- December 23, 2022
Luján Announces Nominations for U.S. Service Academies 
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M), announced student nominations from New Mexico to enter the United States Service Academies.
“New Mexico has a long and proud tradition of serving in our Armed Forces. It’s a distinct honor as a United States Senator to nominate some of New Mexico’s best and brightest to U.S. Service Academies,” said Senator Luján. “Each student nominated has demonstrated a commitment to serve New Mexico and the country, and I am confident that each student will represent our state with great pride.”
Senator Luján’s 2022 Service Academy nominees include:
U.S. Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, CO
Taryn Aguilar – Santa Fe
Sahil Bhakta – Albuquerque
Samantha Bigger – Albuquerque
Ava Carpentier – Albuquerque
Elijah Griego – Rio Rancho
Gordon Lee – Albuquerque
Eri McClain-Yu – Albuquerque
Kaden Nguyen – Albuquerque
Sofia Sanchez – Albuquerque
Charles Xu – Albuquerque
U.S. Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
Diego Aragon – Mora
Sebastian Chavez – Albuquerque
Trevon Del Ferraro – Las Cruces
Violet Francisco – Rio Rancho
Diego Garcia – Albuquerque
David Gorman – Silver City
Carson Hick – White Rock
Truitt Lemon – Santa Fe
Natalia Sabal – Gallup
Kelly Wetteland – Los Alamos
U.S. Military Academy – West Point, NY
Thomas Chung – Albuquerque
Camden Cox – Rio Communities
Ahava Goldfein – Tijeras
Kayla Gray – Albuquerque
Gatlin James – Waterflow
Dylan Mamawal – Albuquerque
Brycelyn Martinez – Chama
Iris Matthews – Albuquerque
Korbin Moyer – Albuquerque
Nicolas Tenorio – Albuquerque
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY
Kelvin Alarcon – Roswell
Sean Avilucea – Las Cruces
Hayley Dougherty – Albuquerque
Joshua George – Albuquerque
Justin Holmes – Farmington
William Lechman – Albuquerque
Jacob Mirabal – Santa Fe
Connor Myerson – Albuquerque
Ethan Roland – Santa Fe
Lauren To – Las Cruces
Senator Luján’s Service Academy Selection Board considered all the applications from young New Mexicans interested in attending the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Interviews took place in early Fall.
Academy nominees submit an application that includes a personal statement, resume, letters of reference, academic transcripts, and standardized test scores. If nominated by Senator Luján, applicants must meet the individual admission requirements for each academy. Students may be selected for more than one service academy. The academies make the final decision on who will receive an appointment of admission.
Selection to U.S. Service Academies is among the most competitive and rigorous in the country; regardless of the number of qualified applicants each Member of Congress nominates, only a select few are accepted by the service academies each year. Those selected will enter the academies in 2023.