LIFE OF LEADERSHIP
Zeeland junior Harmon finds opportunity to lead through ROTC
Coming out of high school, Zeeland native Madeline Harmon was looking for a way to separate herself from her peers. ROTC was that unique experience that she needed. Harmon learned about the organization during her senior year of high school and won a national ROTC scholarship before coming to Central Michigan University.
ROTC prepares students with leadership opportunities and instills the seven army values into its members: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.
“ROTC has opened many doors for me and has greatly prepared me for my future career,” Harmon said. “Both as a civilian and an army officer.”
Harmon is now considered an MS3 and is the face of leadership within the program. MS stands for Military Science. The levels of leadership within ROTC corresponds with their MS rank. Her responsibilities include teaching labs to the other cadets and making sure younger MS1s and MS2s understand the material.
“It’s our major leadership year,” Harmon said. “They throw us into all the leadership positions throughout our battalion and we do our best.”
A junior in college, Harmon is engaged to her fiancé Aaron. The two have been together for a little more than a year.
“I had not planned on being engaged this early in life,” Harmon said. “Mostly because I didn’t think I would find someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with by this time.
Harmon’s fiancé was working in Texas for construction and just recently moved back to Michigan.
Harmon plans to pursue a career in Biomedical Sciences, and she said she can use what she learned in ROTC and apply it wherever she goes.
CMU ROTC starts their mornings at 6 a.m. for PT (Physical Training) on Oct. 24 in Finch Field House. Training consists of a mile run and various exercises such as pull-ups.
ROTC member Madeline Harmon hold the feet of her classmate during their physical training on Oc.t 23 in Finch Fieldhouse.
An army patch is woven into the arm of a jacket in the home of Madeline Harmon on Oct. 29 at Lexington Apartments.
Zeeland junior Madeline Harmon studies for her biochemistry test on Oct. 14 in Dow Science. Harmon is a biochemistry major and hopes to attend medical school with her degree.
Zeeland junior Madeline Harmon (left) eats dinner with her fiancé Aaron (right) on Oct. 14 at Lexington Apartments. Madeline has been with her fiancé for a little more than a year.
ROTC member Ainsley MacLean (left) and Madeline Harmon (right) participate in PT on Oct. 23 in Finch Fieldhouse.
ROTC member Madeline Harmon meets with her class mates before her Military Science class on Oct. 15 in Finch Hall. Harmon is considered an H3 in the program and is given many of the leadership roles within her platoon.
ROTC junior Madeline Harmon does sprints during an early morning ROTC meeting on Oct. 23 in Finch Fieldhouse. Harmon learned about ROTC in high school and joined to better herself.
Junior Madeline Harmon waits outside of Finch Fieldhouse at 6 a.m. for physical training. CMU's ROTC meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for PT.