(Editor's note: This is the second part of a three-part Q&A series with Class of 2021 cadets who earned graduate school scholarships. See next week for part three.)
The U.S. Military Academy Class of 2021 graduated approximately 996 members Saturday at Michie Stadium. Those graduating represent 80% of the 1,239 cadets who entered West Point nearly four years ago on July 3, 2017.
It is always daunting in some form for all cadets who walk the hallowed grounds of the granite fortress on the Banks of the Hudson. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last 14 months added another layer that confronted this group of cadets beyond the personal, academic and physical aspects that mark the 47-month West Point experience.
Nevertheless, with the intriguing words of their class motto, “Until the Battle is Won,” ringing loud, 40 cadets from the Class of 2021 will not only become new second lieutenants, but they earned graduate school scholarships and conquered the battle to receive higher education opportunities, both domestically and internationally, immediately after graduation.
These 40 cadets earned several domestic scholarships to include the Carnegie-Mellon, Draper Labs, Truman, East-West, GEM, Knight-Hennessy, MIT Lincoln Labs, National Science Foundation and the Purdue Mil Research Initiative scholarships.
They also earned international scholarships to include the Rhodes, Marshall, Anna Sobol Levy, Barry, Deutsche Akademische Austausch Dienst, Fulbright, GEM, Rotary and Southampton scholarships.
Over three weeks, The Pointer View series titled, “In their own words: Class of 2021 cadets have ‘Won the Battle,’” involves various members of the class who earned post-graduate scholarships and tell their stories of their West Point experience.
In honor of the high-achieving members of the 223rd graduating class of West Point, here is the second installment of the three-part series with Class of 2021 Cadet Denton Knight (Barry Scholarship) sharing his own words of his West Point journey …
Class of 2021 Cadet Denton Knight
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia. Branch: Infantry.
Pointer View: Earning the Barry Scholarship, how exciting was it for you to receive it?
Denton Knight: “When I got the news, I was so excited that I spilt my water bottle all over my desk and ran out of the room to tell my friends and call my parents! I still pinch myself, not believing it really worked out.”
PV: What was the process you had to go through to receive the scholarship?
DK: “During my Cow year, I applied to join a course called ‘Critical Thought,’ which seeks to help us develop an understanding of where we came from, who we are, and what end in life we hope to pursue. It also functions as a preparatory course to apply for scholarships during our Firstie year. “In the fall of Firstie year, Dr. Hugh Liebert, my professor for Political Thought and a personal mentor, nominated me to apply for the Barry Scholarship. It is ‘awarded for dedication to the academic vocation and the pursuit of truth.’ In addition to several other components in the application, I had to write about a time I articulated ideas or beliefs that were different from the mainstream. “I went through almost 10 iterations of revisions trying to answer this unique question. In the beginning of January, I found out that I had been accepted to Oxford, but was unfortunately waitlisted for the scholarship. It was a long wait until the end of March when I heard that a space had opened up and the John and Daria Barry Foundation was now able to offer me the scholarship.”
PV: What is your plan with the scholarship, what field of study will you get your masters in?
DK: “I will read for an MPhil in Development Studies from the Oxford Department of International Development.” PV: Thoughts about going to England to study?
DK: “While I have never been to the United Kingdom, I have heard much about the incredible learning environment and experience studying at Oxford. In particular, I am thrilled to wander the same halls as the likes of Steven Hawking, J.R.R. Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliott, John Newman, Lewis Caroll, John Locke or Thomas Hobbes.” PV: Throughout your life, how important has education meant to you in achieving your educational heights?
DK: “I enjoy learning and spreading a love of learning among others. Education has helped me to take on other perspectives, face my own limited perspective, and seek to understand what it means to be human.”
PV: What does service and leadership mean to you as you move onto your Army career?
DK: “Service and leadership mean caring for those around you and striving to leave every institution, group or place a little better than I found it. I plan to continue aspiring to learn and to grow everywhere I go throughout my Army career.”
PV: How has West Point helped you become a “leader of character”?
DK: “West Point has challenged me to do things I never would have felt comfortable doing on my own. Whether physically, academically or in terms of my character, the people here have pushed me to take on uncomfortable tasks and grow through accomplishing them.”
PV: What has been your highest leadership position at West Point? And, what has that position taught you in leading others from your peers to the underclassmen?
DK: “I have been the Brigade Trust Captain, leading the cadet effort to combat sexual harassment and sexual assault. It has been an honor to work and lead in this critical space.
“This position has taught me about the challenges and value of interagency cooperation, good communication and representing an organization well. I have had to face the tension between accomplishing tasks by the book and doing what I see will make a difference in practice. It has taught me the need to put the quality of our relationships first and foremost before asking people to perform.
“And it has shown me the challenges of leading a large group of people, where most people do not know you well and small impressions can make a dramatic difference.”
PV: What activities/sports were you a part of that helped shape your West Point experience?
DK: “I was involved in Debate my Plebe year and Sandhurst my Yuk year. These activities helped me develop foundational relationships here at West Point.
“Debate pushed me to think hard and quick and Sandhurst helped me gain confidence in my military skills.” PV: Best memory/best achievement in your time at West Point?
DK: “I had an opportunity to travel to Tanzania on an AIAD after my Plebe year. I loved seeing the country, meeting Tanzanians, going on a Safari, and travelling to Zanzibar. That incredible experience was just the first of many amazing opportunities I am grateful to the people here for providing.”
PV: What was the biggest hurdle you faced while at the academy?
DK: “During my Yuk year, I decided to take a year away from West Point to work with an international development NGO in Central Asia. This highly unusual route would set me a year behind my previous class of peers (2020) and alter my life path dramatically.
“While the experience was eye-opening, challenging and well worth it, it was also difficult. First, it was a drastic adjustment from high-intensity military culture to a totally different life in Tajikistan. In returning, I had to complete a lengthy reapplication process and then integrate with a new class and a new Company (B-4 — Go Buffs!). All these travels and adjustments were challenging but well worth it.”
PV: How tough has the West Point experience been over the past 15 months considering COVID?
DK: “It has been an exhausting year. I returned from our virtual “Covidcation” last July to a summer leadership position as CFT company commander. From there, it was non-stop until December as I led at CFT and then transitioned to the Brigade Trust Captain position. All the while, we had to stay on West Point post over the weekends, making it seemingly impossible to get away from work.”
PV: Any one person who helped guide you toward success at West Point?
DK: “Retired Maj. Rob Van Wey was my sponsor since Plebe year and met with me regularly or had me over to his home all throughout Plebe, Yuk and Cow year.
“His constant advice and mentorship helped me learn how to navigate the Army and West Point. He helped me learn to focus my intentions and efforts on what matters most in life.
“I met Professor Hugh Liebert, my Barry scholarship nominator, relatively late in my time at West Point. However, he has been extremely influential in these last two years, helping me hone my life goals and carefully consider what it means to live well and flourish.”
PV: What advice would you give to the underclassmen or high school students contemplating on coming to the academy?
DK: “I would encourage them to give it a shot. The academy will likely be different than they ever expected — some challenges will be far easier but others will be unexpected and rewarding. They will probably be disappointed at some point by the leadership decisions, the daily drudgery or other failures they perceive. But they will also witness brilliant leaders at work, learn about themselves, and eventually face the same challenges they previously observed others going through. Bottom line, I would tell them this: bring an empathetic and humble attitude, seek to always learn from those around you, and don’t judge other’s failures too harshly.”
PV: Describe what tossing your hat in the air meant to you on graduation, completing your journey at West Point?
DK: “Any Firstie will say it’s a huge relief. Sadness or nostalgia will come, but for now I’m just glad to have made it through. It marks the end of one huge season of my life and the beginning of a new and exciting one.”