Hayhurst selected as top Class of 2012 grad

  • Published
  • By Don Branum
  • Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  A native of Freeport, Fla., assigned to Cadet Squadron 06 was named by the Air Force Academy Board May 18 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.