Image Courtesy of Morgan Kilger
By: Morgan Kilger, Features Staff
Every spring semester, transfer students join the ranks of students who started in the fall. This semester, Gabrielle Marong, a sophomore whose major is undeclared, is one of those new students.
The ROTC, Reserve Officers’ Training Corp., program and its connections to the military is what attracted Marong to St. Bonaventure University. The connections she has made make her confident in her decision to transfer to Bonaventure.
Marong, an undeclared freshman, started her first set of classes at the start of the spring semester. Originally from Williamsville, northeast of Buffalo, she wants to continue the hobbies she started at home, such as soccer and music, at Bonaventure. Currently, she is part of ROTC and actively contracted in the Army.
ROTC and Military Science is an elective course with no commitment for up to two years. After two years, students can commit to the Team Seneca Battalion and serve as an officer on active, reserve or National Guard duty. Team Seneca is also aligned with Houghton College, Alfred State College, Alfred University, Jamestown Community College and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The Military Aligned Student Program is an organization for dependents of veterans, veterans themselves or active military students. This group serves as a safe space for these students and allows for further access to jobs and support as they move through college.
Apart from being in ROTC courses and being contracted, Marong is planning on majoring in psychology as she’s currently undecided. She chose psychology because she wants to better understand how a person’s mind works with her intended field of study: crime. She wants to get into the FBI and help people find relief after a tragedy, especially with loved ones. Helping people is a passion of hers. Psychology would help her better understand both the victim and the criminal, along with also studying criminology.
Marong is happy to be a Bonnie and says loves her new family here. She’s happy she decided to call Bonaventure home and hopes to make amazing memories with her classmates and fellow students.
