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May 19, 2023

Weekly Update for May 19, 2023

We hope everyone had a great week! Below are the parent updates for this week. 


Charlie Company TAC Information

This week, Charlie Company TAC Officer SGT Miles Davis left for Military Training. In his absence, MAJ Joe McDaniel, Deputy Commandant, will be the Interim Charlie Company TAC Officer for the remainder of the school year. If you would like to contact MAJ McDaniel, please reach out via email at .

Uniform of the Day Information for Memorial Day 

On Memorial Day (Monday, May 29), the Uniform of the Day will be DCUs. All cadets are required to arrive on campus for a normal class day in their DCUs in preparation for the Memorial Day Ceremony which will be held at the Veterans Memorial at 3:00 PM. 

Last Day for Cadets to Receive Packages

The last day for cadets to receive packages from the Quartermaster is Wednesday, May 25. Any packages received after that date will be returned to the sender or mailed to the address on file in the Business Office. All packages shipped to the cadet's home address will be charged to the cadet's account. 

Summer Music Program

The Music Director ETN1(SS) John Warren will be teaching two music classes during Fork Union's Summer School. The classes are Music Instrument Advancement and Music Theory. 

For more information about Fork Union's Summer School, please visit www.forkunion.com/summer. 

For questions about Fork Union's music program, please reach out to ETN1(SS) Warren at 

End of the Year Events Are Set!

The End of the Year is always an exciting time for the Class of 2023! Below details all of the remaining events here on campus. Please respond to this email if you have any questions about any event. 

  • Saturday, May 27, 2023
    • Mandatory Fun Day - 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Stadium Field)
  • Monday, May 29, 2023
    • Memorial Day Ceremony - 3:00 PM (Veteran's Memorial) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Monday is a normal class day. All cadets are required to be on campus for normal class. 
  • Monday, May 29, 2023
    • 7th & 8th Grade Ice Cream Social - 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM (President's House)
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023
    • 7th Grade Recognition/Awards Ceremony - 10:00 AM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • 7th graders check out after ceremony. 
    • Underclassmen Awards Ceremony - 4:00 PM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
  • Thursday, June 1, 2023
    • Final Exam 
    • Underclassmen Checkout - 12:30 PM
    • Senior Cookout - 4:30 PM to 5:45 PM (Middle School Circle) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Senior Awards - 6:00 PM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Ice Cream Social - 7:00 PM (Dining Hall) Parents/guests are welcome
  • Friday, June 2, 2023
    • Baccalaureate - 8:30 AM (Wicker Chapel) * A closed event. Only for the Senior Class
    • Graduation - 10:00 AM (Stadium Field) *No limit on guests
      • Weather Plan for Graduation will be the Thomas Gymnasium. No limit on guests.
    • Seniors check out immediately following graduation. 

Cadet Online Store has opened! 

The Cadet Online Store has officially opened. The Cadet Store is your one-stop-shop for all things Fork Union Military Academy! Whether you're a current cadet, a parent, an alumnus, or simply a fan of the school, our store has something for everyone. Start shopping now and show your school spirit for Fork Union Military Academy. 

The Cadet Store

Fork Union's CPT Michael Head to Join Admissions Staff

Fork Union Military Academy has moved CPT Michael Head from a faculty role to Admission Counselor as seven-year employee MAJ Mark Shuman has accepted a position at the collegiate level, Director of Enrollment Management Mrs. Jackie Montero-Sharpe announced Friday. CPT Head will join the staff after the completion of Term 5 in June. 

To read more about CPT Head and the Enrollment Management staff, click here.

Parade Season

The spring season gives us an opportunity to show off our Corps of Cadets in special parades. All cadets are required to participate in parades. The schedule is below the this spring:

  • Sunday, May 7, 2023 | Alumni Weekend Parade | 1:30 PM | Watch the Live Stream 
  • Friday, May 12, 2023 | Mother's Day Weekend Parade | 1:15 PM | Watch the Live Stream
  • Friday, May 19, 2023 | Senior Day Parade | 1:15 PM | Watch the Live Stream
  • Monday, May 29, 2023 | Memorial Day Ceremony | 3:00 PM | No Live Stream Available

IMPORTANT UPDATES from the College Placement & Academic Services Department

Webinar on Scholarships

Mrs. Kelsey Hill, Director of College Placement & Academic Services, put on a special webinar for parents with Monica Matthews, a former teacher and stay at home mom who helped her sons win tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships for college. She has two e-books that she constantly updates each year. 

Ms. Matthews and Mrs. Hill discussed some amazing information that we would like to share with everyone in case you missed yesterday's ZOOM. 

Click here to watch the webinar.

Below are the two links that are mentioned in the video. 

Visit Ms. Matthews' website: https://how2winscholarships.com  Free Scholarship Search: https://www.fastweb.com

Course Requests

The College Placement & Academic Services team started meeting with cadets this week in grades 8-11 to discuss academic course requests and post-FUMA plans. Mrs. Hill and Dr. Benson are meeting with the Corps of Cadets grades 8-11 during Term 4. An email summarizing the meeting will be sent home to families during Term 5. 

Mrs. Schnelle meets with those in 7th grade to discuss the 8th grade academic schedule. 

Audio Newsletter

The Next Stop - May is here! The College Placement & Academic Services May Newsletter (The Next Stop) will be available in the Front & Center. Please make sure you give a listen for updates and helpful information for all grade levels in preparing for post-high school plans. January, February, March, April and May can be found here.

Special editions of the Next Stop have been released. Check out the two special editions here: Senior Decision Time and the College Search Process!

Fork Union Announces Retirement of COL Coggins as President, Names CAPT Black as Successor

Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC (Ret.), Fork Union Military Academy's 11th President, has announced his intent to retire later this year. The Academy will celebrate Colonel Coggins' tenure in connection with Fork Union Military Academy's 125th Anniversary, which will be held on October 13-15, 2023. 

CAPT Mark E. Black, USN (Ret.) has been named the 12th President of Fork Union Military Academy. CAPT Black will be designated as President-elect immediately and assume the role as President upon Colonel Coggins' retirement in the fall. CAPT Black is a current faculty member and coach and fully appreciates the Academy's dedication to "Body, Mind & Spirit". He currently serves as a teacher of US Military & War History, Leadership & Ethics, and US Government. 

To read more about CAPT Black, please click here. 

Fork Union Announces Selection of New Commandant as LTC Moss Announces Retirement

Fork Union Military Academy announced that LTC Roy A. "Tony" Moss, US Army (Ret.), will be retiring as Commandant of Cadets at the conclusion of this school year. LTC Charlie E. Coulter III has been selected to serve as the Academy's next Commandant of Cadets. 

To read more about LTC Coulter, please click here.  

Does Your Cadet Need a Care Package or "Pick-Me-Up" to Finish the Year?

Ms. Rhonda White, Fork Union's Coordinator of Assessments & Student Records, has been offering something special to parents if they would like to celebrate their cadet's birthday at FUMA if it falls during the school year. Ms. White offers birthday bags and/or special cupcakes for parents to purchase. If you are interested, please contact Ms. White at  or 434-842-4203. 

Ms. White is now offering the below menu to all parents who would like to send care packages or pick-me-up treats for any occasion. 

Items offered for purchase:

  • Quantity of 6 Cupcakes | $10
  • Quantity of 12 Cupcakes | $20
  • Medium Size Bag Full of Snacks | $25
  • Large Size Bag Full of Snacks | $40

Parents, We Need Your Help!

Our biggest marketing tool is positive word of mouth. If you are pleased with how your cadet has progressed through his time here on campus, we would love to sit down with you for a parent testimonial. Prospective parents love to hear feedback from current families on their FUMA experience. If you are interested in helping the Academy with a parent testimonial, please contact Mrs. Jackie Montero-Sharpe at  to set up your interview. 

It is Time to Re-Enroll Your Cadet!

The Admissions Office made re-enrollment contracts available on SchoolAdmin on Monday, January 2. All current cadets in grades 7th through 11th are eligible to return for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

The deadline to re-enroll for the 2023-2024 academic year is April 30, 2023. If you re-enroll after April 30, there will be a late fee charged per month after the deadline. 

  • Tuition Protection Plan: The cost of the Tuition Protection Plan is $1,000 for the 2023-2024 academic year and must be paid prior to your cadet's arrival on campus.
  • Re-Enrollment Deadline: Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Cadets can still re-enroll even past the re-enrollment date. Please reach out to the Admissions Office for any questions or concerns. 

Please follow the link to read the Financial Aid information in full detail here. 

Fork Union Announces the "125 for the 125th" Campaign

Following a very successful Day of Giving on Founder's Day weekend, Fork Union Military Academy announced the start of the public phase of a fund-raising campaign, "125 for the 125th," in honor of the school's 125th anniversary, which will be observed the weekend of October 13-15, 2023. 

To learn more about the "125 for the 125th" Campaign, please click here.

Do You Want to Schedule Senior/Cadet Portraits?

Have you scheduled your cadet portraits? We are pleased to be able to recommend Kristin Firewicz Studios to our cadet families! Kristin is a professional photographer contracted by the Academy to take campus photos throughout the year and have been specializing in high school senior photography for 10 years. Kristin is local to Fork Union and has a studio on campus. For more information regarding booking your son's private session, please visit the website below for special FUMA rates: Kristin Firewicz Studios.

Academic Calendar  

Please bookmark the link to our Academic Calendar for the 2022-2023 year. This calendar highlights all the major events on campus for the academic year, including dates of when each term begins and ends, leave weekends, SAT and ACT tests and all holiday breaks.   

  • Friday, May 19, 2023
    • Senior Day Parade - 1:15 PM
    • Senior Leave Weekend - An open weekend for all seniors to leave. Ends on Sunday at 7 PM. 
  • Saturday, May 27, 2023
    • Mandatory Fun Day - 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Stadium Field)
  • Monday, May 29, 2023
    • Memorial Day Ceremony - 3:00 PM (Veteran's Memorial) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Monday is a normal class day. All cadets are required to be on campus for normal class. 
  • Monday, May 29, 2023
    • 7th & 8th Grade Ice Cream Social - 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM (President's House)
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023
    • 7th Grade Recognition/Awards Ceremony - 10:00 AM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • 7th graders check out after ceremony. 
    • Underclassmen Awards Ceremony - 4:00 PM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
  • Thursday, June 1, 2023
    • Final Exam 
    • Underclassmen Checkout - 12:30 PM
    • Senior Cookout - 4:30 PM to 5:45 PM (Middle School Circle) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Senior Awards - 6:00 PM (Wicker Chapel) *Parents/guests are welcome
    • Ice Cream Social - 7:00 PM (Dining Hall) Parents/guests are welcome
  • Friday, June 2, 2023
    • Baccalaureate - 8:30 AM (Wicker Chapel) * A closed event. Only for the Senior Class
    • Graduation - 10:00 AM (Stadium Field) *No limit on guests
      • Weather Plan for Graduation will be the Thomas Gymnasium. No limit on guests.
    • Seniors check out immediately following graduation. 

Important Upcoming Dates 


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