USNA Community Relations Director Receives MLK Drum Major Award

U.S. Naval Academy Community Relations Director Miriam Stanicic received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award Jan. 16 at the 27th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award Dinner in Glen Burnie, Md.

The award recognizes local leaders who keep Dr. King’s dream alive through their words, deeds and their extraordinary acts of service and commitment.

Stanicic’s acceptance speech started with a quote from Dr. King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others," Words that she lives by and imbues in the midshipmen she works with every day.

“I’m fortunate in that I get to see positive community change every day through outreach of the Naval Academy,” said Stanicic. “I am inspired through these midshipmen’s efforts.”

“She is that selfless leader that we teach Midshipmen to be,” said Marine Capt. Kenneth Tarr, Midshipmen Action Group (MAG) officer representative. “She embodies it, embraces it and shows it to everyone around her.”

As the MAG faculty representative and through her leadership, the group performed 25,000 hours of community outreach and collected more than 60,000 pounds of food for the Harvest for the Hungry program in 2014.

“I think MAG is Miriam,” said Tarr. “As her sole job at the academy is community relations, she has taken on MAG and loves everything about it. I don’t think there was a day I have seen Miriam where she hasn’t been happy and excited to be part of this organization.”

Stanicic also works with the Office of Diversity at the Naval Academy and was instrumental in connecting USNA affinity groups to their community-based counterparts in Anne Arundel County, and throughout the entire Baltimore-Washington area.

“She is the link between our office and the midshipmen that we work with, and the surrounding community of Annapolis, Baltimore, and D.C. areas,” said Steve McCartney, USNA Assistant Chief Diversity Officer. “Miriam cares so much about the Midshipmen and the community that she works with. There is a deep personal connection that she has with her work. It is not a job for her, it is so much more."

Additionally, she helped form the Midshipman Diversity Council, which brings together all affinity group brigade leaders from the Academy to share best practices and raise awareness.

“Naval Academy community engagements exemplify dedication to service in its highest forms by creating lasting relationships with all of our neighbors, a dream in keeping with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of building stronger and more equitable communities for all members of our society,” said Stanicic.

Stanicic became the USNA Community Relations Director in 2007. For the past two years, her department has been recognized as the best community relations program for a large shore command throughout the Navy, receiving the Thompson Ravitz Award for this distinction.

Founded in 1988 the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee was designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Anne Arundel County.

Ye Olde Cobbler Shoppe

Did you know there's a cobbler shop at USNA?

One of the academy’s hidden jewels with decades of service repairing boots, shoes, purses, and other leather items, the Naval Academy Cobbler Shop provides professional cobbler services to the Brigade of Midshipmen and USNA faculty and staff.

Naval Academy Head Barber Retires After 33 Years

Post by MC2 Jonathan Correa, USNA Public Affairs

After nearly 33 years as one of the first faces plebes see on their arrival at the U.S. Naval Academy, head barber Ernest Smith, affectionately known around the Yard as “Smitty,” retired on his last I-Day Jul 1.

A native of Annapolis, Md., Smith, 70, started working at the Naval Academy in 1981.

Naval Academy barber Ernest "Smitty" Smith gives a new plebe a haircut
on I-Day June 28, 2012.
Photo by MC1 Chad Runge

“Back then, they had three barber shops,” he said. He started in 7th Wing, but worked in all three throughout his Naval Academy career.

“Mr. Smith has been an invaluable member of the Naval Academy family for 33 years,” said Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Michael Miller. “He is part of the fabric of what makes this place so special. Everyone here plays a role in helping, mentoring and preparing our midshipmen for a career of service. Mr. Smith does not just cut hair; he encourages and supports our midshipmen in their challenging journey through the Naval Academy.”

 Smith’s family has a history of Naval Academy service. His father worked as head chef in the King Hall galley and his sister works in the beauty shop. Smith said he initially started cutting hair for his father while he still lived at home. When the time came to choose what he was going to do as a career, he stuck with it, attending barber school in Baltimore.

He started cutting hair professionally in 1965 at the Crownsville State Hospital, where he worked until an opportunity opened at the Naval Academy.  

“It had more opportunity for me to move up,” said Smith, who held the second-highest position in the barber shop when he retired.

His coworkers held a going-away celebration for him June 23, attended by the Naval Academy commandant and superintendent. He was presented with a plaque and a framed flag that had flown over the Naval Academy.

“He is always smiling and treats everyone who comes through that door equally,” said Paula Clark, barber at the Bancroft hall barber shop.

Paula Clark and Smitty smile for the camera during his retirement party June 23.
Photo by MC2 Jonathan Correa

Clark said Smith always put in the effort to make people feel comfortable, for example learning things about different cultures when talking to the international students.

“He takes the time to get to know you,” she said.

Smith plans to take a few weeks of well-deserved rest, but retirement won’t be all relaxation. He will continue to work part time at Moon’s Barber Shop on West St.

 “I work there part time right now, so it won’t be hard from me to pick up a few more hours here or there,” said Smith.