FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      RELEASE NO.  04-08

FIRST WOMAN AS WEST POINT ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR – Jan. 31, 2008

WEST PONT, N.Y. -- Col. Deborah McDonald has been nominated by the Academic Board as Director of Admissions at West Point.

       McDonald, a 1985 graduate of the academy will be the fifth and first woman to hold this position.  Additionally, she earns the distinction as the first woman to head a major activity at the academy.

       McDonald, of Newport, R.I., has served 23 years in the U.S. Army and has held various positions during her career within the Transportation Corps.  Most recently, she has worked in the academy’s admissions office as deputy director (March 2004) and acting director (October 2007.)  Now, as director, McDonald believes her mission is “to educate, train and inspire the candidate population to apply to West Point, and select those who are not only inspired to apply, but are qualified with all the right attributes to complete their program of instruction and to become leaders of character.”

       The selection process will be final upon confirmation by the President.