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U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Margaret Meehan, a member of the Class of 2025, has been awarded the highly competitive Marshall Scholarship, a prestigious honor that provides full funding for two years of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. (Courtesy Photo).
U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Margaret Meehan, a member of the Class of 2025, has been awarded the highly competitive Marshall Scholarship, a prestigious honor that provides full funding for two years of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. (Courtesy Photo).
By Mackenzie Mendez
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Margaret Meehan, a member of the Class of 2025, has been awarded the highly competitive Marshall Scholarship, a prestigious honor that provides full funding for two years of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom.
The Marshall Scholarship, established in 1953 to honor U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall and the ideals of the Marshall Plan, is a testament to the enduring gratitude of the British people toward the U.S. It offers recipients the opportunity to pursue graduate studies at top universities across the U.K., fostering academic and cultural exchange.
“I am immensely proud of Cadet Meehan and her selection for the prestigious Marshall Scholarship,” said Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre, Academy Dean of the Faculty. “This honor speaks volumes about Meehan’s resilience, dedication, and unwavering commitment to academic excellence and service. It also underscores the tireless support of our faculty and staff, who provide an environment that challenges our cadets to reach their fullest potential and inspires them to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
Meehan, from Western Springs, Illinois, is majoring in data science and operations research and will graduate and commission into the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant in May 2025. Her postgraduate studies will focus on Data Science for Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, her first-choice university.
“Being selected for this scholarship is an incredible honor, and one that would not be possible without the opportunities the Academy has provided me,” said Meehan. “It truly is a testament to the army of people who have supported and mentored me throughout my time as a cadet and especially throughout this process.”
During her time at the Academy, Meehan has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to research and leadership. Her projects included work with NASA’s International Space Station Antenna Management Program to predict communication outages and a summer research program in Germany as a Stamps Scholar, where she collaborated on computer vision programs with U.S. Special Operations Command-Europe. She also participated in the American Service Academies Program in Poland, studying military ethics and the Holocaust alongside fellow cadets and midshipmen.
“Being a Marshall Scholar will give me the chance to engage with some of the brightest minds in the world, both academically and culturally, and to bring those insights back to the U.S. Air Force,” Meehan said. “I will study how data can inform policy, specifically through the lens of military recruitment and retention. I hope to return to the Air Force with new tools to address challenges in that area, fostering a supportive environment for servicemembers and preparing me to lead with empathy and innovation.”
Following her studies in the U.K., Meehan will enter Air Force undergraduate pilot training. She becomes the 25th cadet in the Academy’s history to receive the Marshall Scholarship.
“Cadet Meehan’s journey as a warfighter scholar will be enriched by the experiences and knowledge she will gain in the U.K., further propelling her potential to lead and innovate,” Letendre said.
Meehan’s achievements reflect the Air Force Academy’s mission to develop leaders of character who are prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
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