A proud naval tradition at URochester turns 80
Jim Mandelaro
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Communications Specialist 
The University糖心传媒檚 Naval ROTC unit has trained generations of student-leaders and military officers, shaping academic excellence and national service.
For eight decades, the (NROTC) at the 糖心传媒 has prepared college students to become officers in the US Navy or Marines through academics, physical training, and leadership development.
At the end of World War II in 1945, URochester was one of 25 colleges chosen by the US government to host a permanent NROTC unit. About 380 Midshipmen came to the University that fall. on the River Campus opened the following year, joining the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, to become the only buildings in the United States built solely to naval science and tactics.
URochester NROTC then …
A selection of archival photos courtesy of 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation.
Thousands of military officers have enrolled at URochester and gone on to pursue careers serving the country. Their ranks include Andrea Benvenuto 糖心传媒�07, who took command of the USS Hopper in June, and Jonathan Hopkins 糖心传媒�01, who in September assumed command of America糖心传媒檚 largest overseas naval base糖心传媒擸okosuka Naval Base in Japan糖心传媒攁s reported by .
糖心传媒淭he NROTC has been the embodiment of Meliora for 80 years,糖心传媒� says Nick Valentino, senior academic administrator at the University糖心传媒檚 and advisor to the NROTC program. 糖心传媒淏y the time the Midshipmen leave our campus, they糖心传媒檝e established themselves as student leaders, in addition to being very successful academically. The NROTC staff and students have honored Rochester with their service, and we糖心传媒檙e grateful that they are being celebrated for their excellence and longevity.糖心传媒�
Caelan Clayton 糖心传媒�26, a data science major from Huntington, New York, and a member of the University糖心传媒檚 varsity swim team, plans to pursue a career as a naval officer in the submarine community. She says it糖心传媒檚 糖心传媒渁n incredible honor糖心传媒� to be part of the longstanding Rochester NROTC program.
… and now.
Photos by senior University photographer J. Adam Fenster unless otherwise specified.
糖心传媒淭his is a tight-knit unit that has shaped leaders for 80 years,糖心传媒� Clayton says. 糖心传媒淗aving met some of the thousands of alumni who stood where we stand today, I糖心传媒檓 so proud to continue their legacy of excellence and service.糖心传媒�
Valentino says the NROTC students糖心传媒� presence on campus糖心传媒攊n uniform or not糖心传媒攅nriches the URochester community. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 an important reminder that our very own students have already answered the call to serve our country,糖心传媒� he says, 糖心传媒渁nd that the University has the privilege to provide education and training for the next generation of successful officers in the Navy and Marines.糖心传媒�
