FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Isaiah Lacey, one of five 2023 University of Saint Francis valedictorians, will become the University’s first ROTC student to be commissioned into the U.S. Army Officer Corps.
Lacey will enter the ranks of the U.S. Army Officer Corps during the Army Commissioning ceremony, which takes place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 at Purdue Fort Wayne’s Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse Alumni Center, 1528 E. California Road.
Earning an Army commission signifies a student’s acceptance as both a member of the U.S. Army Officer Corps and a leader within the greater profession. Lacey earned a four-year Army ROTC scholarship as one of only two recipients for the state of Indiana in 2019. He will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and will be commissioned in the Cyber Warfare Branch. USF’s Commencement is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
“I always wanted to join the military,” Lacey said. “ROTC allowed me to join the military and play football in college, which was another goal of mine. Earning the ROTC and football scholarships allowed me to do both and be able to continue my military career after college.”
While maintaining a civilian position in Fort Wayne, Lacey will also continue his military work as part of the Kentucky National Guard. Lacey said he was inspired to serve by his grandfather, who served in World War II, and his great uncle, who served in the National Guard. Lacey chose USF after graduating from Indian Creek High School in Trafalgar, Indiana.
“Congratulations to Isaiah as he reaches this point in his military career. He put in the dedication and work required to embark on the next phase of his military service while excelling academically at USF,” said Dr. Clifford F. Buttram, Jr., director of the USF Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership and a retired Army officer who oversees the ROTC program at USF.
The Commissioning Oath is essentially the same one taken by American officers since 1776. While the wording has evolved over time, the vow to support and defend the Constitution remains the same. Family members, friends and fellow Cadets will witness the culmination of years of training as the Cadets are administered the Oath of Office and become commissioned officers in the U.S. Army.
Cadets are joined by their friends and family on stage and will have with them selected individuals who greatly assisted them in obtaining their goal of earning a commission in the Army. These individuals will pin the Lieutenant rank on the Army’s newest leaders and stand by to witness their first official act as an officer: Receiving a Salute. As is tradition in the Army, these newly commissioned officers present a silver dollar to the first enlisted service member to render them a salute. The presentation of the coin symbolically acknowledges the receipt of respect due the new lieutenant. This ritual recognizes those who have paved the way and is a commitment to serve with the same honor.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, USF designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 18 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend USF.