His father, a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) graduate, and his mother, a member of the first class of women at West Point Military Academy, met at their first duty station in Germany.
Hamilton is a member of the Bryant Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Patriot Battalion. The Battalion has 75 cadets from Rhode Island campuses, and Hamilton is one of 10 ROTC scholarship recipients currently at Bryant. (The ROTC scholarship includes full room and board, tuition, a spending stipend, and paid summer training.)
During recent training in Fort Lee, VA, Hamilton visited Washington, DC. “The experience that stands out most to me was rubbing my uncle’s name on the Vietnam War Memorial,” he shared. “He was 21 when he gave his life for our country. I have a great deal of pride in my uncle, my country, and myself for the commitment of service I am making through ROTC.”
According to Sam Houston, Bryant’s assistant professor of military science, Hamilton is an outstanding cadet. This summer, he was in the top five percent of his regiment of 4,000 cadets at a Leadership Development Assessment Course in Fort Lewis, WA, and he earned a RECONDO badge and an overall E (excellent) rating for his performance. “We look for people who know that with perseverance and effort, they can reach their personal potential and become leaders. Chris certainly exhibits these qualities,” Houston said.
In addition to soldiering, Hamilton also has an active academic life as a communication major. “I knew that I wanted to develop skills that would accompany me in any profession, in and beyond the army,” he says. “Communication has taught me confidence and logical reasoning through courses like Argumentation and Persuasion, as well as lessons in human nature through courses like Interpersonal Communication.”
Hamilton has found many outlets at Bryant to develop communication skills, including a job as sports editor for The Archway, Bryant’s student newspaper. During his time at The Archway, Hamilton highlighted athletes, but he also wrote about important campus issues such as the alcohol and guest policies. “It was an amazing experience and a unique opportunity I wouldn’t have had at most universities” he says. For his work, Hamilton was recognized with The Archway Editor of the Year award.
A public relations course with Renee Buisson, adjunct professor and executive director of university relations, inspired Hamilton to pursue the internship. “The class taught me a great deal about professional writing and creative thinking,” he explains. “Professor Buisson incorporated a personal wealth of knowledge in her field to teaching the class.”
Hamilton feels prepared for his job after graduation as a Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the active duty army. “The combination of ROTC, my classes in communication and business, and my personal experiences at Bryant have made a difference in my life,” Hamilton says. “I’m leaving with much more then a degree and a commission. I’m leaving as a confident and capable person, eager to shape my future with the tools I earned at Bryant.”
© 2006 Bryant University
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