NStar Articles

In 1991, a basketball player named David Robinson visited a group of fifth graders attending Gates Elementary School in Texas. He challenged them, promising that if they graduated from high school, he would give each child a $2,000 scholarship. Seven years later in 1998, 50 of the original 94 of those kids reached that milestone, and not only did Robinson make good on his promise, but he gave each one of them $8,000 to help fund their college tuition. To this day, Robinson is a generous philanthropist, with steady involvement in a variety of charitable organizations, especially those that help children. He does this because he can relate to them as a son of a dad in the military with a strong and caring mom who was often the sole parent when his dad was deployed. Here’s the phenomenal story of this USNA Notable Graduate.

Welcome to the second in our series of three articles profiling some of the most notable superintendents in the U.S. Naval Academy’s 177+ years history of having superintendents. Our first post looked at the careers and contributions of a few of the earlier superintendents. They have all proven themselves to be excellent leaders both in their fields and in the role of superintendents. Many have been recognized with the prestigious Distinguished Graduate title bestowed by the USNA Alumni Association. All in all, over 60 superintendents have given their time and expertise to the Academy, and we are grateful to each for their dedication. 

USNA graduate, Lieutenant Commander and Astronaut Kayla Barron has broken barriers her entire life. As a newly minted ensign, she was commissioned into the submarine community upon graduation in 2010. Then in November 2021, she was part of the historic SpaceX Crew-3 flight that rocketed four people into space for 177 days. Her passion for exploration is evident. In an interview for NASA, Barron notes, “I think the thing that’s most important to me is the inspiration of exploration. I think we all have this innate sense to explore — whether you’re the one who actually gets to step on the Moon or not. I think it changes all of us to know that we can actually do things that would be unimaginable to the generations that came before us.” Her path has certainly honored that — and while her achievements are just beginning, Barron has already proven what it takes to be a USNA  Notable Graduate — and we are proud to highlight her career here.