Navy Midshipmen Lucy Ford Named Rhodes Scholar

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- While the Naval Academy is hoping to achieve its 15th straight win over Army during the 117th Army-Navy game this weekend, one of it's midshipmen has already achieved a huge honor of her own.

Only 31 American's this year received the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the most prestigious honors in the world, allowing recipients to earn a masters degree in England, all expenses paid.

Lucy Ford is one of the 32 honorees this year and this midshipman is quite impressive.

Ford's achieved a lot in her years at the United States Naval Academy even reaching 5th battalion commander status.

With so many accomplishments already under her belt, she's recently achieved her childhood dream, she's now a recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship.

"Tears came to my eyes, my jaw dropped and I just couldn't believe it," said Ford.

"It felt like everything, in a way, was validated. All the struggles I had gone through, all those times that I wanted to quit and to stop, but pushing through and going forward, it was worth it at that point," she said.

Her major is ocean engineering and she plans to work on her masters at Oxford University, focusing on energy policy.

Lucy's hard work isn't just done at the Naval Academy. Her community service has taken her around the world to Singapore and Rwanda as well as locally in Annapolis.

"I believe that if you're just looking inward on yourself, you're not doing anything. You have to look at how your actions affect others," she said. "I'm glad when the times got tough, I didn't give in to the temptation of just having the easy life."

Ford plans to come back to the Navy and used what she's learned to better her country and the world.

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