CHICAGO -- The windy city was an active hub for outreach and engagement as Navy leaders worked to inform parents, students, and educators about education opportunities available to qualified students.

Senior Navy leaders from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship Program participated in the 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fair at the Hyman Rickover Naval Academy. The Navy leadership also held an informational forum with almost 200 parents and students at the Phoenix Military Academy in Chicago.

Participants during the three-day event included: Rear Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander, Submarine Group 2; Rear Adm. Arnold O. Lotring, commander, Naval Service Training Command; Capt. Cynthia I. Macri, Vice President for Recruitment and Diversity, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; as well as representatives from the Naval Academy, the Chicago Consortium of the NROTC, the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and Navy Recruiting Command.

During an introductory session, parents and students were told about application procedures and deadlines for the Naval Academy and the NROTC Scholarship Program.

Then, parents and students were separated into two groups. The students went into Phoenix's lunchroom where they talked with junior officers and midshipmen from the Naval Academy and the Chicago Consortium of NROTC. Parents remained in the auditorium to engage senior officers, asking candid questions concerning expectations for students at the Naval Academy and in NROTC, as well as about the service obligation to the Navy.

During the parent panel, Rear Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander, Submarine Group 2, a 1978 graduate of the Naval Academy, stressed the opportunities for enrichment midshipmen at the Academy have access to, given the school's proximity to the nation's capital.

"Attending the Academy wasn't just about the classes. We had opportunities for enrichment such as the Forrestal Lectures where national leaders from the National Security Agency and other government agencies provided insight into their organizations' function," said Haney.

Balancing the perspective on pre-commissioning programs was Rear Adm. Arnold O. Lotring, commander, Naval Service Training Command, a 1978 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and the NROTC program. For Lotring, an important aspect of the Navy's college program is the support and mentoring the staff at the NROTC units provide students as they transition from high school to college life.

"Parents are thankful for the leadership and mentoring we provide their children. The influence and effect our instructors have, as mentors, on these young men and women, is to shape their character. They provide tough love that most young people respond positively to, and that some parents have a difficult time providing to their children," said Lotring.

In addition to the support and mentoring that goes on at the Naval Academy and NROTC units, each of the panelists expressed to parents and students to take a longer view of the benefits of service.

"We invest a lot into these young people. Not only do we pay for their education, we train and develop them from the beginning to be leaders and managers, and then the business sector entices and steals our young officers," said Lotring.

To further assist prospective candidates who want to attend the Naval Academy or receive the NROTC scholarship, Lotring offered some additional pointers.

"To be competitive for selection to either of these programs, you have to build a resume. Participation in extra-curricular activities is essential," said Lotring. "We're looking for well-rounded individuals. A student who has an exceptional academic record but hasn't bothered to get involved in their community or other extra-curricular activities isn't our idea of a well-rounded student."

Learn more about available ROTC programs and financial benefits.