Grassley Nominates Iowa Students to the U.S. Service Academies

Press Release

Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 37 outstanding Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the U.S. service academies.

"Young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are remarkable for their accomplishments and leadership. These candidates are an impressive reflection on our state and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces," Grassley said.

Each year Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The Air Force, Military, and Naval academies all select at least one qualified student from Grassley's nominations. The Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states' representation in Congress.

Grassley said he encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions. "The academies offer some of the best options for higher education, and they offer an outstanding way to serve our country," Grassley said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans."

Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year. Iowa Representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives also make nominations in addition to both of Iowa's U.S. Senators. Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being selected to attend each of the service academies.

Grassley said he will make announcements as appointments to the academies are offered to Iowans.

The lists below include the names and hometowns of Grassley's nominees for the 2015-2016 school year.

U.S. Air Force Academy
Yair Abramoff, Iowa City
Jessica Brown, Sioux City
Jean Etnyre, Pella*
Mark Farlinger, Cresco*
Jeffrey Giannettino, West Burlington
Adrianna Hines, Missouri Valley
Jacob Orr, Johnston
Spencer Silver, Ankeny
Haley Steele, Muscatine
Graham Zomermaand, Sioux Center

U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Payton Boylston, Ames
Harrison Gudorf, West Des Moines
Zachary Hoffman, Ankeny
Jaryd Huffman, Letts
Alexander Jones, Council Bluffs
Jonas Mason, Cedar Rapids
Ethan Pieper, Norwalk*
Buchanan Waller, Maquoketa
John Worthington, Hudson
Tobey Yates, Underwood

U.S. Naval Academy
Caroline Ascherl, Granville
Robert Beardsley, Bettendorf
Diana Carney, Coggon
Luke Donnelly, West Des Moines
Madeline Gehrke, Clive
Dane Livengood, Treynor
Griffin Lorenz, Marion*
Luis Martinez, Des Moines
Molly Sanders, Ames
Gabrielle Taht, St. Donatus

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Joseph Budde, La Motte
Jean Etnyre, Pella
Mark Farlinger, Cresco
Nicholas Fox, Clive
Trever Huss, Orange City
Griffin Lorenz, Marion
Ethan Pieper, Norwalk

Students denoted with an asterisks(*) were also nominated for appointments to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in addition to the Air Force, Military or Naval Academies.

Source