United States Naval Academy

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United States Naval Academy

Motto	Latin: Ex Scientia Tridens
Motto in English	From Knowledge, Seapower
Type	U.S. service academy
Established	10 October 1845 (1845-10-10)
Academic affiliations	APLU
Superintendent	VADM Walter E. Carter Jr. USNA Class of 1981
Dean	Andrew T. Phillips
Commandant of Midshipmen	CAPT Robert B. Chadwick II USNA Class of 1991
Academic staff	510
Students	4,576 midshipmen
Location	Annapolis , Maryland , United States
Campus	Urban – 338 acres (136.8 ha)
Colors	Navy blue   and gold
Nickname	Midshipmen
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Patriot League American Athletic Conference CSFL EARC EIGL EIWA
Mascot	Bill the Goat
Website	www.usna.edu
U.S. Naval Academy
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
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Location	Maryland Ave. and Hanover St., Annapolis, Maryland
Built	1845 (1845)
Architect	Ernest Flagg
Engineer	Severud Associates
Architectural style	Beaux Arts[2]
NRHP reference No.	66000386[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	15 October 1966
Designated NHLD	4 July 1961[3]

The United States Naval Academy (also known as USNA, Annapolis, or Navy) is a four-year coeducational federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft began it in 1845. It is the second-oldest of the United States' five service academies. It educates officers mostly to join the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The 338-acre (137 ha) campus is on the former grounds of Fort Severn where the Severn River flows into Chesapeake Bay. It is about 33 miles (53 km) east of Washington, D.C. and 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Baltimore, Maryland. The entire campus is a National Historic Landmark. The campus has many historic sites, buildings, and monuments. One monument is the Herndon Monument, once a year the upper three classes add grease and challenge the freshmen to reach the tip (usually unsuccessfully).

Candidates for admission generally must both apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination, usually from a congressman. The candidates lacking in academics can potentially receive a nomination to the Naval Academy Preparatory School located in Newport, Rhode Island. Students are officers-in-training and are called Midshipmen. The Navy pays for the Midshipmen's college expenses in exchange for the students serving in the military upon graduation. About 1,300 plebes enter the Academy each summer for the orientation program, this class consists of not only high school students but also enlisted Sailors and Marines. Only about 1,000 Midshipmen graduate after the four years. Graduates are usually commissioned as Ensigns in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps, and occasionally as officers in the US Air Force, US Army, and U.S. Coast Guard. The academic program grants a bachelor of science degree. Midshipmen get grades on a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics. Midshipmen are required to adhere to the Academy's Honor Concept.

On 3 June 1949 Wesley A. Brown became the first African-American to graduate. On 8 August 1975, Congress authorized women to attend service academies. The class of 1980 was inducted with 81 women midshipmen.

1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
2. ↑ Marilynn Larew (28 July 1977). "National Historic Register of Historic Places Nomination Form". National Park Service. and Accompanying photos
3. ↑ "United States Naval Academy". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2014-07-18. Retrieved 2014-07-16.