Cadet Lt. Col. Margo Smutnick, 1st Battalion Commander in the Corps of Cadets, has received the General Willard Scott Award, a national honor presented annually to a student of a military school.
The award is presented by the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS) and the Scott family to honor Gen. Scott’s contributions to AMCSUS and the military education of young men and women. Gen. Scott was the superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy from 1981 to 1986 and executive director of AMCSUS from 1988 to 1997.
The honor, which comes with a cash award, goes to a distinguished cadet at one of the AMCSUS schools who personifies the ideals of Gen. Scott: love of God, love of country, and service to others. The recipient should be a well-rounded cadet who has excelled in academics, athletics, leadership, and service.
"This process has been a truly humbling experience, as well as a reminder that hard work always pays off,” said Smutnick. “However, this award isn't for me, but for everyone that has helped me along the way."
Smutnick, of Pomfret Center, Conn., is a senior majoring in political science with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. Smutnick completed Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in 2013 and plans to commission as a military officer in the United States Marine Corps after her May 2014 graduation. She currently serves as the 1st Battalion Commander in the Corps of Cadets and is in charge of some 280 upper-class cadets. Ranked in the top 10 percent of her class, Smutnick has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in improving the standards, training and discipline in the upper-class ranks. She is also an accomplished athlete, having played for two years on the Women’s Rugby Team, which won the 2012 Division III National Championship. Smutnick is also part of the leadership in charge of the NU Legacy March Club, participates in French and Equestrian clubs, and is a co-founder of the NU fitness club “Be a Motivating Female.” She is also a trainer at Paine Mountain CrossFit. In addition to her career at NU, Smutnick has more than 340 hours of volunteer service with different organizations in her home state of Connecticut, including the Johnson Memorial Hospital and the Central Connecticut Pet Shelter.