Subscribe to Front & Center
Learn what's happening on the campus of Fork Union Military Academy by subscribing to Front & Center. You'll receive regular updates on the news, special events, and success stories from our Corps of Cadets, conveniently delivered to your inbox for easy viewing on your computer, tablet, or mobile phone.
Want to view past issues of the Front & Center newsletter? Find them all on our website.
It's Time to Schedule Senior & Cadet Portraits!
Schedule your senior and cadet portraits TODAY with Kristin Firewicz Studios!
Stories in this issue:
- Tragedy to Triumph - President's Blog
- Fork Union Celebrates Class Ring Recipients with Ring Ceremony
- Cadets Visited Bridgewater College, VMI and Washington & Lee this Past Week
- Save the Date: Alumni Weekend
- Mrs. Welch's Science Class Visits Local Creek
- This Week's College Acceptances
- Special Editions of The Next Stop Newsletter Released
- Advancement/PG Football Heads to Stuart, Florida
- Bravo Zulu Awards
- Upcoming Admissions Events
- Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?
Tragedy to Triumph - President's Blog
Sometimes life is full of tragedies…such as war, rumors of war, death of the innocents, daily bad news, countless and senseless tragedies. We can feel defeated and in despair. I get it.
My thoughts have returned this week to Palm Sunday and the events of that Holy Week more than 2,000 years ago when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Then, I think of the tragedy and horror of the crucifixion. I feel torn by my own guilt because I understand the full truth of that event for the world, myself, and eternity. It is our sin that put Christ on that cross. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. There must be an accounting for sin. It is a tragedy.
Thanks be to God, the story of Jesus does not end in the tragedy of a death by crucifixion and our eternal death in hell, which is the price for our sin. The good news is that the morning is coming when the heavy stone rolls away and Jesus Christ steps out of the tomb, resurrected, triumphant even over death itself. Through His sacrifice, our sin is forgiven and our relationship with God is fully restored. We believe, as written in the Gospel of John,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)
Looking out the window of my office on campus I can see the ornamental cherry trees flowering around Fraley Circle. I look forward each year to these spring days when those pink, fluffy blooms remind me of life's big truth: The cold and barren winter gives way once again to the beauty of life's renewal. Darkness lasts but for a time. Morning is coming. Good news. He has risen!
Tragedy turns to triumph with Jesus Christ in your hearts.
He has risen. He has risen indeed!
In Christ,
Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC (Ret.) | President | Fork Union Military Academy
Fork Union Celebrates Class Ring Recipients with Ring Ceremony
Fork Union Military Academy held its annual Ring Ceremony, honoring 29 juniors and seniors who received their Class Rings this past Friday in the Wicker Chapel.
Senior Justin Fraser highlighted the ceremony with an address on “What a FUMA Ring Means.” He noted the Fork Union tradition of class rings, dating back to the early 1900s. The Class Rings represent more than just a piece of jewelry. They represent the hard work and dedication of each cadet who has earned the privilege of wearing one.
The design of the FUMA ring has changed from time to time, according to the wish of the class. The stones for the ring are the cadet’s own choosing. He may select red, representing the ruby; blue, representing the sapphire; black, the onyx; green, the emerald and clear, the quartz. However, the ring of 1912 does not have a stone. In the place of the stone is an oval gold plate attached to the ring. The date is engraved on each side of the ring. Around the edge of the ring is engraved Fork Union Military Academy. In the center of the plate is the inscription: Veni, Vide, Vici.
The significance of a ring worn on the hand depends upon what it represents: marriage vows, a fraternal organization, authority as granted by a monarch or an ecclesiastical personage, an enduring friendship, or an accomplishment. The FUMA ring represents an accomplishment, a graduation from a distinguished military preparatory school. It can be said that the FUMA ring is a fraternal ring because the wearer is one of thousands of men who were FUMA cadets and who remember with gratitude and pride the camaraderie of their cadet days.
It is an exhilarating experience for a cadet after four years of hard work to see his class ring on his hand.
Congratulations to the 2023 FUMA Class Ring Recipients:
- Laquan Almond
- Jeremiah Baston
- George Boitano
- Jaxon Brooks-Powell
- Jacob Clodfelter
- John Cottey
- William Cox
- Dalton Davis
- Ousmane Dieng
- Sebastian Espino Jimenez
- Jonathan Farmer
- Justin Fraser
- William Girod
- Lance Gowans
- Laith Haddad
- Sean Hall
- Dominic Lancey
- Nehemiah Mayuga
- Hunter McDonnell
- Ian McHarg
- Everett Mitchell
- Charles Moore
- Cameron Oppenheim
- Jackson Pretus
- James Robinson
- Tyler Sanders
- Matthew Snyder
- Tugsbilgluun Sodbaatar
- Andrew Wing
Cadets Visit Virginia Military Institute and Washington & Lee University this Past Week
This past week, Director of College Placement & Academic Services Mrs. Kelsey Hill organized a group of cadets to visit the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington & Lee University.
"Visiting a college campus is one of the most important parts of a college search," said Mrs. Hill. "The visits help students narrow their wants and needs from a school and help find the perfect fit."
The Virginia Military Institute visit was highlighted by a visit with the Commandant of Cadets, who visited Fork Union Military Academy back in November.
Following the VMI tour, the group went next door to Washington & Lee University. They toured the campus, experienced a class size and much more.
"Seeing how large the campus is, if the campus is flat or hilly, if there are renovations going on, what kind of students are walking around, what do the classrooms look like, etc., are all essential to the process. Being there in person makes all the difference in solidifying if a student wants to attend a school or not," added Mrs. Hill.
Save the Date for the 2023 Alumni Weekend!
Alumni Weekend is a great time to revisit, reflect and reconnect with Fork Union and other alumni.
The Academy will be hosting festivities throughout the weekend of May 5-7, 2023.
We hope to see as many of our alumni as possible!
Mrs. Welch's Science Class Visits Local Creek for Class Experiment
This past week, Mrs. Welch's Environmental Science class enjoyed a trip to a local creek as part of their unit on the Earth's hydrosphere. The cadets captured as many invertebrate animals as they could and then identified those animals.
"These species have different levels of tolerance to common kinds of pollution that may end up in waterways, so monitoring the diversity of life found in a stream is one great way for our budding scientists to assess the overall health of our watershed," said Mrs. Welch.
These are the kinds of class activities that are easy to do in the One Subject Plan here at Fork Union Military Academy, that couldn't fit into a 45-minute class period at a typical school.
This Week's College Acceptances
It's that time of year again when our seniors get the exciting news of college acceptances!
Our goal each year is that 100% of our seniors gain college acceptance, and the Class of 2023 has already achieved that goal. Each year, our seniors work hard with the College Placement and Academic Services team under the leadership of the department's Director, Kelsey Hill, and the Assistant Director, Dr. James Benson.
Check out this week's acceptances!
Special Editions of The Next Stop Released
Mrs. Kelsey Hill, Director of College Placement and Academic Services, is proud to announce the department's first audio newsletter, The Next Stop. Each month, Mrs. Hill will release an audio newsletter to detailing important information for you cadet's next stop after Fork Union Military Academy.
Check out two special editions of The Next Stop:
If you are local to Stuart, Fla., come out and visit with former PG football head coach John Shuman and current PG football staff members at a prospect workout at Martin County High School, prior to an alumni event at the Hurricane Grill & Wings!
Bravo Zulu Award Winners
Every Friday the Fork Union Military Faculty and Staff meet to nominate a few who have exceeded the standards and demonstrated superlative performance. Whilst we have various awards and recognitions - a simple "Well Done!" we hope, is also appreciated. The combination of the Bravo and Zulu nautical signal flags, i.e., Bravo Zulu, also referred to as "BZ," is a naval signal, typically conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio, meaning "Well Done" with regard to actions, operations or performance.
The following are the Bravo Zulu awards for this week:
Cadet Jaydn Pieron is a junior and second-year cadet in Alpha Company. He is a day student from Palmyra, VA. Cadet Pieron was named Cadet of the Term for Term 3. Cadet of the Term Board is a military excellence board, which allows only the top 5% of the Corps of Cadets to compete. In addition, Cadet Pieron was a top leadership presenter in the FUMA Leadership course, which is made up of the entire Junior Class. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Pieron!
Cadet Trent Willis is a sophomore and first-year cadet in Bravo Company. He is a boarding student from Chesterfield, VA. As Captain of the Golf Team, Cadet Trent Willis recently led the Fork Union Golf Team to its first win. He was also recommended by his TAC Officer and Company leadership to represent Bravo Company as Cadet of the Term for Term 4. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Willis!
Cadet Sean Hurley is a sophomore and a third-year cadet in Charlie Company. He is a day student from Scottsville, VA. Cadet Hurley is a model cadet with high marks in his academic courses and only 1 demerit for the school year. He is also the top marksman in Charlie Company and 2nd for the entire rifle team. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Hurley!
Cadet Matthew Moore is a senior and sixth-year cadet in HSC Company. He is a boarding student from Alexandria, VA. Cadet Moore is Drum Major of the Fork Union Marching Band. At the 2023 Military School Band Festival, he placed in the top 3 best Drum Majors and scored higher than any past FUMA Drum Major in history. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Moore!
CPT Chris Morgan, TAC Officer for Bravo Company, has transformed his company and is an excellent mentor and tremendous asset to his cadets. His selfless support to his fellow TACs and to the Commandant’s Department reflects his commitment to our mission. Bravo Zulu, CPT Morgan!
COL Mike Goad, Academic Dean, has provided superb guidance, direction, and inspirational leadership of the Academy’s academic programs and college/career preparations resulting in 100% college acceptance, improved average GPAs, and increased participation of dual enrollment courses with PVCC. Bravo Zulu, COL Goad!
Admissions Team, led by Mrs.Jackie Montero-Sharpe, Director of Admissions, hosted 16 families at our Open House event on Monday. The team’s flawless planning resulted in a successful event for our prospective families. Bravo Zulu, Admissions Team!
Go FUMA! | Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC (Ret.) | President | Fork Union Military Academy
Upcoming Admissions Events
The best way to learn about Fork Union Military Academy is to schedule an appointment with our Admissions Office and come for a family visit and receive your own individual tour of the campus.
We also schedule a number of Admissions Fairs in various cities and regions throughout the year.
Saturday, April 15 | Admissions Event in Fairfax, VA
- Come meet us in Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday, April 15th, from 9 AM to 1 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Fairfax Marriott Hotel at Fair Oaks located at Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks (11787 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax, VA 22033). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Sunday, April 16 | Admissions Event in New Jersey
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? An Admissions Team representative will be in Paramus, NJ on Sunday, April 16th, from 12 PM to 4 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Panera Bread (700 Paramus Park, Paramus, NJ 07652). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Monday, April 17 | Admissions Event in Pennsylvania
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? An Admissions Team representative will be in King of Prussia, PA on Monday, April 17th, from 9 AM to 12 PM, for an Admissions Event held at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Philadelphia Valley Forge/King of Prussia Hotel (875 Mancill Mill Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Tuesday, April 25 | Admissions Event in Virginia Beach, VA
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? Our admissions team will be in Virginia Beach, VA on Tuesday, April 25th, from 9 AM to 1 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Black Rifle Coffee (5480 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?
Are you a young man in the 7th to 12th grade? Do you want to be a man known for integrity, respect for yourself and others, faith, character, and discipline?
We encourage you to fill out an application for enrollment and join our cadets here at Fork Union Military Academy.
Thank you!
Credits:
Photos by: Kelly Barnette, Kristin Firewicz James Benson, Kelsey Hill, and Steve Macek.