NStar Articles

The pool was cold, the instructors were unrelenting, and the first week of summer training seemed designed for one purpose only: to make candidates quit. For Midshipman 1/C Lily Williams, that was exactly the point. She hadn’t signed up for Navy Search and Rescue (SAR) school in Jacksonville, Florida, expecting it to be easy - she had signed up to be tested.

Have you ever considered opening your home and heart to a U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) midshipman? If you live in the Annapolis area, enjoy meeting remarkable young individuals, and want to support the future leaders of our Navy and Marine Corps, the USNA Sponsor Program might be the perfect opportunity for you. This program is a win-win, fostering meaningful connections while providing midshipmen with a much-needed “home away from home.” Here’s everything you need to know about how to sponsor a midshipman and make a lasting difference in their lives - and your own.

The U.S. Naval Academy offers its midshipmen many life changing experiences, from the rigors of Plebe Summer, to the USNA Sea Trials at the end of that year, to the Summer Training opportunities after each academic year. These milestones are important steps along the way to becoming an effective and skilled naval officer.