Magnificent Baccalaureate Service

– Magnificent Baccalaureate Service on May 16th at the Naval Academy’s Commodore Uriah Levy Center and Jewish Chapel for the Class of 2025!

– Baccalaureate ceremonies most often precede a main commencement ceremony, focusing on spiritual reflection and recognizing graduates’ achievements … this is part of the “moral” component of USNA’s mission to develop Midshipmen, “Mentally, Morally and Physically.”  

– Bravo Zulu to Elijah James Hagins, Nicole Rosenfeld, Matt Marinkovich and Emma Single. 

– Inspirational keynote form Maj Michael Kuiper USMC, Ret, USNA Class of ’06 (the first class to celebrate their Baccalaureate in the Levy Center).

– Honored to be joined by the Jewish Welfare Board’s Hadassah Nitzan who provided these future Jewish Lay Leaders essential materials to lead services afloat and far afield. Special thanks to the Maryland Department of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA who provided engraved kiddish cups to graduating seniors.

– Special awards presented to top graduates:

– Matt Marinkovich, a 4.0 Trident Scholar and future Navy Pilot, who was awarded the LT Darin Pontell memorial sword, in honor of the USNA Class of ’98 Intelligence Officer who was killed in the Pentagon on 9/11 (sword presented by Darin’s widow, Devora Wolk Kirschner), and

– Emma Single, a future Surface Warfare Officer, who was awarded the MIDN Justin Zemser memorial sword, in honor of the USNA Class of ’17 member who was tragically killed during this week 10 years ago in a Amtrak accident following his Youngster (sophomore) year at USNA (presented by Chaplain Yonina Creditor ).

– May Darin’s and Justin’s memories be a blessing.