Fourteen exemplary members of Notre Dame's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program received awards for integrity, leadership and community involvement at the 2013 Presidential Pass-In-Review ceremony yesterday.
The formal military ceremony, held in the Stepan Center, gathered all cadets and midshipmen on campus. Midshipman Jason Koncsol spoke about the importance of Notre Dame's ROTC program.
University President Fr. John Jenkins opened the Pass-In-Review with an address.
"The military has a long and historic involvement at Notre Dame, with members of the military attending the University as far back as 1858," he said. "Notre Dame is one of only 56 universities with a ROTC program representing all four branches of the United States military."
Jenkins said he respects the dedication of the ROTC students and the work they do.
"People will look to you for leadership. They will look to you for purpose," he said. "I know that what you do as a ROTC participant is not easy. On top of the same responsibilities that every student faces, you have ROTC duties and activities."
Jenkins' invocation emphasized the service aspect within the ROTC program.
"I know you do this out of a great sense of commitment that resonates to your service in various branches of the military," he said.
Cadets Abigail Nichols and Edward Spinelli were awarded the prestigious Army Officer's Saber. Spinelli was also honored with the Hendry Memorial Award and the Patrick Dixon Award, an honor he shared with Army Cadet Michael Dompierre.
Other leadership awards given to ROTC members included the Dr. Michael McKee Award, earned by Cadet Sabina Fischer and the Edward Easby-Smith Award, awarded to Midshipman Katherine Griffin. Cadet Benjamin Coffey received the Captain Paul Roberge Memorial Award, which acknowledges the specific accomplishments of a pilot candidate.
Naval ROTC Midshipmen Michael McCormick, Blake Weller, Kevin Hickey, Madeleine Anderson, Devon Graham and Elizabeth Schroff and Cadets Eric Wilde and Patrick Bowlds were honored with decorations recognizing their integrity, diligence and service.
In memory of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Jenkins commended the actions of Fr. Corby, a Holy Cross priest who accompanied the Union Army and whose statue stands outside of Notre Dame's Corby Hall.
"Fr. Corby stood on a rock and gave absolution to the troops, not simply for the Union soldiers, nor only for the Catholic soldiers, but for all soldiers," he said.
"[He] embodied this message of serving a just peace. I challenge all of you as participants of the ROTC program to pursue this cause of a just peace as well."
Contact Charlie Ducey at cducey@nd.edu
