Army ROTC graduates from Presbyterian College, Lander University, and Newberry College urged to lead through service and humility
Senior cadets from the Highlander Battalion raised their right hands Thursday afternoon in Edmunds Hall at Presbyterian College and took the oath that transformed them from students and cadets into commissioned second lieutenants in the United States Army.
The 2026 Army ROTC Highlander Battalion Commissioning Ceremony celebrated cadets from Presbyterian College, Lander University, and Newberry College who completed the demanding Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program and accepted the responsibility of leading America’s soldiers.
The ceremony blended military tradition, personal reflection, and a call to servant leadership as family members, faculty, alumni, and fellow cadets gathered to celebrate the battalion’s newest second lieutenants.
“Today marks a pivotal moment in the lives of these remarkable young men and women as they transition from cadets to commissioned officers in the United States Army,” said PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson in her opening remarks.
Gustafson emphasized the longstanding military tradition shared by the Highlander Battalion and Presbyterian College, noting that the college has commissioned Army officers for more than a century.
“This ceremony continues a proud tradition at Presbyterian College that spans well over a century,” she said. “For more than 100 years, PC has been instrumental in producing commissioned officers who have served our nation with distinction.”
She praised the cadets not only for their academic and military preparation, but also for the ethical and moral leadership expected of Army officers.
“The education and training you received through the Highlander Battalion prepared you not just academically, but morally and ethically for the profound responsibilities that await you,” Gustafson said.
If you lead from a place of service, you’ll never lead your soldiers astray.”
Col. Hank Coleman ’02, U.S. Army
A Highlander Battalion Officer
The ceremony’s commissioning address was delivered by Col. Hank Coleman, a 2002 graduate of Presbyterian College, former Highlander Battalion cadet, and chief of the G4 Mobility Division for U.S. Army Central and Third Army.
Returning to the same stage where he received his commission nearly 24 years earlier, Coleman reflected on his own commissioning ceremony and the support of the family members who stood beside him then — and the families supporting the cadets now.
“The Army is a family endeavor,” Coleman said. “These lieutenants would not be here today without your love and support, and they will not be able to serve and lead in our Army without your continued support, often from far away.”
Coleman challenged the newly commissioned officers to view leadership not as authority or personal advancement, but as service to others — especially the soldiers they will lead.
“In a few moments, you’ll have the gold bars pinned upon your shoulders, and you’ll be saluted for the first time,” he said. “But the moment that you put on that rank, you become the least important person in the room.”
Drawing from the college motto, “While We Live, We Serve,” Coleman urged the cadets to carry the values of their colleges into military service.
“It doesn’t say until we graduate, we serve,” he said. “It doesn’t say that when we’re comfortable, we serve. It says while we live, we serve.”
Coleman emphasized that the Highlander Battalion’s cadets were shaped not only by military training, but by the liberal arts education they received at Presbyterian College, Lander University, and Newberry College.
“You haven’t just been taught what to think, but how to think,” he said. “In the complexity of modern conflict, it’s critical thinking and ethical clarity that will be your true North Star.”
He also encouraged the new officers to remain humble and learn from the noncommissioned officers who will help guide them during their early years in the Army.
“Your first act of leadership is to serve your noncommissioned officers by being teachable and a humble partner,” Coleman said. “You have the authority that comes with your rank, but they have the experience and the scars.”
Traditions of honor and service
The commissioning ceremony included several longstanding military traditions, including the pinning of rank insignia by family members and the ceremonial first salute from a noncommissioned officer — symbolic moments marking the cadets’ transition into Army leadership.
The ceremony also recognized cadets whose leadership and service reflected the Highlander Battalion’s values.
One of the battalion’s most meaningful honors, the Kimberly Nicole Hampton Leadership Award, was presented to Cadet Theodore Rowe. The award honors the legacy of Capt. Kimberly Hampton, a 1998 Presbyterian College graduate and Army pilot who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004 when her helicopter was shot down near Fallujah.
Hampton remains one of the most celebrated figures in Presbyterian College history. A cum laude English graduate, nationally ranked tennis player, and former cadet battalion commander, she later graduated first in her aviation class and was inducted into the 82nd Airborne All-American Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Wysor Saber, one of the Highlander Battalion’s oldest and most prestigious honors, was awarded to Ashley Flynn, a senior from Fripp Island who graduated summa cum laude on May 9..
Presented during the saber’s 94th anniversary year, the award recognizes an outstanding senior cadet who demonstrates exceptional leadership and service potential. Named in honor of Col. Robert E. Wysor Jr., a decorated veteran of both World Wars and former head of the ROTC unit at Presbyterian College, the saber connects today’s cadets to generations of Highlander Battalion leadership.
‘How can I serve?’
As the ceremony concluded, Lt. Col. Janet Pete-Fox, professor of military science, thanked the families and supporters who helped the cadets reach commissioning day.
“These cadets succeeded in completing a busy and demanding schedule to arrive at this occasion, and they did not do it alone,” Pete-Fox said.
For the new officers, Thursday’s ceremony marked not an ending, but the beginning of a life defined by responsibility, sacrifice, and service.
Coleman reminded the cadets that the challenges awaiting them in the Army would test not only their tactical knowledge, but their character.
“In those moments of chaos and doubt,” he said, “I want you to look back at your roots in the Highlander Battalion … and ask yourself one question: How can I serve in this moment?”
“If you lead from a place of service,” Coleman added, “you’ll never lead your soldiers astray.”
Highlander Battalion Graduates from PC
- 2nd Lt. Nizeyimana Aristide, Logistics, Active Duty
- 2nd Lt. Ashley Flynn, Logistics, Active Duty
- 2nd Lt. Joshua Williams, Logistics, Active Duty
