NStar Articles

Throughout their time at the Academy, midshipmen must regularly prove their strength. It starts as soon as they arrive; Plebe Summer is the first test of physical, mental, and emotional endurance, lasting approximately seven weeks. At the end of their Plebe Year, midshipmen must also conquer a “capstone event,” the extremely difficult Navy Sea Trials, which take place in May and are not open to the public. Sea Trials represent the culmination of an incredibly challenging and fulfilling year.

The Naval Academy is fortunate to have a devoted group of faculty and staff members who enrich its work every day, and many of them have been here for decades. In this article, we’ll explore the inspiring career path of Monte Maxwell, USNA orchestra director, director of chapel music, and chapel organist at the Naval Academy, who is well known and beloved for his mastery of the organ and has been at USNA for almost 30 years. We recently sat down with Maxwell to hear his fascinating story.

You may be familiar with famous bandmaster Charles A. Zimmerman, who composed and performed the U.S. Naval Academy anthem “Anchors Aweigh”—and you probably know one of USNA’s most famous graduates is Jimmy Carter. Still, the Yard is full of history, and these facts just scratch the surface.