ROTC to gain awareness from gladiator events
Those who have ever dreamed of being an American Gladiator will have their chance Sunday.
CMU’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program and an IPC 255A: Special Topics in Interpersonal Communication class are teaming up to present ROTC Gladiators from 2 to 6 p.m. in Finch Fieldhouse.
The group plans to raise awareness for ROTC and put together care packages for soldiers overseas by letting students battle ROTC members in American Gladiator competitions.
“I think mostly it’s an opportunity to get out and have fun and just enjoy the day and compete,” said Maj. Gregg Mays, military science professor. “It’s not necessarily (an event) where you have to be ROTC to enjoy it.”
People can compete against ROTC members in a Hummer pull, obstacle course, dodgeball and rock climbing.
They also can joust using pugil sticks (large, padded, cotton-swab shaped sticks) to knock opponents off a pedestal.
Manton senior Jacqueline Vincent suggested the events planning class help introduce students to the ROTC program on campus.
“Wendy Papa teaches the events planning class and broke us up into groups to plan an event,” she said. “I had previously been part of the CMU ROTC Chippewa Battalion planning team for a closed event that was called ROTC American Gladiators.”
Vincent said it took place in the SAC last semester and was a cadet-only esprit de corps event intended to build unit cohesion within the companies and friendly competition between them.
“The event was really fun,” she said.
Admission and entry into the contest is free, however, donations will be accepted.
Jodi Castagnier, Flint senior and IPC 255A student, said her class wanted to raise awareness about the ROTC program on campus, while at the same time support soldiers overseas.
“We really want (soldiers) to see that we’re thinking about them and we care about them,” she said. “We want to send them entertainment things like movies, books, recent magazines that they’re not able to get a hold of.”
Mays said he hopes 200 to 300 non-ROTC people will attend the event, which has never been done before on campus.
“This is the first of its kind,” he said. “It’s another opportunity to get out and enjoy the day as the year winds down and the weather gets better.”
Castagnier also is hoping for a large turnout.
“It’d be a good way before finals to just cut loose and hang out with friends,” she said.
