Scholarship Recipients
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Nicholas Walden
USNA ‘21 | Cambridge ‘23
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Caroline Finley
USNA ‘22 | Yale ‘24
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Jeremy Stevens
USNA ‘23 | UCL ‘24
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Caroline Bilbray-Kohn
USNA ‘24 | Harvard ‘26
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Tenlea Radack
USNA ‘25 | Cambridge ‘26
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Gabriela Cortezano
USNA ‘26 | LSE ‘27
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Rory Smith
USNA ‘26 | Cambridge ‘27
Rory Smith, 2026
U.S. Naval Academy ‘26
University of Cambridge ‘27
Rory Smith graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2026 with a BSc in Robotics and Control Engineering, commissioning as a Naval Aviator. Looking to apply his engineering skills in a way that empowered others, Rory was drawn to research around type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects over 25% of patients within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Recognizing the scale and damage of this disease, Rory’s research sought to identify the physiological parameters that impact diabetic health using simulation and machine learning techniques. This application of machine learning on healthcare challenges led Rory to pursue an MPhil in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge, where he will study data science and policy within the public health domain. Continuing his research into diabetes and expanding his understanding of both technological and policy factors, Rory aims to produce novel findings that provide clarity for both patients and providers. Hailing from Maumee, Ohio, Rory enjoys running marathons and swimming in his free time.
Gabriela Cortezano, 2026
U.S. Naval Academy ‘26
London School of Economics ‘27
Gabby Cortezano graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2026 with a degree in political science and was commissioned as a surface warfare officer. Gabby served as the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC) Director of Delegates and was a member of the Sexual Assault and Prevention Response (SAPR) Team. Her research at the Naval Academy focused on both domestic and international politics, with a concentration on contemporary civil-military relations. After spending her final fall semester as an exchange student at Escuela Naval Arturo Prat, she was inspired to pursue graduate education at the London School of Economics to research how the demographic composition of countries’ militaries influences their security partnerships. As an SF Bay Area native, she is passionate about the impact of globalization and technological diffusion on the relationship between the military, government, and society.
Tenlea Radack, 2025
U.S. Naval Academy ‘25
Cambridge University ‘26
Tenlea Radack graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2025 with a degree in pure mathematics and commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer. Passionate about addressing what the U.S. Surgeon General has deemed the “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” she has focused her efforts on understanding and combating this issue with new tools and novel approaches within the military community. To that end, Tenlea joined the UK Tackling Loneliness Hub and collaborated with the Cost of Loneliness project to expand the national conversation on social isolation. As a Trident and Johnson Scholar, she conducted high-level research on Terao's conjecture, an open problem in algebraic combinatorics. She also applied her interest in social intervention globally, volunteering in Romania to build programs connecting local children with Ukrainian refugees. A dedicated member of the Navy Women’s Rowing team for four years, Tenlea is now focused on studying the role of social connection in mental and physical health, aiming to use her research to create programs that enhance community support for military personnel at every stage of their career.
Caroline Bilbray-Kohn, 2024
U.S. Naval Academy ‘24
Harvard University ‘26
Caroline Bilbray-Kohn graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 2024 and commissioned as a Submarine officer. Balancing a STEM-focused core curriculum and culture, she has remained steadfast in her passion for the humanities, especially civil-military policy and norms. She focuses her research on civ-mil relations and the intersection between the recruiting crisis and Gen-Z socio-political views. In addition to her research, Caroline has applied her interests practically, having led her undergraduate Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team where she worked to expand inclusivity and care for LGBTQ+ service members. She is from Las Vegas, and in her free time, she enjoys running marathons, reading, and embroidery.
Jeremy Stevens, 202
3
U.S. Naval Academy ‘23
University College London ‘24
Jeremy Stevens graduated in 2023 as an English (Honors) major at the U.S. Naval Academy, and commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. His research focuses on literary trauma theory and representations of mental illness, specifically focusing on how structural influences can perpetuate the infliction of trauma and psychological injury. He was the Brigade Alcohol and Drug Education Officer, in charge of creating and executing a year-long campaign to educate the Brigade of Midshipmen on alcohol abuse and to create responsible alcohol-use practices. He graduated from University College London, with an MA in Health Humanities. Hailing from Las Cruces, New Mexico, Jeremy is passionate about examining sociocultural influences which affect mental illness, and hopes to enter the suicide prevention field to address the alarming rates of death by suicide within active duty and veteran populations of the U.S. military.
Caroline Finley, 2022
U.S. Naval Academy ‘22
Yale University ‘24
Caroline Finley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2022 as a Political Science (Honors) major and German minor. Her research focuses on alliance theory in world order politics, examining the future of the transatlantic partnership in the United States’ grand strategic shift to the Pacific. She was the Midshipman Director of the 2022 Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference, themed “Partnership in the 21st Century: Aligning Values and Interests in a Multipolar World.” She currently studies at Yale University's Jackson Institute of Global Affairs in pursuit of a Master of Public Policy in Global Affairs. Hailing from New Orleans, LA, Caroline is passionate about increasing access to education on international issues, and intends to enter the foreign policy sphere to enact change on equality & equity of access to policymaking.
Nicholas Walden, 2021
U.S. Naval Academy ‘21
University of Southampton ‘22
University of Cambridge ‘23
Nicholas Walden graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2021 with a 4.0 GPA, earning a B.S. in Cyber Operations and a minor in Spanish. There, he conducted research on the U.S. Department of Defense Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification process. He then studied at the University of Southampton, researching Sino-Russian-American relations under the strategic triangle framework. As the inaugural Calcagno scholar, he graduated from Cambridge University with an MPhil in Technology Policy, where he researched cybersecurity risk analysis frameworks and models for government agencies’ responses to cyber risks.