Cadets in Business Law first visited Dow Jones, Inc., the global business news and information company that publishes The Wall Street Journal. The cadets participated in a question answer session with Dow Jones Chief Operations Officer, Anna Sedgley, Vice President and General Counsel, Jason Conti, and a panel of impressive veterans including one former Army officer and three former Marine Corps enlisted personnel, all of whom emphasized the value of military service in their follow-on corporate careers. Karen Pensiero, Managing Editor of Wall Street Journal, then personally led the cadets on a tour of the journal's newsroom.
In the afternoon, the cadets visited the offices of JP Morgan Chase, one of the world's largest investment and commercial banking firms. The cadets spoke with a panel of former USMA graduates who have transitioned from the military to careers in commercial or consumer banking. All gave very helpful advice and insight about both their military and civilian careers. Both organizations generously supported the cadets' visit.
Patriot League baseball regular-season co-champion Army West Point baseball claimed two major awards and eight all-league selections when the conference office announced postseason honors on Wednesday. Black Knight senior catcher Jon Rosoff was named the Patriot League Player of the Year. The unanimous All-Patriot League First Team catcher and three-time all-League selection, finished third in the league in batting (.337) and on-base percentage (.438), second in RBIs (42) and ninth in total bases (76). He also helped the Black Knights' pitching staff post the second-best earned run average in the conference (4.00). Army first-year third baseman Anthony Giachin was voted Patriot League Rookie of the Year. A three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week honoree, Giachin earned top rookie honors in addition to being named a first team all-league honoree after batting .292, slugging .384, and reaching base at a .371 clip, overall. In 25 conferences games, Giachin finished among the Patriot League leaders with a .322 batting average and 17 RBIs. 
The West Point Augmented Reality Joint Capstone Design Team led a panel discussion at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, in regard to their AR App "Fortress West Point," which brings the Great Chain to life in the Hudson River through the use of augmented reality and smartphone technology. Augmented Reality members include: Cadets Nick Causey, Spencer Welton, Kraig Sheetz, Alex Gelashvili, Virginia Brawley, Hayden Cross, Dr. James Kirby Martin (Ewing Chair of Military History), and LTC Sean Sculley, (American Division Chief, Curator and Head Historian). The panel discussed how the use of AR technology can assist in the development of digital history and reconnect it to both academic and public history, CDT Tyler Wilton moderated the panel.
Plebe Ana Joyner, cow Melanie Allen and head coach Paul Peck of the 2018 Patriot League champion Army West Point women's tennis team swept the major postseason awards that were released by the league Wednesday afternoon. Joyner was named the Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year, while she paired up with Allen as the doubles team of the year. Joyner also earned the John "Pat" Rooney Award as the Patriot League Tournament's Most Valuable Player following her match-clinching victory over Navy in the championship on April 22. Additionally, Peck was named the coach of the year for the 15th time and first since 2013. Allen and Joyner were both named to the All-Patriot League First Team squad, while junior Kirby Einck collected second team honors. Allen earned first team accolades for the second year in a row, while this is Joyner's first career all-league selection. Einck notched her second all-league recognition after being named to the first team in 2017. 
Brigadier General Cindy Jebb, Dean of the Academic Board-West Point and cadets from across the academy joined the New York State Legislature for the 66th West Point Day proclamation ceremony yesterday in Albany.
Inspector McCormack, Chief of Crime Control Strategies, and Dr. Evan Levine, head of the Data Analytics unit, represented the New York Police Department and presented their work in combatting crime in New York City using data analytics and operations research. Cadets in Computer-Aided Systems Engineering learned how the tools, programs, and analytical techniques they had learned throughout the semester have been implemented in drastically reducing all types of crime across all sectors and boroughs of the city. The cadets four the Domain Awareness System (DAS) intriguing. The system greatly improves the situational awareness of police officers as they respond to emergency calls and allows for detailed analysis of crime trends. This presentation also set the stage for the final project in the course which asks cadets to comprehensively apply their data analysis skills to study crime trends in New York City.
The winning entries in the studio arts and photography categories from this year’s John Calabro Night of the Arts competition will be featured in the upcoming Highland Falls ArtWalk. The ArtWalk is an annual event sponsored by the Town of Highland Chamber of Commerce and Collaborative Concepts, an organization dedicated to making high-quality cultural experiences available to Hudson Valley communities. Featured cadet-artists include: Cameron Hudson '21, Sara Emsley '18, Zachary Daines '20, Uzoma Ezeonyeka '18, Sean Hurley '19, Angeline Tritschler '21, Alex Gudenkauf '20, Samantha Price '19, Bobby Norwood '20, and John Erskine '20. Their works will be on display in the Highland Falls Library and the Thayer Gate Deli & Cafe starting in mid-May.
The Department of Social Sciences hosted the 54th iteration of the Superintendent's Senior Conference. Senior Conference is an annual event run by the Department of Social Sciences on behalf of the Superintendent and provides a forum for distinguished representatives from the private sector, government, academia, think tanks, media, and the joint military services to discuss topics of national security importance. This year, participants gathered to take up the question of what is needed to ensure USMA continues to provide West Point graduates and the mid-career officers who serve on faculty with the education in political science and economics necessary to prepare them to advance U.S. interests in the 21st century. Toward this end, the conference examined key economic and political trends that will shape the country's strategic environment over the next several decades. The event kicked off with on Sunday evening with an opening keynote address from GEN(R) Barry McCaffrey, Former Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Former Commander, U.S. Southern Command. General McCaffrey shared his insights regarding the future of National Security, Politics, and Military Leadership. The following evening, conference guests welcomed GEN(R) Pete Chiarelli, Former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, as he delivered a keynote address on the Army's Role in the 21st Century. The conference will result in recommendations for action that the United States Military Academy and the Department of Social Sciences can take to ensure the Army and the country are served by officers well equipped to confront a complex, nuanced environment, and bring their knowledge to bear through service to the country.
The Army West Point baseball team saw three honored with Academic All-Patriot League praise on Thursday. Matt Ball, Jacob Hurtubise, and Cam Opp were each one of the 12 athletes acknowledged on the academic team. Firstie righty and cow left-handed pitcher Ball and Opp recorded their second academic nod, while yearling outfielder Hurtubise earned a spot on the team for the first time. Army tied for the league lead with three cadet-athletes selected to the academic squad. Hurtubise earned first-team all-conference honors earlier this week after leading NCAA DI with 38 stolen bases. In the classroom, Hurtubise holds a 3.567 GPA, majoring in operations research. Opp was a second team all-league selection going 5-2 with one save and a 2.54 ERA, while also posting a 3.657 GPA as an economics major. Ball went 6-2 with a 3.34 ERA, while boasting a 3.991 GPA in electrical engineering. The Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Patriot League honors are voted on by the league's baseball sports information directors. To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and Academic All-Patriot League squad, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor. 
In coordination with the US Embassy’s Office of Security Cooperation, Rabat, Cadets attended the Distinguished Visitors Events for AFRICOM Exercise African Lion 2018. This annual exercise is the largest multi-national exercise on the continent of Africa and this year included elements from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, U.S. Armed Forces, United Kingdom, Tunisian Forces, with supporting elements from other European and African militaries. The Cadets joined the group of Distinguished Visitors, including U.S. Charge d'Affaires Stephanie Miley, as they took a Moroccan CH-47 to visit a Humanitarian and Civic Assistance site in Tiznit, Morocco. The cadets attended the Command Post Exercise (CPX) presentation in Agadir, Morocco, followed by the Field Training Exercise (FTX) FAST Raid demonstration, with F-15 support, in Tifnit, Morocco. This opportunity to witness American Security Cooperation activities and to interact with officers from multiple African and European militaries was an eye-opening experience for the cadets, demonstrating the breadth and width of roles and functions the U.S. military and U.S. government plays in promoting peace, security, stability, and cooperation across militaries, nations, and continents.
Firstie Matt Ball of Army West Point baseball was named to the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All District Baseball Team, selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), which recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Ball is now eligible for Google Cloud Academic All-America® honors, with the first and second teams being announced in June. The senior has gone 6-2 this season with a 3.34 ERA, while boasting a 3.991 GPA in electrical engineering. He has worked 64.2 innings on the mound, striking out a team-best 74 batters. Ball has been recognized on the Dean's List every semester he's been at the Academy. He excels across all pillars at the Academy and is recognized by not only his teammates, but the academy's leadership, for his accomplishments. Ball ranks 46th out of 1,043 cadets in his senior class and for this feat, he dons the golden "wreath" on his military uniform for the Superintendent's Award for Achievement and Excellence to distinguish his top-15 percent ranking across all three pillars. 
The Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) USMA Chapter hosted the annual induction and awards ceremony within the Haig Room in Jefferson Hall. The evening began with a superb dinner catered by Loughran's. The formal portion of the evening began with opening remarks by LTC Corey Gerving, PKP President. LTC Ben Wallen, PKP President-Elect, continued with recognizing the Scholastic Achievement Awardees (Dr. Kenneth Allen, COL Michael Benson, Dr. David Kashinski, and Dr. Freitas) and MAJ Yoonie Dunham, PKP Treasurer, announced the staff and faculty inductees (LTC Matthew Armstrong, MAJ Trivius Caldwell, and MAJ Jacob Capps). PKP Student VPs, CDTs Claire Wang and Abby Vorhaus, announced outstanding Plebes (top 1% of their class) and Yearlings (top 2% of their class) and inducted into PKP Cows (top 7.5% of their class) and Firsties (top 10% of their class). Dr. Rachel Sondheimer, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs, presented all awards and certificates to all recipients. The evening concluded with Professor Judith Matloff, Conflict Journalist and Faculty Member – Columbia University, sharing thoughts with the audience about troubled regions and considerations for all leaders regarding the wide range of international challenges around the world. The PKP induction and awards ceremony fostered celebrating academic excellence and the entire evening was made possible by the work of Ms. Michelle Gerdes, PKP Secretary.
Linebacker Alex Aukerman earned an invite to the rookie minicamp for the New Orleans Saints.
The Domestic Affairs Forum (DAF) travelled to Brownsville, Brooklyn to spend some time with The Brownsville Partnership, a local community organization. Brownsville has the highest unemployment, crime, and poverty rates in New York City. They met with Director, Mary Tobin '03 and her team, who gave the cadets a great orientation, walked them around Brownsville to see the area, and helped them invest in the local economy by stopping at a local bakery. The cadets identified causes of such poverty and crime in cities, and were exposed to a variety of solutions that can improve the life of those in Brownsville.
The academy is honored to announce that Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the commencement speaker for the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2018. The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 26.
CPT Luke Plante presented a paper titled "A Research-Focused, Collaborative Relationship for Engineering Education" at the American Society for Engineering Education Northeast (ASEE-NE) Conference at the University of Hartford, in West Hartford, CT. Co-authors included MAJ Matthew Baideme, COL(R) Jeffrey Starke, MAJ Richard Rogers III, CDT Gabrielle Young, CDT Kristen McCarty, and Dr. Michael Butkus. CDT Kristen McCarty presented a poster entitled "Effects of Controlling and Not Controlling Solids Retention Time in Glycerol-Driven Denitratation" at the same conference. Co-authors included CDT Gabrielle Young and CPT Luke Plante. CPT Plante and CDT McCarty benefitted from this conference attendance by interacting with faculty and students from other institutions and learning from their research and education techniques. The research CPT Plante and CDT McCarty presented has been conducted jointly between the Department of Geography & Environmental Engineering (GENE) and Columbia University for the past four years. This conference attendance and the research were both funded by Program Executive Office Ammunition through the Center for Innovation Engineering.
The Russian Section hosted the Eighteenth Annual Spoken Russian Olympiada. Students from four institutions participated in this year's competition, which included SUNY Albany, Binghamton University and Vassar College. Cadets and students of Russian, competed in several events to include poetry recitation, extemporaneous readings, oral interviews and a test of grammar knowledge. Highlights included a lunch at the Old Train Station with traditional Russian borsht, stuffed cabbage and prize presentations, followed by Russian songs with accompaniment by USMA Bandsman MSG Brian Broelmann on the accordion. Ms. Rachel Wallace of SUNY-Binghamton won first prize in the second-year category, while Mr. Ran Zhuo of Vassar College took first prize in the first-year category. Cadet Connor Lewis '20 took second prize in the first-year category. Cadets Drew Bailey '20, Ricardo Damiani '20, and Anna Maria Dear '20 also competed.
The Army West Point women's tennis team saw its 2017-18 campaign come to a close in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 4-0 decision at No. 11 Texas Tech on Friday afternoon at the McLeod Tennis Center. The Black Knights capped their season with a record of 21-7, while the Red Raiders improved to 21-6 overall. Army made its 14th appearance in the NCAA tournament and first since 2013. This was the first meeting between the Black Knights and Red Raiders. Plebe Ana Joyner and yearling Danna Funaro won the most combined points (seven) between singles and doubles for the Black Knights. Joyner scored the team's most points in singles play with five. The Las Cruces, N.M., native finishes the season as the only Army player to earn at least 20 wins in both singles and doubles action. 
Dr. Robert Cameron led a group of fourteen cadets to Entrada Academy, a public middle school in the Bronx, where approximately 40% of students are learning English as a second language. Students shared with cadet's original books that they had written about issues related to teen activism and social justice. After the trip, cadet Elizabeth Murphy wrote that the experience "opened my eyes to the struggle of learning English that young Americans may face after they immigrate to the United States." Cadet Will Moorhead wrote that the trip "was a reminder of what it means to be American. The majority of students I encountered were immigrants to the United States who were working on improving their English, and were willing and excited to help me improve my Spanish."
