Senior Alana Frederick will engage in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program next fall at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  In addition, she will play on the CMU Division III soccer team and study in the College of Engineering.  Alana believes that Sacred Heart Greenwich has prepared her to balance athletics and academics along with her commitment to serve in the United States military.

ROTC offers its participants a chance to receive a college degree while training for future combat.  Students also have the option to join the program without a post-college commitment, according to usnews.com.  ROTC offers numerous benefits such as the opportunity to develop technical and leadership skills, a structured path to college and a career, and specialized professional training for military officer positions after college, according to bestcolleges.com.  As a former co-captain of the Sacred Heart Greenwich varsity soccer team, Alana will further both her leadership and teamwork skills on and off the field next fall.

In preparation for ROTC, Alana will take part in a month-long army boot camp called New Student Indoctrination (NSI) this summer in Great Lakes, Illinois at the Navy Recruit Training Command (RTC).  At this camp, she will learn how to handle weaponry, work with her battalion, and extinguish fires aboard ships, while testing her physical and mental endurance.  As a part of the ROTC curriculum, Alana will also take classes like Naval Warfare, Military Ethics, and Seamanship.

Alana shared why she decided to participate in ROTC during college and how she plans to balance soccer, her college coursework, and ROTC.

“I chose to pursue ROTC in college because I have always loved a challenge and doing everything to the best of my ability,”  Alana said.  “ROTC will teach me how to manage my time in college, be disciplined, enhance my moral character, and overcome any challenge in life.  Regardless, I am excited to learn how to manage my time and create a schedule that works for me.”

Alana chose ROTC over a military academy because she wanted to have a regular college experience while simultaneously pursuing her interest in military service.  With a rigorous four years ahead, Alana’s ROTC unit and soccer coach are supportive of her goals and offered advice on how to manage her extracurriculars and handle a rigorous course load.

“Both my ROTC officer and soccer coach have told me that communication and discipline will be key in balancing everything,” Alana said.   “Balancing soccer and school will be hard enough, but with the added element of ROTC, I realize I have taken on a hard task.”

Sacred Heart prepared Alana for her future plans as her teachers and peers have taught her to be confident and to live up to her full potential.  Specifically, the Sacred Heart athletic program has taught her the value of hard work and the importance of consistently giving her best effort.

“The academics have taught me to not be afraid to speak up, manage my time wisely and always do what I love,” Alana said.  “Overall, I will get to defend and protect our country, which I see as one of the greatest honors one could achieve.  I am both nervous and excited to take on this task and learn from my mistakes as I go.”

Featured Image by Natalie Dosmond