Sept. 2, 2009

DWU welcomes first ROTC scholarship cadet

College also named to list of ‘Military Friendly Schools’

MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan is proud to welcome its first ROTC scholarship cadet to campus this month, as well as being named a “Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine for 2010.

Kelty Godby, of Fort Gibson, Okla., has signed on the dotted line and committed to the Army ROTC program at DWU as the program’s first scholarship recipient. As such, Godby receives money toward tuition and books, as well as other compensation.

“Basically, it’s a full ride,” said Army Reserve Maj. Tony Cole, assistant professor of biochemistry and military science instructor at the college.

Cadet Godby was offered another large scholarship to DWU, but chose to enter into the ROTC program instead.

“It would pay for college, I would have something to work forward to upon graduation, (and) I would already have a job and be able to get started with that,” Godby said about why he joined the ROTC. He hopes to work his way into the aviation or engineering fields. “But those are really competitive fields in the military, as what I’ve been told, you have to do really well in the program to compete for those.”

He hopes he’s up for the challenge. Either way, ROTC offers something else Godby is interested in — skills that will market himself for other future careers.

“I also felt like it would build life and leadership skills,” he said, “and help me in careers down the road.”

Godby, a self-proclaimed big hunter of “anything that flies,” said that South Dakota was always where he wanted to be, and he chose DWU because he was interested in a faith-based college.
“I knew I wanted to come to South Dakota and come to a Christian school and my dad and I did some research … visited a few and liked DWU,” he said.

The ROTC program is relatively new to the college and was initiated by Cole and Sean Flynn, associate professor of history, in the summer of 2008. There was an effort by administrators to search out majors and minors that would attract more students and Flynn recommended a ROTC program for students who were looking specifically for that kind of program.

DWU faculty approved the program in August 2008 and the board approved it that October. DWU’s program is a satellite program, with this region’s host school at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion.

Godby is one of three students enrolled in the Military Science 101: Leadership and Personal Development and the only scholarship cadet – which means he is committed to the Army. Students have no commitment to the Army to take the first two years of classes in the ROTC program, but must commit if they are scholarship recipients or choose to remain past the first two years.

Flynn, who serves as the civilian liaison between the college and ROTC, pointed out that ROTC is not a recruiting tool for the Army, but a leadership program. This point was also stressed by Lt. Col. Tom Martin, professor of military science at USD, who supervises DWU’s program.

“We’re in business to teach leadership. An officer is a leader – that’s what we produce,” Martin said.

DWU’s program is a satellite program that will offer 100- and 200-level courses taught at DWU by Cole, and students who remain enrolled in the program as juniors and seniors will travel to USD once to twice a week for their upper-level courses.

ROTC Program
Army ROTC is considered one of the best leadership courses in the country and part of a ROTC cadet’s college curriculum. Upon earning their bachelor’s degree and completion of the Army ROTC curriculum, cadets earn the bar of a second lieutenant in the United States Army.

In partnership with the USD Army ROTC program, Dakota Wesleyan offers qualified students the opportunity to earn U.S. Army ROTC two-, three- and four-year scholarships that cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, provide an allotment to pay for books, and provide a monthly stipend for spending money.

ROTC Details

• Number of students traditionally enrolled in USD ROTC: 70-75
• Number of students enrolled in ROTC courses at DWU: Three
• Number of ROTC scholarship cadets at DWU: One
• Courses: ROTC military courses are taken for course credit just like any other college course.
• Goal: ROTC is not meant as a recruiting tool for the U.S. Army, but as a leadership program.
• ROTC commitment: Students have no commitment to the Army to take the first two years of classes in the ROTC program, but must commit if they are scholarship recipients or choose to remain past the first two years.

General Scholarship Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Army ROTC four-year college scholarship, you must meet the following general eligibility requirements:

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5
• You must receive a minimum SAT score of 920 or an ACT composite score of 19.
• You must have no moral obligation or personal conviction that will prevent you from: “supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, or conscientiously bearing arms.”
• You must also satisfactorily explain any record of arrest and/or civil conviction.

DWU was also named a “Military Friendly School,” but this was not contingent on beginning a ROTC program on campus. Being named a “Military Friendly School” places DWU in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide. DWU will also be listed in the September 2009 issue of Guide to Military Friendly Schools.

To contact Lt. Col. Tom Martin, please call (605) 677-6049
To contact Maj. Tony Cole, please call (605) 995-2891, or 995-2708
To contact Sean Flynn, please call (605) 995-2713

Please contact the DWU University Relations office for contact information concerning ROTC Cadet Kelty Godby.