News Story from Washington DC ABCTV news website
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The U.S. Naval Academy is reporting a record number of applications, both overall and in the number of minorities who have applied.
Bruce Latta, the dean of admissions, told the academy's Board of Visitors on Monday that the school received 17,416 applications for the class of 2014. He says that's 2,100 more than last year.
A typical class at the academy has about 1,230 students.
Minority applications went up to 5,382, nearly 1,000 more than last year. That's almost a 23 percent increase.
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The Naval Academy has made a big push over the last three years to reach out to minorities and parts of the country that have been underrepresented at the school.
The Academy also has a new commandant. The academy announced Monday that Capt. Robert E. Clark II, a class of 1984 graduate, has been chosen to be the 84th person to hold the position.
The commandant is responsible for the military and professional development of about 4,400 students who attend the school.
He will replace Capt. Matthew Klunder, who has been commandant since June 2008. Klunder's next assignment has not been announced.