OCEAN CITY – Ocean City High School senior Jenevieva (Vival) Mulhall will be inducted into the U.S. Naval Academy’s Class of 2025 on June 30 and will begin six challenging weeks of basic midshipman training as part of her Plebe Summer. Approximately 1,200 candidates are selected each year for the Academy’s “plebe” or freshman class, and each student is required to participate in Plebe Summer. Last year the Naval Academy received over 16,000 applications for the Class of 2025. Mulhall was nominated for admission to the Academy by New Jersey’s U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
Mulhall, who graduated from OCHS Tuesday, has been an active member of Class Council, National Honor Society, Key Club and Math Club. During her four years at OCHS she has received high academic honors for all 16 marking periods and will be graduating summa cum laude with a certificate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). At the Naval Academy Mulhall intends to study Cyber Operations and hopes to minor in Russian.
A three-year varsity letter winner for the Ocean City girls crew team, Mulhall was recruited to row for the Naval Academy. At the end of her sophomore year at OCHS she attended the United States Olympic Development Camp for women’s rowing. In the fall of her junior year Mulhall was part of the Women’s Varsity 8 boat, which qualified to row at The Head of Charles Regatta in Boston – the first OCHS boat ever do so.
Mulhall has participated in the Block Island race week numerous times and was the youngest sailor to participate in the offshore Miami to Havana Cuba race in 2017.
“My goal was to attend the United States Naval Academy in order to fulfill my desire to be challenged, live with purpose, and to serve my country while receiving an incredible education and continue my rowing career,” Mulhall said.
“Without the help and support of my head coach Ian Tapp and assistant coach Donna O’Keefe, who helped me become a more confident and stronger person, I would not have been able achieve such an honorable goal,” she continued. “ And of course thanks go to my family and friends who supported and encouraged me every step of the way. To these people I will forever be thankful.”
Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy today is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally and physically to be professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body, known as the Brigade of Midshipmen.
Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a bachelor of science degree in a choice of 25 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.
“As you might imagine we are extremely proud,” said Mulhall’s parents, Deborah and Brian Mulhall. “We have learned and developed a new level of respect and consideration for all branches of the military and certainly for the young people who have the foresight to make this type of career and life decision at such a young age.”