Jessamyn Liu

Chinese
t =劉潔
s =刘洁
p=Liú Jié
w=Liu² Chieh²

Jessamyn Liu (born Midlothian, Virginia, 1984) is the first Chinese American to graduate as valedictorian from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.cite news|url=http://www.chinaqw.com.cn/news/2006/0604/68/31076.shtml|title=21岁华裔女刘洁: 西点女状元六岁爱上迷彩服 (21-year old Chinese American Jessamyn Liu: West Point valedictorian already enamored of camouflage clothes by age 6|date=2006-06-04|accessdate=2007-03-20|last=Liu|first=Yu|publisher=Zhongguo Qiaowang] cite news|url=http://paper.sznews.com/szdaily/20060531/ca2320792.htm|date=2006-05-31|publisher=Shenzhen News|accessdate=2007-03-20|title=Chinese-American top graduate at West Point] [cite news|url=http://www.indypressny.org/article.php3?ArticleID=2698|title= In 204 years of history, West Point produces first Chinese-American valedictorian|date=2006-05-27|accessdate=2007-03-20|publisher=Independent Press Association, New York|last=Chen|first=Yi-Chin]

Biography

Liu, the youngest of three children, was born to Weitsao and Reiko Liu, immigrants from Taiwan who had come to the United States in the 1970s. She demonstrated an interest in the military at an early age; she asked for a camouflage outfit for Halloween at age six, and later asked for a set of toy weapons as a birthday present.cite news|url=http://www.usma.edu/publicaffairs/directorscorner/maggiewalkergrads17feb06.htm|date=2006-02-17|accessdate=2007-03-20|title=Maggie Walker grads honored|last=Prestidge|first=Holly|publisher=Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Liu graduated from Richmond, Virginia's Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in 2002 with a 4.75 GPA; while there, she was a member of the track and field and math team, and also proved herself an accomplished pianist.cite paper|title=Recognizing Ms. Jessamyn Liu For Her Outstanding Accomplishments|publisher=Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield County, Virginia|date=2003-05-28|accessdate=2007-03-20|url=http://www.co.chesterfield.va.us/BoardofSupervisors/Minutes/mn030528.asp See section 8.C.1.f.] Though her paternal grandfather and maternal great-grandfather were both military men, Liu's parents initially opposed her decision to apply to West Point, and she handled the application procedures herself, obtaining letters of recommendation from Virginia Senator John Warner and Congressman Eric Cantor. Her brothers showed no interest in pursuing a military career; her eldest brother graduated from New York University's Stern School of Business, while her second-eldest brother was enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Harvard as of 2006.

While at West Point, Liu majored in American politics and American history. Outside of class, she coordinated the mock-election program for Department of Defense schools. In her senior year, she received a variety of awards and recognitions, including naming to USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team as well as a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which she plans to use to attend Cambridge University for one year before returning to active duty. She was also given a "Pride of Chinese Descendants" award by the Taiwan Clan Association in Washington, D.C.. [cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/06/27/2003315892|title=Top West Point graduate receives Taiwanese award|date=2006-06-27|accessdate=2007-03-20|publisher=Taipei Times]

References