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Local cadet graduates from U.S. Military Academy
Photo courtesy of Meifang Zhu - Lieutenant Charles Xing Zhou
By Anthony Tosie, atosie@starlocalnews.com
Cadget Charles Xing Zhou, son of Deming Zhou and Meifang Zhu of Allen, Texas, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday, May 25.
Zhou is a 2008 graduate of J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas. At West Point, Zhou majored in mechanical engineering; he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army within the Engineers branch.
"My son was in junior high when he told me he wanted to do something to help people and that he'd probably think about the military academy," Zhu, Charles's mother, said. "I said, 'I support you,' but he didn't tell me the details. Then he looked up the information on all three academies and told me he wanted to [have] a military life in the future."
"The process for applying is very, very complicated, so you really have to start at least a year ahead," she said. "And you can't just apply, you need to be nominated. It's a very serious amount of paperwork."
Zhu said her son had to wait a long time before receiving his nomination, which made for a tense process. That wait was rewarded, however, as Zhou was nominated to the three main service academies: the Military Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy.
Once Zhou took a trip to each of the three academies, it became clear which one he would be attending.
"He went to visits to each of the school after nominating -- because the schools have to choose after the nomination process," Zhu said. "He gave a very good impression at West Point. Then he went to the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy, but he decided he loved the Military Academy."
At West Point, Zhou participated as a member of the school's swimming team all four years of his attendance. Zhou also decided to major in mechanical engineering at West Point, something his mother said Zhou hopes will allow him to enter a wide range of careers.
"He really liked the school and chose mechanical engineering because it as a wide-ranging career," she said. "[He] told me after serving he'd like to make artificial limbs for soldiers who were injured in the war."
When he graduated, Zhou and his family took part in a number of festivities the academy threw for its graduates and their families.
"We went there, and the whole week there were exciting and emotional activities for graduates and their families," Zhu said. "The vice president gave the [commencement address] at the ceremony. We're so proud our son will serve the United States for a long time."
The application process to each service academy was hard, but Zhou was never daunted, his mother said. Instead, he took it as a challenge and made sure to work his hardest to achieve his goal of attending a service academy.
"He should do well serving our country," she said. "Most people don't get in, but he put in all his effort in the application process. He said, 'if you don't try, how will you ever know?'"
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