This spring, several outstanding West Point cadets have earned some of the nation’s most competitive academic honors, reflecting the Academy’s commitment to developing leaders of character prepared to serve the Army and the Nation. Cadets from the Classes of 2026 and 2027 have been selected for prestigious opportunities, including the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, Truman Scholarship, Hertz Fellowship, and medical school placements through West Point’s Pre-Medical School Scholarship Program. Their achievements highlight the academic excellence, leadership, service, and purpose cultivated at West Point and supported through programs such as the Brigadier General Peter M. Dawkins 1959 Scholars Program (DSP).
Class of 2026 Cadets Selected for Knight Hennessy Scholarship
Stanford University recently announced that Cadets Sophie Campagna Fernandez ’26, Henry Kaye ’26 and Jack Maraziti ’26 have been selected as Knight-Hennessy Scholars, allowing for continued graduate study at Stanford University following graduation and commissioning on May 23.
About the Scholars
Sophie Fernandez, Class of 2026, is a native of Memphis, Tenn. She is a Russian major with a minor in Terrorism Studies. Her academic and professional experiences reflect a deep commitment to Eurasian regional security. She studied abroad at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Kazakhstan, completed language training in the Baltics, and worked with the Estonian Defence Academy. She also attended Georgia’s Sachkhere Mountain Warfare School. Beyond Europe, she worked with the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade in Korea. Stateside, she interned with the Defense Intelligence Agency and Joint Special Operations Command. In the Corps of Cadets, she served as a Battalion Executive Officer and worked alongside German liaisons to plan and execute two German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge events. Upon graduation, she will commission as a Military Intelligence Officer and aspires to use her language proficiency and regional expertise to support intelligence operations, strengthen strategic partnerships, and address emerging security challenges. Sophie will also attend Stanford University as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar to pursue a master’s degree in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies.
Henry Kaye, Class of 2026, was born and raised in Rockville, Md. He is a double major in International Affairs and Spanish. He is committed to representing and serving the United States in Latin America and across the world. During his time at West Point, he has traveled with the Army to Puerto Rico, Peru, El Salvador, Israel, Mexico, and completed a semester abroad at the Chilean Escuela Militar in Santiago, Chile. He has also completed Air Assault School and the Combat Diver Qualification Course. Within the Corps of Cadets, Henry served as the Cadet Field Training Regimental Commander, leading approximately 1,500 Cadets through summer Field Training. Henry currently serves as a Cadet Regimental Command Sergeant Major, implementing military discipline for over 1,000 Cadets. Henry will commission as an Infantry Officer and will pursue a master’s degree in Latin American Studies as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University.
Jack Maraziti, Class of 2026, hails from Sparta, NJ. He is a Mechanical Engineering major and a member of West Point’s Black and Gold Sandhurst Team. He has conducted multiple research projects focused on engineering and innovation, including research on the fluid dynamics of a nuclear inertial fusion system and the design of a field-expedient medical storage device. He has also completed two internships focused on advanced military technology. The first, at Picatinny Arsenal, focused on development of a speed loader for the Army’s new rifle, resulting in a provisional patent. The second, in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Labs, Special Operations Command, and partner forces, developed rapid-prototyping solutions for counter drone operations. In the Corps of Cadets, he served as a Battalion Commander, leading training and professional development for more than 300 other cadets. Upon graduation, Jack will commission as an Engineer Officer and will pursue a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.
About the Knight Hennessy Scholarship
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program, the largest fully endowed scholarship program in the world, is designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. The program annually identifies a group of up to 100 high-achieving students from around the world with demonstrated leadership and civic commitment. Learn more.
Class of 2027 Cadet Selected for Truman Scholarship
CDT Mary Claire Schleck ’27 was selected to receive the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship for future leaders focused on studying for a career in public service.
“I am incredibly honored to have been selected as a Truman Scholar. This recognition is a testament to the mentorship, support, and opportunities I have received at West Point, from the Dawkins Scholars Program and the Department of Chemical & Biological Science & Engineering to my company, as well as the many mentors and peers who have supported me along the way,” Schleck said. “It is a privilege to be part of a community so deeply committed to service, and I hope to carry that commitment forward as an Army physician.”
About the Truman Scholarship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship provides a $30,000 grant to support undergraduate academic endeavors and two years of graduate study leading to a master’s degree for candidates committed to public service in the United States. Truman Scholars are recognized for their exceptional leadership, dedication to careers in government or the nonprofit sector, and strong academic achievement. Learn more.
Class of 2026 Cadet Named Hertz Fellow
The Hertz Foundation recently announced that CDT Matthew Wanta ’25 has earned a Hertz Fellowship.
About the Scholar
Cadet Wanta is a mathematical sciences and computer science double major from Jackson, Wis. His work centers on machine learning for autonomous systems, integrating probabilistic modeling into cooperative drone search and swarm control frameworks. Wanta’s proudest research experiences include working with military organizations in developing information-theoretic drone path planning and mentoring a team of three junior cadets extending this work into new autonomy applications. As a cadet, he serves as company commander for the B2 Bulldogs and is a graduate of Sapper and Airborne School. Wanta will commission as a Cyber Officer and plans to pursue a doctoral degree at MIT’s Operations Research Center in collaboration with Lincoln Laboratory, where he will pursue research in support of military organizations and national defense.
“It is a tremendous honor and blessing to be selected as a Hertz Fellow and join a remarkable community of innovators and mentors. I am especially proud to represent Department of Mathematical Sciences, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, West Point, and the Army as I further my education in support of national security. I am grateful to my instructors, mentors, research advisors, friends, family, and God for their steadfast support throughout my time as a cadet.”
About the Hertz Fellowship
Since 1963, the Hertz Foundation has awarded more than 1,300 doctoral fellowships with the goal of supporting the early-stage research endeavors of the nation’s most promising innovators in science and technology. Hertz Fellows receive funding for up to five years of graduate study, culminating in a PhD, to pursue research that best advances our nation’s security and leads to life-changing innovations. Hertz Fellows are selected from a broad applicant pool based on a written application, as well as two rigorous technical interviews. Learn more.
Class of 2026 Future Army Doctors
Seventeen cadets from the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 2026 will attend medical schools nationwide through West Point’s Pre-Medical School Scholarship Program. Endorsed by the Academy’s Medical Program Advisory Committee, these cadets were selected for their exceptional dedication to research, clinical experience, and volunteer service.
Upon graduation from medical school, they will contribute to the readiness of our Nation’s Armed Forces as U.S. Army medical officers. Since 2018, West Point has commissioned 148 cadets to medical school, reflecting the Academy’s enduring commitment to developing the next generation of Army physician leaders.
“These cadets represent the very best of West Point’s commitment to leadership, scholarship, and selfless service,” said Dean of the U.S. Military Academy’s Academic Board Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves. “As Army physicians, they will stand on the front lines of readiness, bringing their discipline and intellectual agility to one of the Army’s most critical missions.”
The following West Point cadets have been chosen to attend various universities:
Bettina Yan, Texas A&M University
Walker Blackmon, Texas A&M University
Catherine Brodsky, Duke University
Donald Darrell, Uniformed Services University
Xinyi Feng, Rutgers University
Raul Godinez, Uniformed Services University
Hojin Han, Yale University
Sean Lai, Uniformed Services University
Similoluwa Olaniyi, Uniformed Services University
Emmaline Pendleton, Uniformed Services University
Aba Quainoo, Uniformed Services University
Matthew Rusch, Wake Forest University
Supria Shroff, Dartmouth University
Eric Song, Uniformed Services University
Joshua Soriano, Uniformed Services University
Cole Stone, Michigan State University
Sebastian Vasquez, Dartmouth University
About the West Point Pre-Medical School Scholarship Program
The Pre-Medical Scholarship Program prepares cadets for medical school and service as military physicians. Up to three percent of each graduating class may enter medical school directly from the United States Military Academy at West Point. For more information about West Point scholarship programs, go to www.westpoint.edu/academics/scholars-program
