May 23 - United States Air Force Academy

4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Hayhurst selected
as top 2012 grad
Freeport, Fla. native will pursue a degree in
astronautical and aeronautical engineering
By Don Branum
Academy Spirit staff writer
A native of Freeport, Fla., assigned
to Cadet Squadron 06 was
named by the Air Force Academy
Board on Friday as the Academy’s
top graduate.
Cadet 1st Class Dustin Hayhurst
was also named the Air Force’s top
cadet in a ceremony at the Pentagon
May 10.
“You are at the top of the heap,
and that is a very, very prestigious
place to be,” said Academy Superintendent
Lt. Gen. Mike Gould.
“You are going to represent your
class extremely well.”
Maj. Jeremiah Stahr, the air officer
commanding for CS 06, accompanied
Hayhurst to the superintendent’s
conference room Friday
morning. Gould warmly welcomed
Hayhurst into a meeting already
in progress, offered his congratulations
and gave Hayhurst the floor.
“Do you want to practice the
speech that you’ll deliver next to
the president?” Gould said, laughing.
Hayhurst took a moment to
thank the assembled Board members.
“Thank you all,” he said. “Thank
you to everybody that put effort
and time into this.”
Hayhurst said that the experience
of being part of a squadron and
part of the Cadet Wing staff was
meaningful to him -- “Everything
from talking with friends to the
first shirt, first snow tradition,” he
added. “All the day-to-day stuff.”
Hayhurst took part in the Academy’s
FalconSAT program, which
designs, builds, tests and launches
satellite systems each year. He also
participated in the Academy’s triathlon
team and the engineering
and national aerospace honor societies.
He will attend the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology after graduation
to study for a master’s degree
in astronautical and aeronautical
engineering. Once he finishes
his master’s degree, he will attend
the Europe-NATO Joint Jet Pilot
Training program at Sheppard Air
Force Base, Texas.
The top graduate, chosen annually
based on academic, military and
athletic performance averages, is
the first to receive his diploma after
the commencement address.
RAYMOND MCCOY
Cadet 1st Class Dustin Hayhurst was presented with the 2011 U.S. Air Force Cadet of the Year
Award in the Pentagon May 10. Hayhurst earned the award by demonstrating excellence in
military skills, academics and athletics in an Air Force commissioning program.