Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin has been named the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation’s 2021 Kings Pointer of the Year.

The academy is commonly referred to as Kings Point, in reference to the village in which it is located in New York.

Also known as the Alumnus of the Year Award, Kings Pointer of the Year is the highest honor bestowed by the association and foundation and is reserved for individuals who have succeeded, over a sustained period, in attaining such stature as to warrant this paramount recognition.

Boykin earned a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the academy. An NNS shipbuilder for more than 30 years, Boykin was named the company’s 20th president in 2017, becoming the first woman to lead the shipyard.

She continues to support her alma mater, including through service on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s Board of Visitors, to which she was appointed by the president of the United States. Boykin also is a founding member of First 10 Forward, established by USMMA women graduates from the first 10 classes, to empower women who pursue non-traditional professional goals.