Johns Hopkins University senior Jenna Halpin received the Women's Army Corps Veterans' Association Pallas Athene Award, one of the top honors for women ROTC cadets. The award honors students who demonstrate leadership potential and exemplify the values of service and patriotism that were central to the Women's Army Corps.
When Halpin arrived at Johns Hopkins University four years ago to study civil engineering and play field hockey, ROTC wasn't on her radar until an older teammate encouraged her to give it a try. The program was a natural fit for Halpin, particularly the Ranger Challenge team, which competes against other college ROTC teams on various physical fitness and military skills tests.
Image credit: Courtesy of Jenna Halpin
Halpin says the tough physical regimen made her both a better cadet and student: "I was doing physical training every morning with the Ranger Challenge Team, and then in the evenings I would play field hockey. So that was definitely a super interesting first semester at college. It really set a good foundation for the remainder of my time in the program specifically."
A torn ligament sidelined Halpin from both field hockey and the Ranger Challenge Team during her sophomore year. However, after two surgeries and a summer of physical therapy, she was able to resume both activities as a junior, and she recorded the top score in an ROTC fitness test in the spring.
The summer after her junior year, Halpin attended Advanced Camp in Fort Knox, a month-long program that trains and assesses cadets on their ability to lead and thrive in challenging environments. Halpin's superior performance helped her earn the title of Distinguished Military Graduate, an honor bestowed on the top 20% of graduating cadets in the United States for achievement in both academics and ROTC. She also attended Cadet Troop Leader Training in South Korea, where she shadowed a medical services officer and worked on field litter ambulances.
Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University
"I learned a ton while out there," she says. "It was my first real experience with the Army outside of the ROTC program, which was just amazing. We also got to spend some time with the Korean cadets, so getting that cultural experience—seeing how different armies train and learning how to work alongside others when there's a language and culture barrier—was really eye-opening."
These combined experiences prepared her to serve as cadet battalion commander, the highest cadet position in ROTC, during her last semester as an undergraduate.
Though she's graduating this spring, Halpin still has another semester at Hopkins, during which she'll finish her master's in civil engineering. At an ROTC ceremony on May 23, Halpin will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves Corps of Engineers. Following the commission, this spring she'll officially be an officer in the Army and will attend drills with her unit at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. After her grad semester, she will attend EBOLC, short for Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course, for six months at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri before returning to the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area to continue with her Army and civilian careers.
"When it came to selecting a cadet battalion commander for the spring, it was an easy decision to select Jenna Halpin," says Lt Col Brandon Thompson, an instructor with JHU's ROTC program. "Jenna is in the top 1.5% of cadets in the entire United States Army Cadet Command and already demonstrates the leadership attributes and competencies we expect of our seasoned lieutenants in the Army. Her ability to overcome adverse situations, while performing at a high level sets her apart from her peers. We couldn't be more proud of her achievements."
Image caption: Halpin, front row center, with her fellow graduating cadets at this year's formal military social at Fort Meade
Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University
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