Kean University ROTC Students Prepare for Service

Three students arrived at Kean University through different paths of military service, but each found a strong sense of community through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Marie Pierre, Dylan Christine and Mark Daniel Carnay are now preparing for military leadership roles after graduation.

Pierre, an accounting major, joined ROTC after serving in the Army as a supply sergeant. Drawn to Kean by the opportunity to complete her bachelor’s degree and pursue a commission as an officer, she said the program quickly became a defining part of her college experience.

“I knew this was where I belonged,” Pierre said. “I met so many different people through ROTC and they became like family.”

Pierre said she also built professional connections that she believes will help her after graduation. She plans to remain in the Army Reserve with the goal of becoming a forensic accountant.

Christine, who is studying business analytics, first joined the National Guard after high school and later discovered ROTC as a pathway to advancement.

“I’ve learned so many leadership skills that help me in the military and on the civilian side as well,” Christine said.

Carnay, an active-duty Soldier and prior Drill Sergeant Leader at the United States Army Drill Sergeant Academy, came to Kean to pursue a master’s degree in global business and will commission as a second lieutenant. During his time in ROTC, he wanted to apply his military experience to mentor future Cadets who want to enter the ROTC program to become Army officers.

“I want to help other cadets understand what they’re stepping into,” Carnay said. “ROTC has been a positive experience, and I think my perspective will be valuable.”

Among the most memorable moments for the cadets was a recent trip to Vietnam, where they studied the Vietnam War and visited historic sites that brought classroom lessons into sharper focus.

“It’s one thing to talk about it, but another to actually see it,” Christine said.

For Pierre, the trip offered an emotional perspective on the lasting impact of war, while Carnay said it deepened his understanding of the connection between military operations, culture and geography.

“You see how war shapes people,” Pierre said. “It makes you more understanding of what others have gone through.”

“It really gives you perspective on what it was like to be in that situation,” Carnay said.

Pierre and Carnay will graduate in May, while Christine is expected to complete his degree in January 2027.

The cadets will participate in a commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 22, as they prepare for the next chapter of military service and leadership.