Bowie State University News February 24, 2016 Two Bowie State ROTC Cadets Receive $91K in Scholarships Two Army ROTC cadets received $91,000 in full scholarships and agree to serve as commissioned officers, recognizing their academic excellence and student leadership at Bowie State University. The Bowie State ROTC program selected sophomore Rhian Rose to receive $49,000 for 3.5 years and sophomore Willie Lackey, IV to receive $42,000 for 2.5 years from the U.S. Army ROTC Cadet Command. They must commit to four years of Army service. Both are driven to follow in the footsteps of family members who served in the armed forces. "The day that I found out I got the scholarship, I knew my life was changing," Rose said. "The military had taken an interest in me. I have a guaranteed job after I graduate... It doesn't get much better than that." A biology major, he plans to pursue a career in military intelligence or forensic science, inspired by his love for CSI television dramas. With this scholarship, he will relieve a financial burden off his mother to pay for his education and open opportunities for him to reach his career goals. For Lackey, military service is a family tradition - his father was part of the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps and his brother is an Air Force officer. He was excited to share the news of the scholarship with his parents - his family's example put him on the path to pursue a military career. "It's a big step for me to show them that I'm doing something positive," he said. "As far as accomplishments go, this is definitely a big one. It's going to help me in the long run." A criminal justice major, Lackey is preparing for a career in military intelligence or air defense artillery. His interests come from a desire to always be prepared for anything that arises. "I like knowing a situation and knowing it better than other people," he said. That desire to be prepared coupled with his love for a challenge inspired Lackey to join the elite Bulldog Ranger Challenge Team, which competes against other collegiate ROTC teams in a daylong obstacle course. Both Lackey and Rose served on the team in October 2015. "Once you finish, you feel like you've accomplished something greater than what you think you could do," Rose said. Experiences like that make both cadets value their ROTC experience. "It builds character. That's what I love about this program. I'm growing each day that we're in school," Lackey said. Rose adds: "The person who you were when you started is not going to be the same person who finishes... To me, it's the best program on campus." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.