OLIVIA BARR: My name is Olivia Barr.
SASHA PORTER: My name is Sasha Porter.
LUCAS HADDOCK: My name's Lucas Haddock.
CALEB MACEY: My name is Caleb Macey.
UNOMA AQUOLA: My name is Unoma Aguola.
MARIA SOBIESK: Hi, my name is Maria Sobiesk.
JAMES DE MARCELLUS: My name Is James de Marcellus.
JIM RYAN: Hi everyone. I'm Jim Ryan and I'd like to share a few words about one of the most important public service opportunities we offer at UVA. The Reserve Officers Training Corps programs or ROTC.
MARIA SOBIESK: ROTC has benefited me a lot in terms of both relationships and opportunities given to me.
LUCAS HADDOCK: Professionally, it's given me a lot of skills that I want to take into the workforce.
UNOMA AGUOLU: I've learned more about my leadership characteristics. Overall it's been a great experience.
JAMES DE MARCELLUS: Besides ROTC, I'm involved in a couple of Christian fellowships, done intramural sports, I love hiking around Charlottesville. I ended up joining the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society.
OLIVIA BARR: I'm involved in a club called HooThon. We raise money for the UVA Children's Hospital.
SASHA PORTER: I'm also a part of a mental health text hotline, Lean On Me.
CALEB MACEY: My participation in VISAS, which is a student run organization, which helps teach English to UVA employees from foreign countries.
UNOMA AGUOLA: I'm part of a student led humanitarian organization called Blossom Together where we give back to third world countries.
JIM RYAN: One of Thomas Jefferson's last great acts of service was to create the University of Virginia. It designed UVA to serve our new democracy by preparing students to become citizen leaders. This tradition of service has continued ever since. In ROTC, you can continue your studies, but also broaden your learning and prepare for a career in leadership, all while pursuing a path to service to our country. My father was the eldest of eight kids, born and raised in Patterson, New Jersey in very modest circumstances. He barely managed to finish high school and then enlisted in the Navy and served during the Korean War. He often told me that serving in the Navy shaped the rest of his life. He learned from that experience at the most important and rewarding thing you can do in life is to serve others and to give back.
CALEB MACEY: The greatest reason of all was to honor my grandfather's legacy. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He always appreciated that he was able to give back to his own community as well as the people of South Korea and make a really positive difference in this world.
MARIA SOBIESK: Something that really draws me to military medicine in general is recognizing that the army is more than just this massive robotic force. It's made up of people, soldiers, spouses, families, and veterans, and all of these populations deserve the best possible care nation has to offer. And I truly believe that there is no greater honor than caring for those who are serving our country.
JIM RYAN: If you're looking for an opportunity to work hard and make a difference, to have someone's back and to know that they have yours or to be part of something bigger than yourselves, ROTC might be for you.
OLIVIA BARR: After graduation, I will commission as an Intelligence Officer in the Navy.
SASHA PORTER: The Air Force offers many avenues to obtain higher educations. I intend to apply to the PhD program and get a PhD in clinical psychology.
CALEB MACEY: After graduation, I received my first choice branch and I'll be joining the US Army Infantry and go to IBOLC before challenging myself further, at Ranger School.
LUCAS HADDOCK: I actually want to pursue a master's degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering. I will go work as a aeronautical developmental engineer doing research development and testing on new Air Force assets. And I would prefer to work on fighter jets and hypersonic missiles.
UNOMA AGUOLA: I intend to branch the Medical Service Corps to learn more about the health administration, get my master's in public health as well as my PhD in public health. I think this is a really great opportunity for me because I'm able to apply my major into the Army discipline
JAMES DE MARCELLUS: When I graduate in May, I'll be headed down to Pensacola, Florida to start flight school for the Navy for about two years. Find out what airframe I'll be in, and then an eight year service commitment after that.
MARIA SOBIESK: The opportunity to go participate in specialized nurse training for the Army, stationed at one of the nine major military hospitals and complete a nurse residency program.
JIM RYAN: ROTC students here at UVA have my deepest admiration and gratitude for all they've accomplished in their chosen branch of service and all they will go on to do, to serve. In my view, ROTC is a great way students can work together to make this community and our country stronger. So I encourage you to learn as much as you can about ROTC, hear from cadets, and consider whether this path of service might be for you. Thank you.
