CLASS OF 2023 COMMENCEMENT

Following in the footsteps of 130 classes before them, the 58 members of the Class of 2023 crossed the stage in Melton Gymnasium on Saturday, May 27, to become the Academy’s newest graduates.

The ceremony began with an opening prayer from R-MA Chaplain Monica Reynolds, followed by a scripture reading by Ed Morris ‘97, member of the Board of Trustees, and the Prayer of St. Francis by Middle School Principal Tony Ballard. General Wesley then took the podium for his opening remarks.

“Our seniors have made it and they are here...assembled one last time in front of their teachers and proud families and their friends,” he said. “Here they are, to accept the most valuable credential we can convey, an R-MA diploma, and anxious to go on to lives of meaning and success. This is what we do...and this is precisely what the Class of 2023 has done!”

General Wesley’s remarks were followed by words from the valedictorian of the Class of 2023, Adama Roxanne Sagir (see page 15). General Wesley then welcomed this year’s Commencement speaker, the 36th Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General Eric Smith. General Smith has held command at every level of the Fleet Marine Force and faced combat multiple times during those command tours. Wounded in action in North Babil, Iraq, while on the First Marine Division Staff, he has gone on to serve in several other critical leadership divisions.

“If you train at altitude, somewhere above 6000 feet, you will be a better athlete,” he observed. “You all have been training at altitude for a long time, as long as you’ve been here...if you come down from altitude, back to sea level, the benefit that you derived from being at altitude goes away in two weeks. You shouldn’t do that...you have an opportunity to take what you’ve learned here at this magnificent institution and alter the trajectory of someone’s life for the better, because you will be leaders wherever you go.”

Congratulations, Class of 2023! The Academy is so proud of your many accomplishments, and we look forward to your successes in the years to come!

The 58 members of the Class of 2023 earned:

$19.3 million in college scholarships

12 Service Academy Appointments

11 United States Air Force Academy Appointments

Baylor University

Boston University

Bridgewater College

Daytona State College

Duke University

Emory and Henry College

Georgia Gwinnett College

George Mason University

High Point University

James Madison University

Kent State University

La Roche College

Liberty University

Louisiana State University

McDaniel College

Methodist University

Monmouth University

Morehouse College

1 United States Merchant Marine Academy Appointment

Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University

Norwich University

Northern Virginia Community College

New York Institute of Technology

1 Space Force Command through Air Force ROTC Scholarship

2 Army ROTC Scholarships

Pennsylvania State University

Purdue University

Radford University

Roanoke College

Rutgers University

Towson University

Trinity College (Connecticut)

University of MarylandBaltimore County

University of North CarolinaWilmington

University of South Florida

University of Toronto

United States Air Force Academy

United States Merchant Marine Academy

University of TennesseeKnoxville

University of Virginia

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Military Institute

Yale University

I was in the 8th grade, when my teacher said to me, “Adama, we can put your excess energy to good use!” So she introduced me to the sound of my own voice. She gave me a stage. A platform. She told me that our stories are ladders that make it easier for us to touch the stars.

So climb and grab them Keep climbing. Grab them Spill your emotions in the big dipper and pour out your soul. Light up the world with your luminous allure. When I look into your eyes, Class of 2023, all I see are constellations.

And if you take the time to connect the dots, You can plot the true shape of their genius — Shining in their darkest hour.

I look each of my classmates in their eyes, And see the same light that aligned Orion’s Belt and the pyramids of Giza.

I see the same twinkle.

I see them.

Beneath their masks and mischief exists an authentic frustration; Of being put in a box, so set them free. At the core, none of us were meant to be common. We were born to be comets, Darting across space and time — Leaving our mark as we crash into everything. A crater is a reminder that something amazing happened here —

An indelible impact that shook up the world. I speak in hopes of turning content, into rocket ships — Tribulations into telescopes, So people can see their potential from right where they stand. So class of 2023, see your potential.

Each year, the senior class valedictorian has the honor of serving as a Commencement speaker. For the Class of 2023, the valedictorian is Adama Roxanne Sagir!

After thanking her family, friends, and teachers, she delivered the majority of her address in the form of the poem below. Adama will be attending Duke University in the fall.

An injustice would be telling you, you are stars Without acknowledging the night that surrounds you. The journey ahead will be hard, and some will give up People will tell you you dream too big But I’m here to tell you, you belong among the stars. Together we can inspire galaxies of greatness for generations to come.

No, the sky is not the limit. It is only the beginning. But dreams alone are ethereal streams, Floating softly in the realm of themes. To breathe them to life, we must embark, On a journey fueled by tireless work. In the realm of dreams, we gather here, Bound by hopes, with spirits clear. As valedictorian, I now convey, A poetic tale of our grand display. We stand at the cusp of new dawns, With dreams awakened, like newborn fawns. Eager hearts, ready to set forth, And make a mark of infinite worth. Dreams, the legacy we now proclaim, Unfolding chapters in life’s grand game. No boundaries bind our spirits high, As we chase dreams that touch the sky. Farewell, dear chapter, with heads held high, Dreams will guide us as we bid goodbye. May our paths diverge, yet intertwine, As we shape destinies, one dream at a time. Congratulations, Class of 2023!

May our dreams flourish and ever endure, In the grand tapestry of life, we shall thrive, Dreaming big and working hard, alive.

October 20-21, 2023