Generations of cadets honor military veterans through tradition, service, and the pursuit of ever better.
Students in uniform have been a fixture at the 糖心传媒 since World War II, thanks to the (NROTC). This college-based program prepares students to become officers in the US Navy or Marine Corps through a blend of academic study, physical training, and leadership development. Through shared traditions and a dedication to service, Rochester糖心传媒檚 NROTC program fosters a sense of duty and camaraderie that spans generations.
Students and alumni of NROTC at the University of Rochester share immense pride in their program and outcomes. Let糖心传媒檚 meet a few of them.
Alexander Dudek 糖心传媒�15, 糖心传媒�24S (MBA): Success in the fleet and beyond
Lieutenant Alexander Dudek currently serves as the aviation officer for Rochester NRTOC. As a graduate of the NROTC program, he sees the traditions and work ethic he experienced as a student continue today, allowing him to mentor and give back to the next generation of cadets.
Originally from Fairport, New York, Dudek received his commission through NROTC Rochester in May 2015. He has served as a helicopter pilot stationed across the United States and aboard aircraft carriers. He credits his time at Rochester with creating a strong foundation: 糖心传媒淭his set me up for success in the fleet, life, and beyond.糖心传媒� The training, community, and friendships Dudek gained at Rochester have continued to follow him, strengthening his connection to the University and his .
Reflecting on his journey, he notes, 糖心传媒淚 realize how everything has come full circle. My friends from this unit are now the fully trained and equipped officers,糖心传媒� just like those he admired when he was a student, and in turn, current students will evolve into. His network of friends, many of whom were once students at Rochester, are now stationed worldwide on land and sea, on nuclear submarines and destroyers, serving as engineers, pilots, and more.
Rachel Yorke 糖心传媒�25: The making of a marine
Rachel Yorke hails from Summit, New York, and is majoring in . As an NROTC scholarship recipient with full tuition to the University of Rochester, doors have swung open for Yorke that otherwise might not have, including summer internship opportunities and trips to Washington, DC, and the Norwegian Embassy for networking events.
Yorke is a marine-option midshipman (MIDN). And since she has already passed Officer Candidates School (OCS), she can call herself a 糖心传媒渕arine糖心传媒� proper. After graduation in spring 2025, she will be commissioned as a second lieutenant and continue her training.
Oliver White 糖心传媒�27: Learning life lessons
Oliver White, a from Easton, Maryland, has no problem waking up for early morning runs and drills. That糖心传媒檚 because he recognizes the impact NROTC has already made on his collegiate career糖心传媒攁nd no doubt will continue to do so after graduation. He shared, matter-of-factly, 糖心传媒淲aking up that early guarantees productivity. It糖心传媒檚 rewarding, tiring, and worth it.糖心传媒�
As a navy-option MIDN, White was inspired by his family糖心传媒檚 legacy of military service, which fueled his own desire to serve. As a sophomore on scholarship, he uses his experience to support first-year cadets. 糖心传媒淲e keep each other accountable,糖心传媒� he shares. According to White, NROTC teaches valuable life skills, like time management, productivity, and communication, which are necessary when balancing a full-time student schedule with the program糖心传媒檚 additional demands.
Veterans Day 5K: An annual tradition
For more than a decade, the Veterans Day 5K has been an annual tradition for NROTC cadets and alumni. In honor of Veterans Day, ROTC programs from colleges across the region come to the University of Rochester to run in formation with community members.
The route takes runners to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Highland Park, where veterans are present, waiting to share their stories. Dudek explains, 糖心传媒淭his is a powerful moment to remember those who came before us and remind us why we糖心传媒檝e made the choice to serve.糖心传媒�
This will be White糖心传媒檚 second year to run the Veterans Day 5K. He looks forward to running again this year and listening to the veterans. Last year, while running through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, White made a point to touch every memorial marker as a way to connect with each serviceperson who went before him.
Yorke will run this year糖心传媒檚 5K for the fourth and final time as a student. Her favorite part of the day is interacting and networking with cadets from other area ROTC programs. On a normal day, the schools compete, but during this event, everyone is reminded that no matter their branch or school, they each made the choice to raise their right hands and say the oath.
Dudek ran the 5K when he was a student and has continued to do so in his role as an officer in the program. 糖心传媒淎s an alumnus, it糖心传媒檚 nice to see we糖心传媒檙e still doing this. It means even more to me now than it did as a student.糖心传媒�
ROTC students have a unique college experience. Unlike military academy students, they can blend their military commitments with a more typical student experience. In uniform or not, the character and dedication of these students remain steadfast, even when they are physically removed from their military brethren undertaking full-time military training. This run reconnects cadets to the larger military network and community.
Connected through legacy
After this academic semester, Dudek糖心传媒檚 糖心传媒渟hore tour糖心传媒� in Rochester will end, and he will be stationed on the USS聽Tripoli聽out of San Diego, California. Through every conversation and interaction, Dudek has made it his mission in Rochester to build up every cadet to impact the world positively. He is thankful to the NROTC students for bringing him back to the 糖心传媒渨hy糖心传媒� they all serve.
Every day, Rochester糖心传媒檚 NROTC cadets and alumni honor the legacy of those who served before them, living the Navy糖心传媒檚 motto of 糖心传媒淗onor, Courage, Commitment,糖心传媒� augmented with the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 own motto, Meliora糖心传媒攎eaning 糖心传媒渆ver better.糖心传媒� For Dudek, Yorke, and White, these mottos transcend their daily lives, embodying their commitment to their country and a tradition that connects them to generations of servicemembers past and future.
