CLASS OF 1963 CENTER FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
endowed by J. Ronald Terwilliger '63 and Classmates
NUMBER OF DONORS: 1,713
TOTAL DOLLARS RAISED: $34,159,141
There was a time when a plebe might be asked to look to his left or right and be assured that one of those classmates—or themselves— would surely not make it to graduation. Those days are long over, due in part to what is now known as The Class of 1963 Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), endowed by J. Ronald Terwilliger ’63 and Classmates. Over the course of the Campaign, the Academy's academic attrition has declined from more than 3 percent to an average of 1.2 percent, and overall graduation rates have increased from 85 percent to 89 percent due in large part to the resources and support offered by the CAE.
The CAE delivers study skills instruction, time management techniques, reading and writing skills instruction and tutoring services vital to the success of the entire Brigade of Midshipmen. The Center has been lauded as a key factor in the improved attrition and graduation rates for the Brigade, matching the academic rigor with the proper academic support.
The CAE accomplishes its mission through seven distinct programs: Supplemental Instruction, The Writing Center, Midshipman Group Study Program (MGSP), Evening Tutoring, Topic Reviews and Exam Reviews, Advanced Learning Skills and AceReader.
KEY AREAS OF CAE IMPACT INCLUDE:
• The Brigade’s use of CAE services has more than tripled from 2009 through 2019 (16,000 visits to 50,602 visits). In 2020, despite the global pandemic, the CAE was able to reach its second-highest number of visits (45,811).
• The use of CAE services has averaged a yearly increase of 5 percent over the past seven years.
• Academic Board data: From 2009–2014, an average of 353 midshipmen were sent to an academic board, with an average of 30 midshipmen separated. From 2015–2020, an average of 232 midshipmen were sent to an academic board, with an average of 16 separated. On average, this accounted for a 46 percent decrease in midshipmen separated at an academic board.
• During the academic year the CAE is utilized by more than 1,200 unique midshipmen with more than 1,500 appointments, each week.
“When I went to the Academy, school was not much fun. The academics were hard, and we had to deal with the academics on our own, without any support services. If you played varsity sports, as I did, you had to make every minute count. Having our class have its name on something as significant as the CAE is a great legacy for our class. It’s rewarding to me to help cement this legacy for the Class of 1963.” - Ron Terwilliger ’63