In this Department of Defense photo taken by James K. McCann, U.S. Military Academy Cadet First Captain and Brigade Commander, Simone Askew, sings the Alma Mater during the graduation ceremony, May 26.
Simone was one of 950 cadets who received their Bachelor of Science degrees at the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 2018 commencement. Askew was also commissioned as a second lieutenant and Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army at the graduation.
A 2018 Rhodes Scholar, 2nd Lt. Askew majored in International History and plans to enter the military intelligence field after studying Refugee Studies at Oxford University.
Last summer, Simone led 1,502 Cadets as the Regimental Commander of Cadet Basic Training II. She also led 4,400 Cadets as the first ever African-American female First Captain.
Outside of the curriculum, Simone rowed for the Army West Point Crew team and developed leaders as the Cadet-in-Charge of the Elevation Initiative.
She also traveled to Washington D.C. San Diego, Virginia, and New York to facilitate conferences on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to middle and high school students.
As co-founder of the Joint Service Academy Mass Atrocity Prevention Symposium, Simone organized an annual conference at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Additionally, Simone was the President of the Cultural Affairs Seminar in 2017 and a high school Young Life leader for West Point youth.
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering and continues today as a premier leader-development institution.
Its mission is to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the U. S. Army.
