Manhattan — K-State was named a top-30 college for military students in this month’s issue of Military Advanced Education magazine.
On campus, 125 cadets are in the ROTC program,- a 20 percent increase from a year ago. Many say it’s the experience and innovation that keeps K-State at the top.
“It’s almost like a huge video game, where we’re inside these tanks and we’re, we like, do a mission. Kind of on the screen. It’s just like real life, and that’s something I think that other schools don’t get, at least not in Kansas, said Chris Garlick, an ROTC student and junior in political science, ”
Though military students get a majority of their leadership experience on campus, some say joint programs, like at Fort Riley, separate them from other top programs in the country.
“They rotate us through, so everybody gets that same opportunity to actually be in charge of a mass group so I think it really helps bring you up in the Army,” said Jerimiah Wood, an ROTC student and junior in management.
Top schools were based on student enrollment, military contracts, student feedback, policies and programs.
K-State ROTC started a joint military program this year, where Fort Riley soldiers mentor top cadets. Programs like this help keep students in the classroom, but some of the other top schools seem to struggle.
“Many of them are facing challenges today in recruiting young men and women to serve,” said Lt. Col. George Belin, a ROTC professor. “Here at K-State, that certainly is not the case. In fact, our program is growing every year and we get more and more men and women who want to serve in the military.”
Belin says he expects ROTC to increase another 25 percent next year.
Of this growing military program, about 95 percent of cadets will be placed in their specialized field. Officials say only 60 percent of students in other schools get placed in their specialized field.