Senior Nominated by Congress to West Point

Hawken senior Chris Tatsuoka was one of only two Ohio students nominated by Ohio's 11th Congressional District to the United States Military Academy of West Point for the 2014-2015 academic year.

 

Following his nomination, he was admitted with a coveted Offer of Appointment and will report to the United States Military Academy at West Point in early July.

 

Entrance to the prestigious academy requires nomination by a member of Congress or the Vice President. Only 27 percent of applicants receive district recommendation; of those who achieve nomination, only 50 percent qualify for service academy appointment and admittance. In addition to meeting high academic standards, nominees must pass several stringent physical examinations, display exceptional leadership qualities, and exhibit a sincere desire to serve their country. Only 8 percent of original applicants are ultimately granted appointments, which makes the admission process one of the most selective in the world.

 

When asked to describe the qualities that put Tatsuoka in such elite territory, Renee Bischoff, Hawken’s associate director of college counseling, said he is “one of the best (service academy nominees) intellectually, and absolutely at the top in his unwavering desire to make a substantial contribution through his military service.”

 

Tatsuoka has had a long-time desire to make public service part of his future. “Growing up in the post 9/11 era, it’s easy to remember the many examples of the heroic police officers, firemen and other service members. This was profoundly influential …” he commented.

 

A district winning wrestler, a member of the Look Up To Cleveland Class of 2013, and an honorable mention winner at the prestigious 2013 Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair, Tatsuoka’s future could have taken him in many directions, but he has always had an unshakeable public service focus.

 

“The grandest of contributions is to protect the ideas of this nation,” he explained, “so that future generations enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities that we have today.”