By Stacey Axler<\/p>\n
Three Hood ROTC students recently applied for and were offered the opportunity to travel out ofMarylandwith various programs.<\/p>\n
As the first students from the Hood ROTC to have this opportunity, sophomore Gunther Zimmer, sophomore Bethany Johnson, and junior Erica Burgess are eager to travel with different programs for a time period of roughly a month in the summer to gain real world experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited to travel to different countries\u2014something I get to experience through ROTC,\u201d said Zimmer.<\/p>\n
Both Zimmer and Johnson applied for CULP, Cultural Language Program, and were chosen out of 1500 applicants to participate in a program that allows them to travel to various countries.<\/p>\n
Zimmer currently prepares to leave for Kazhikstan on June 18 as a part of the American Corners Program, which strives to teach high school students about the college application project.\u00a0 Zimmer will also meet with foreign dignitaries and learn more about the country of Kazhikstan during his month in the program.<\/p>\n
Johnson prepares to travel toMozambiqueinSouthern Africa, and will take part in an English language learning program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe [ROTC] program at Hood has doubled in the past semester\u2026 there are a lot of opportunities [with ROTC]; you just have to seek them out,\u201d Johson said.<\/p>\n
Burgess looks forward to going toSavanna,Georgiathis summer as a part of the Cadet Professional Development Training program.\u00a0 InGeorgia, Burgess will serve under chief engineers to manage a project.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m extremely happy about this, because [people in ROTC] often cannot have an internship due to ROTC obligations,\u201d Burgess said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great chance for cadets in ROTC to see what they would like to do in the future.,\u201d she continued. \u201cPersonally, I hope to have the opportunity to work on an environmental service project while inGeorgia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also nice that I can translate what I do this summer into a civilian job,\u201d Burgess added.<\/p>\n
All three students express gratitude towards the opportunities and community ROTC offers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to join ROTC because I thought it was a great opportunity,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cI wanted to go to college and I\u2019ve always wanted to join the army ever since I was little, because I\u2019m fromSouth Koreaand I think thatAmericais my promised land.\u201d<\/p>\n
The three leave this summer for their programs, and all say that they are \u201cexcited\u201d about the upcoming experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor ROTC, we represent Hood College, but largely, we are also representing the army\u2026and this program is good to teach people about what the army is about,\u201d Zimmer said.<\/p>\n
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