NStar Articles

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.

The U.S. Naval Academy enjoys a large number of long-tenured faculty and staff. It’s a unique working environment, and the shared mission to help the midshipmen generates a special pride and camaraderie that is hard to match. The Academy considers itself very fortunate to have retained such excellent talent over the years, and it’s helped them become the world-class institution they are today.