More than $8 million in tuition assistance has been distributed to hundreds of future Army Guard and Army Reserve officers through the Minuteman Campaign. The scholarship is part of a U.S. Army Cadet Command initiative that provides education support to future leaders, like Cadet Jordyn Hoit.
Hoit, 19, currently attends Hofstra University in New York, with a plan to pursue the police academy after graduation. She is among roughly 350 recipients of the scholarship.
“I wanted to be a cadet so that I could progress in my military training while also pursuing a four-year education. I chose ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps] over a military academy because I wanted a more normal college experience,” she said via email to Reserve + National Guard Magazine.
Hoit has already gained the type of experience needed to balance the competing responsibilities of a citizen soldier. She double majors in criminology and sociology, with two minors in women’s studies and peace and conflict studies. The Washington state native also attends club activities, ROTC, drill and classes, and began doing chalk art — a craft she continues today — for neighborhood families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If there is any way that I might be able to help someone, even if it’s just a small thing, I want to,” she said.
She was also a contender for the U.S. Olympic combine for Bobsledding. So how does she juggle so many activities?
“First, lists are important. Make a to-do list that you can easily see often, and keep up with it. My calendar is my best friend. And I love to put myself on a set schedule,” Hoit said. “Another important part is recognizing when I need a break. I make sure that the things I do, I enjoy. And if I don’t enjoy them? That usually means I need to change my mindset. Sometimes you just have to remind yourself of why you are doing something.”
She added that it’s important to surround yourself with people who will hold you accountable but also “hold yourself accountable too. Set the standards for yourself and maintain them but always strive to exceed them.”
Hoit was among a group of Minuteman Scholarship recipients recognized at Fenway Park in April to coincide with the Army Reserve birthday, which also included Lt. Gen. Robert Harter and fellow cadet, Desai Pranav.
Eighteen-year-old Pranav, who is originally from Massachusetts, is the son of Indian immigrants from Mumbai. He says ROTC allows him to work on his two biggest goals: military service and education.
“As the son of two immigrants, I have a unique perspective. My parents moved to the country for the abundance of prestigious educational opportunities and freedoms that I would grow up around,” Pranav explained. “Serving in the Army is my way of giving back and showing my gratitude for the privilege I have been fortunate to grow up with.”
Pranav plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh this fall, with a major in nutrition on the pre-med path. His goal is to one day become a doctor with a surgical specialty like orthopedics or general surgery, he said.
He recommends students interested in the military consider ROTC.
“This unique program allows cadets to immediately join the Army as officers …,” he said. “In addition to preparing cadets for their future in the Army, it also provides valuable experience in the civilian world. Teaching leadership, resilience and providing invaluable experience. Not only will ROTC mold you into a more disciplined student, it enables you to pursue whatever endeavor you choose academically.”
Pranav echoes the same advice as Hoit in managing different responsibilities, emphasizing the value of balancing work and leisure.
Make “time in your schedule for hobbies or other activities you are interested in. … [It] allows you to catch a break and prevent burnout; in turn allowing you to place more effort on all facets of your life.”
His second tip is “to be present in every activity you do [which] not only forces you to give your best in everything, but it also [makes you] schedule your time more efficiently.”
The anticipated opening of the next cycle of scholarship applications is at the end of the year, according to the Army Reserve.
Learn more about the Minuteman Campaign.
