The U.S. Naval Academy should better promote its prep school to help attract more minorities from poor-performing school districts, said Maryland congressional members.
“There are kids out there who are on the verge of being qualified, who need that little bit of help, but we?re not reaching them,” said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.
Another major obstacle to increasing minority enrollment is the lack of science and math training needed to enter the highly competitive, and highly technical academy, federal lawmakers said during a meeting at the academy Tuesday.
Each senator and congressman nominates five candidates for each of the three service academies, though only one is selected in most cases.
Cummings, a member of the academy?s oversight board, said the academy needs to better inform congressional members about the Naval Academy Prepatory School in Newport, R.I., where candidates who are not scholastically eligible can attend and receive the education needed to attend the academy, officials said.
Congressional members said knowing that option is available can better help recruit minorities. Half of the prep school?s students are minorities, officials said.
“It?s sad that I have a C-average student, has the aptitude to join the academy, but I have to say, ?No,? ” said Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., also a board member.
But the academy?s standards must not be lowered, as that would be a “disservice to the student, to the academy and to the country,” Cummings said.
Meanwhile, minority recruitment is rising at the academy. Of the 1,200 who enrolled this past week as the class of 2012, 351 were minorities ? the highest number ever and up 60 percent in the past decade.
“We?re proud that we are here, but we?re not done,” said Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler, the academy?s superintendent.
Joe Rubino, the academy?s diversity director, said academy officials are working with congressional members on the recruitment process, while increasing the academy?s visibility in new areas.
Academy officials said they also are hosting science and math seminars at the academy and visiting high schools to stress the importance of technical education.
While some representatives nominate all possible candidates, others nominate just one from their district, closing the door to many disadvantaged and minority candidates, said Nancy Johnson, a former Republican congresswoman from Connecticut and a current board member.
“It?s part of that old world mentality,” Johnson said.
Fowler said the academy?s summer seminar program, which invites about 1,800 rising high school seniors to the academy, has helped increase minority enrollment. Nearly half of the black plebes inducted this past week attended the seminar, Fowler said.
Cummings wants the program expanded, but Fowler said it is at capacity and efforts are under way to find ways to increase the program.
“It?s hard to dream about something if you?re not exposed to it,” Cummings said. “Every time I come here, the campus in and of its self causes you to dream.”
