{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=44C0AEAC-859F-40DD-81B4-75A8551DF7DF", "Ernst Nominates 31 Iowans for Admission to U.S. Service Academies", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Joni Ernst", "E000295", "www.ernst.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a combat veteran and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, today announced United States Service Academy nominations for 31 young Iowans from across the state.\r\n\r\nAs a company commander who served over 23 years in our nation's military, and mother of a West Point cadet, I am honored to nominate these Iowa students for admittance to our U.S. Service Academies, said Senator Ernst. Each and every one of these outstanding young leaders has demonstrated tremendous skill and commitment to establishing a career in our military. This nomination is an important step in the admissions process, and I'm proud to support these students in their goal of serving our country in uniform.\r\n\r\nEvery year, Ernst nominates Iowa students to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. To learn more about the service academy nomination process, clickhere.\r\n\r\nBelow is a complete list of the students nominated by Senator Ernst for the Class of 2025.\r\n\r\nUnited States Air Force Academy\r\nLandon Adkins  Davenport\r\nRylie Anderson  Bondurant\r\nChloe David  Granger\r\nJacob Hrasky  Treynor\r\nAustin Kruzich  Nevada\r\nEmmaKay McClain  Bayard\r\nElizabeth Peters  Iowa City*\r\nJohn Schillinger  North Liberty\r\nMegan Sterbenz  Grimes\r\nKitty Walden  Sioux City\r\n\r\nUnited States Military Academy\r\nNicholas Bandy  Dubuque\r\nSophia Dykstra  Oskaloosa\r\nNoelle Grau  United Kingdom**\r\nEmma Holesinger  Dubuque\r\nLuke Jefferson  Le Claire*\r\nAlexander Meier  Le Mars\r\nCavan O'Hara  Robins\r\nAnthony Schmitz  Pella\r\nLuke South  Linden\r\nSam Wilson  Carlisle\r\n\r\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy\r\nJoshua Davis  Dubuque*\r\nZayna Dickson  Urbandale\r\nSamantha Foht  Davenport*\r\nLuke Jefferson  Le Claire*\r\nElizabeth Peters  Iowa City*\r\n\r\nUnited States Naval Academy \r\nAshish Abraham  Bettendorf\r\nJulianne Berry-Stoelzle  Iowa City\r\nJoshua Davis  Dubuque*\r\nSamantha Foht  Davenport*\r\nNathan Ketelsen  Charlotte\r\nNicholas McGowan  Sioux City\r\nAndrew Riley  Des Moines\r\nNathan Sell  Council Bluffs\r\nBenjamin Toyne  Victor\r\nSophia Utsinger  Bettendorf\r\n\r\n*The admissions process to the service academies is highly competitive, and Senator Ernst encourages students to apply for more than one academy. This denotes students who are being nominated for both their first and second choice of service academy.\r\n\r\n**Originally from West Des Moines\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=44C0AEAC-859F-40DD-81B4-75A8551DF7DF"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.3167321234941483, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}