Four cadets from Fork Union Military Academy had the opportunity to attend Academy Day at the University of Mary Washington on Saturday, April 26, an event hosted annually by the office of Virginia Senator Mark Warner.

Academy Day provided valuable insight into the requirements and admissions processes for the United States service academies, including information on applying for a congressional nomination, meeting medical qualifications, and exploring military opportunities available throughout Virginia.

The event featured Congressman Eugene Vindman of Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District as the keynote speaker. Gene Garland from Senator Warner’s office also spoke, sharing that over 500 applications are submitted each year for Senator Warner’s nominations to the service academies.

Cadets participated in two panel sessions:

• A Service Academy Panel featuring representatives from the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
• A Virginia ROTC Opportunities Panel featuring representatives from institutions including University of Virginia, Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, Virginia Military Institute, Marine Corps Recruiting Station, NTAG Richmond, and Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University, among others.

Following the morning sessions, cadets attended a Resource Fair where they engaged directly with academy and ROTC representatives to gather more detailed information about admissions processes and service pathways.

The day concluded with a celebratory stop at Cook-Out for lunch before cadets returned to campus to participate in the Military Ball festivities.

This experience provided cadets with meaningful guidance as they consider future opportunities to serve their country through military education and leadership programs.