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Equipped to Lead and Succeed
For This Aspiring Army Officer, a Meal Sealed the Deal
When Wang Ruan MS ’23 was on the fence about his future, a dinner on the Hilltop helped him make a decision.
As he approached graduation as a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in 2023, Ruan had a choice to make: join the Army full-time, or join the Army Reserve. Then he attended an ROTC “dining-in” event on campus.
Dining-in events give cadets a chance to relax, have fun, and learn about potential careers, Ruan said. “ROTC graduates come back to USF and speak about their experience in the Army and their civilian careers after they get out of the Army. Last year, Jolene Pangelinan, a USF ROTC graduate who is a colonel — a high rank in the Army, next rank is general — came and talked about her path in the Army.”
Pangelinan is now the deputy commander for nursing at the Army hospital in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“Learning about different people’s Army experiences and seeing the potential paths, plus bonding with peers, helped cement my decision to serve in the Army full-time,” Ruan said.
Ruan is now a second lieutenant. He’s attending the Army Cyber School in Augusta, Georgia.
“I studied information systems at USF,” Ruan said. “I’ve always been interested in cybersecurity. Now I’m a cyber officer.”
A cyber officer does three things, Ruan said: Leads and trains soldiers to defend the Department of Defense/Army computer network against attack; works with intelligence agencies to exploit adversaries' networks in times of competition or crisis; and, in times of conflict, leads soldiers in electromagnetic combat to disrupt enemy communications and operations.
“We serve the American people to defend this nation,” Ruan said. “We also serve the enlisted soldiers who work under us to ensure they are taken care of in terms of work, training, and their family and personal needs.”
Ruan, who immigrated from China in 2007 and became a U.S. citizen in 2016, said he chose USF for its location, its ROTC program, and its student diversity.
“San Francisco is well-known for its Chinese American culture and history,” Ruan said. “I wanted to come here to experience it myself. Also, having such diversity really helped me with my leadership skills. Being able to do teamwork with so many different people is something you don’t really get anywhere else.”
Engaged Learning
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Engaged Learning