A Desire to Serve with Audrey

Transcript

Now we’re gonna meet Audrey, a junior industrial chemistry major who’s a member of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at RPI, also known as ROTC. Audrey’s gonna tell us about her growth through ROTC, including the time she spent on a destroyer learning the responsibilities of a naval officer firsthand. You’re up, Audrey.

– Thanks, Alex. Hey everyone. My search for college was a little bit different than a typical high schooler. I needed somewhere that blended my want for outstanding academics as well as my desire to serve in the United States Navy. I found that RPI was just the place. The Naval ROTC program here really does shape the finest officers in the fleet. We learn everything from basic naval history to leadership and management skills to advanced ship navigation techniques. Here in the ward room, midshipmen gather to tutor each other, keep watch over the spaces, and learn what it’s like to have a support system of over 50 fellow students and six active duty Navy and Marine Corps officers ready to help you with everything you need. The greatest thing about Naval ROTC here is the leadership skills you learn and how you can use them not only in the fleet, but in the classroom and beyond. RPI offers undergrads the ability to engage in research, and I’ve been able to apply my leadership skills in the lab, whether it’s through collaborating with many different disciplines on a research question or presenting my findings to the group. My background in naval leadership has taken me further than I could have ever imagined. This summer I had the privilege to spend a few weeks underway on a destroyer and learn about the responsibilities of a naval officer firsthand. I got some great insight about the day-to-day life of sailors, but most importantly, how to best lead them. In addition to the Navy, RPI has a longstanding history of both the Army and Air Force ROTC branches. RPI’s rigorous education will carry me throughout my naval career, as I hope to become a nuclear officer and serve onboard an aircraft carrier. The skills and knowledge that I’ve learned at RPI will be the foundation of my future. Back to you, Alex.

– Audrey, your ROTC experience is an example of RPI’s legacy with the US military. RPI has produced one of the highest numbers of naval flag officers. RPI offers three different ROTC programs, which offer participating students officer commissions into the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps after graduation. Thanks, Audrey.