Hometown: I grew up in Satellite Beach, FL but I currently live in Solomons, MD.
Major/Minor: Mathematics Sciences with an emphasis on Applied & Computational Math/Military Leadership minor
Year: Sophomore
Other Organization Involvement: Army ROTC, Tiger Platoon, Scabbard and Blade, Calhoun Honors College
Favorite Clemson Tradition: the most excited 25 seconds of college football
What made you chose to attend to Clemson?
My two older brothers graduated from Clemson. I’ve being going to games since I was 10 years old and it really feels like home.
Why did you decide to enter the ROTC program?
My dad did Naval ROTC and while my brother attended Clemson, he was in Air Force ROTC, so it was always something I had considered. Originally, I wanted to go to med-school, and I needed a way to pay for it. That’s when ROTC started to become more of a reality. Things have changed since then, and I no longer plan to go to med-school, however, I have stayed with ROTC because I have enjoyed my experience and can’t imagine Clemson without it.
What is ROTC?
ROTC stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It prepares you to be a commissioned officer upon graduation. I joined Army ROTC in the fall of my freshmen year.
How do you think the military history has shaped Clemson University?
The military has everything to do with how Clemson is because we started off as a military school. Up until 1955, everyone that attended Clemson was a cadet. Everything about Clemson revolved around the military.
That history is still seen today even as Clemson has transitioned into being a public university. For example, a Clemson student was the only person in the nation to have won both the Medal of Honor and the Carnegie Medal. Every year, Clemson has a military appreciation week that ends with the Purple Out game to honor its history. The ROTC program plays a major part in that game. However, I really like all the landmarks on campus that pay tribute to people who have served. For instance, the Scroll of Honor is located across from the stadium. It honors the 491 people from Clemson that gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country. People see this landmark and others even though they may not necessarily know what they are. I think this provides an opportunity for further growth for the university as we learn and remember our military history.
What is one of your favorite stories from Clemson history?
When the stadium was under construction back in July of 1941, Coach Frank Howard led forty people in the sodding of the field. Three weeks into the project, they had only finished half the job. Coach Howard offered them three weeks pay and 50 gallons of Clemson ice cream as an incentive to finish. The team finished the rest of the sodding in three days. There is truly something to be said about the power of Clemson ice cream.
What does a typical week look like for ROTC students?
There is PT (physical training) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 AM for an hour. We also have lab once a week on Thursdays at 3:30. Lab changes every week; it could be a ruck march, land navigation, etc. Lastly, every ROTC student also attends a class once a week.
How do you manage ROTC with your course load?
I don’t think it that difficult to manage it. I treat it like any other class.
What is the hardest thing about being in ROTC?
Waking up at 5 a.m. was definitely the hardest part, but now it has become a habit.
What is your favorite experience with ROTC so far?
I have three. First, I like Military Ball because it’s fun to experience something out of the norm from the typical ROTC schedule and uniform. I also like FTX. We spend a weekend in the woods doing activities that serve to prepare us for advanced camp after junior year. Lastly, I love having the opportunity to watch the game from the sidelines while doing pushups on the field. It’s pretty cool to be able to be on the field during the games.
If you had to pick, what would be the biggest lesson you have learned in college?
The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. But seriously, I learned time management. In high school, it was easy because I only had schoolwork. In college, it is more about managing life on top of classes.
Follow Brenna on Instagram:
@brennafriedel