by Alex Knisely
Each year, cadets in The University of Akron’s (UA) Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program turn local parks into training grounds. They are broken off into groups, or squads, and given a mission. Each group must work to establish a leader, assign duties, develop strategies and complete a mission, all while being watched by instructors taking notes of their successes and setbacks.
Although it’s Army training, these team-building simulations provide a lesson applicable to anyone—it’s okay to mess up.
“Experiences like this instill in each cadet valuable leadership qualities, especially knowing that making mistakes and overcoming them is okay,” said Lt. Col. Samuel C. Kicker, commander of Akron ROTC. “In this learning environment, you grow by making mistakes. The lessons in the classroom and in the field meld into your whole adult life, whether military or civilian sector.”
This is just one example of how Akron ROTC, now in its 104th [TE1] year, is training cadets in leadership styles that are applicable to roles in their careers—active, reserve or National Guard—such as effective communication, focused guidance and critical thinking. Not to mention, the community service Akron ROTC cadets participate in makes them leaders in the region.
One of those cadets helping people is Dominique Zimon of Independence, Ohio. She’s a nursing major expected to graduate in spring 2023. Zimon recently completed the Army’s Nursing Summer Training Program at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, specifically working in the adult intensive care unit.
“This experience enabled me to help the community there as well as to learn and further my nursing skills heading into my last year,” said Zimon. “Being able to care for patients, just like I will once I graduate, has really given me the insight and preparation for when I am a registered nurse ready to hit the floor running. It has strengthened my confidence and my abilities, and I feel much more comfortable.”
That’s not all. In the last year, Zimon and her fellow Akron ROTC cadets have contributed to the region in meaningful ways:
- More than one thousand pounds of food was collected for a local food bank during Thanksgiving.
- Cadets provided clean-up services on campus following athletic events.
- Akron ROTC’s Color Guard provided detail for campus events, local high schools and VFW chapters.
- More than $500 was raised in support of the suicide awareness initiative, Out of Darkness.
- Members of Akron ROTC participated in the 9/11 stair climb on campus, hosted by the Akron Fire Department.
- In partnership with the College of Business, Akron ROTC led multiple Leadership Reaction Courses at Camp James A. Garfield in Ravenna including a group of visiting Brazilian students.
- Fifteen cadets participated in the Mountain Man Memorial March in Gatlinburg, Tenn., completing either a half or full marathon while wearing full combat load to honor fallen comrades in battle
Akron ROTC can also become involved in community service through organizations tied to their majors, such as adapting a Power Wheels car for a child with disabilities on an engineering service design team or providing critical health care evaluations for underprivileged demographics at free local health clinics.
“I believe Akron ROTC has prepared me well in leadership,” said Zimon. “Community service experiences have impacted my learning and preparation for post-college, especially in the field of nursing. The more I can help the community that I am surrounded with, the better I can understand them and provide the best care for them while they are in the hospital.”
“One of the central components to the U.S. Armed Forces is not only helping each other, it’s also helping other nations in time of need,” added Kicker. “I pride myself in being part of an organization where we think of others versus only looking out for ourselves. Whether it’s cadets in training, a community in need or an underprivileged ally, we help other people build themselves up.”
These experiences, including the physical demands of military training, prepare Akron ROTC cadets to support the U.S. Army’s mission of providing humanitarian relief not only in the U.S., but around the world, by responding to disasters—natural and manmade.
“I believe Akron ROTC’s role within our community should be setting an example to embody the spirit of the warrior’s ethos while emphasizing the importance of our core values,” said Kicker. “As public servants, it is our responsibility to integrate professional military ethics and character development into shaping the leaders of tomorrow. To sustain this hard-earned reputation, ROTC is committed to developing our cadets to lead our sons and daughters of America.”