The numbers do not lie. Not only do our readers like pop stars and pinnable stars, they also like beauty queens, marriage proposals and incredibly bright midshipmen. See all of the stories that topped the charts in 2012.

To mark Shipmate’s 75th anniversary, all 75 years dating back to May 1938 have been added to our digital archives for members of the Alumni Association. Many thanks to alumni who generously donated their copies to make this archive possible. We look forward to sharing past issues with you online.

Reggie Broddie isn’t afraid to dream big. So when he arrived at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County in 1990, one of his goals was to get some of the children there into the Naval Academy. No one from the organization had ever made it to the Academy, but Broddie kept up hope—was his patience rewarded?

The Marine officers and enlisted men and women who interact with the midshipmen on a day-to-day basis, in the classroom, on the playing field and in every facet of life play a formative role in exposing midshipmen to what service in the United States Marine Corps truly means.

Shipmate Magazine needs a few good writers to contribute stories. From feature articles to the “An Ocean Away” column, Shipmate wants to hear from our readers. If you are interested in contributing, please read our guidelines and email us your masterpiece.

Navy safety Chris Ferguson ’15, a Guillain-Barre Syndrome survivor who once needed a walker, is one of seven finalists for the 2013 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Award. Vote For Chris! Voting closes on 31 January.

The weather outside is frightful, but spring and some warmer-weather sports are but a few months away. Gary Lambrecht gives an overview of what to expect this season for Men and Women’s Lacrosse, Baseball, Tennis and Track and Field.

Know any rising 8th-11th graders with a mind for math and techy tendencies? The Admissions Office is now accepting applications for the 2013 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) sessions: 3-8 June (rising 8th and 9th graders); 10-15 June (rising 10th graders); 17-21 June (rising 11th graders).

The Midshipman Action Group, midshipmen volunteers, alumni and friends who attended the bowl game did far more than cheer—they donated their time at the San Francisco Food Bank to personify the mission of the bowl. We filmed them in action at the food bank and took pics of all the bowl events.

Congratulations to the three alumni classes who donated the most tickets to send midshipmen and active duty service personnel to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco: 1st place, 1971 with 576 tickets donated; 2nd place, 1978 with 525; 3rd place, 1967 with 188. Thank you!

The 1 March Savannah SACC is rapidly approaching. If your company is hiring, we are expecting more than 225 outstanding candidates. If you are in the midst of a career transition, we are expecting 60+ companies and universities. This is a great way to explore all of your options.

The address on the envelopes has changed. Please use our new address when you mail donations as the old address does not work: P.O. Box 79169, Baltimore, MD 21279-0169. As always, Thank you for supporting the Naval Academy!