  • Brian Bodine
  • Warren Whitworth
  • Charlie Coulter
  • Kelsey Hill
  • Jon Larson

CADETS

  • Lowell Bush
  • Luke Boucher-Zazzaro
  • Isaia Vilardo
  • Jacob Clodfelter
  • Nikolai Santi
  • Joshua Preston
  • Alex Gibson
  • Thinh Pham
  • Matthew Snyder
  • Charles Osborn
  • Ellis Roberts
  • Samuel Okoturo
  • Ryan Tucker
  • Justin Canty
  • Alex Jackson
  • Josue Mukendi
  • Jyvion Perkins
  • Chase Lyons

Cadet David Owen Earns Eagle Scout Rank

Little Falls Presbyterian Church in Arlington, the troop's sponsoring organization. His Eagle Scout project involved work at Claremont Elementary School to expand and improve the school's outdoor class area, constructing bench seating to double the capacity in one classroom space and creating a second outdoor class space.

Cadet David Owen (third from left), a senior at Fork Union Military Academy, was one of seven members of Boy Scout Troop 638 to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor Ceremony held on January 7, 2024.

Cadet David Owen (third from left), a senior at Fork Union Military Academy, was one of seven members of Boy Scout Troop 638 to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor Ceremony held on January 7, 2024.

The Gazette Leader, Cadet Owen's hometown newspaper, published the above photo of the Court of Honor Ceremony with an accompanying article below:

Cadets Adventure Out to Rocky Top Climbing Gym & Unlocked History Escape Room

Our cadets took a break from campus this weekend, conquering new heights at the Rocky Top Climbing Gym and unlocking their inner adventurers at the Unlocked History Escape Room in Charlottesville.

At Fork Union, we believe in providing our students with opportunities to explore, discover, and grow beyond the classroom. We are proud to nurture their thirst for adventure and encourage them to conquer new horizons.

This Week's College Acceptances

It's that time of year again when our seniors get the exciting news of college acceptances!

Our goal each year is that 100% of our seniors gain college acceptance. Each year, our seniors work hard with the College Placement and Academic Services team under the leadership of the department's Director, Kelsey Hill, and the Assistant Director, Dr. James Benson.

Check out this week's acceptances!

Upcoming Admissions Events

The best way to learn about Fork Union Military Academy is to schedule an appointment with our Admissions Office and come for a family visit and receive your own individual tour of the campus.

We also schedule a number of Admissions Events on campus and in various cities and regions throughout the year.

Monday, February 19 | Admissions Open House on Campus

  • Come visit our beautiful campus and learn about Fork Union Military Academy! You will be able to go on a cadet-led tour of our campus, participate in an information session to learn more about the Academy, speak directly with members of our admissions team to get answers to all of your questions, and enjoy lunch in our dining facility. Registration to this event is required. Open Houses are from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Friday, February 23 | Admissions Event in Houston, Texas

  • An admissions team representative will be in Houston, Texas on Friday, February 23, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., for an Admissions Event held at Black Rifle Coffee located at: 11006 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W, Houston, Texas 77065. Registration for this event is required.

Saturday, February 24 | Admissions Event in San Antonio, Texas

  • An admissions team representative will be in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, February 24, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for an Admissions Event held at the Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio at The Rim located at: 5730 Rim Pass, San Antonio, TX 78257. Registration for this event is required.

Saturday, February 24 | Admissions Event in Waco, Texas

  • An admissions team representative will be in Waco, Texas on Saturday, February 24, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., for an Admissions Event held at Black Rifle Coffee located at: 2436 Creekview Drive, Waco, TX 76711. Registration for this event is required.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 | Admissions Event in Dallas, Texas

  • An admissions team representative will be in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for an Admissions Event held at Courtyard by Mariott Dallas DFW Airport North/Grapevine Hotel located at: 2200 Bass Pro Court, Grapevine, TX 76051. Registration for this event is required.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 | Admissions Event in Fort Worth, Texas

  • An admissions team representative will be in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday, February 25, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., for an Admissions Event held at Black Rifle Coffee located at: 9001 Benbrook Blvd., Benbrook, TX 76126. Registration for this event is required.

Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Are you a young man in the 7th to 12th grade? Do you want to be a man known for integrity, respect for yourself and others, faith, character, and discipline?

We encourage you to fill out an application for enrollment and join our cadets here at Fork Union Military Academy.