ROTC Cadets Receive Commissions at Ceremony

Two Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from The University of Texas at Dallas received their commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve on May 23 at UTD’s inaugural officer commissioning ceremony.

“Today marks a very important milestone for these young men and women as they go off to their next adventure,” said Army Lt. Col. Gregory LeClair, professor of military science for U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Comet Battalion, which includes UTD and several other ROTC universities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Eight total cadets from Comet Battalion, including six graduating from Southern Methodist University and the University of Dallas, received their commissions at the event.

Recent UT Dallas grads who received their commissions were 2nd Lt. Peter Adesanya MBA’25 and 2nd Lt. Jennifer Trinh BS’25, who earned a degree in healthcare management.

UTD expanded its ROTC program under the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) last year.

“When we planted a flag at UT Dallas, we had six cadets across all four undergraduate years,” LeClair said. “We now have 40 cadets. And this fall, we will have more than 45 inbound cadets. If you build it, they will come.”

Adesanya will serve in the Army as a member of the military police, while Trinh will join the military police in the Army Reserve. They are both attending officer training school at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Trinh plans to return to UTD in the fall to work on dual master’s degrees.

“I will be pursuing both a Master of Science in healthcare leadership and management and an MBA,” she said. “My goal is to advance into health care administration and leadership roles that make a meaningful impact.”

Trinh enlisted in the Army Reserve at age 19.

“Over time, I felt called to do more and take on a leadership role, which inspired me to join ROTC,” she said.

Adesanya had already served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter repair technician before enrolling at UTD. He was the cadet battalion commander, a role he found fulfilling.

“Leading the cadets in the numerous volunteer and community programs we undertook and contributing to the training of junior cadets and the overall quality of the program was rewarding,” he said.

Adesanya hopes to build a career in the Army.

“My short-term goal is to graduate from the basic officer leadership course and excel in my assignment as a platoon leader,” he said. “My long-term goal is to attain the rank of a field-grade officer or beyond. Someday, I hope to earn a doctorate in business administration.”

Trinh’s mother, Thoa Trang, pinned her with her new rank insignia during the ceremony, while Adesanya’s parents, Amos and Olufolake Adesanya, pinned him.

“Being pinned by my parents was a dream come true,” Adesanya said. “It meant everything to me. I had always pictured it happening just like that since I joined the Army in 2021 as an enlisted service member.”

For Trinh, the most rewarding part of the ROTC program at UTD has been contributing to its foundation and growth.

“Being part of something from the ground up and helping shape its direction has been a unique and fulfilling experience,” she said.

Several UTD administrators attended the event, including Rafael Martín PhD’20, vice president for administration and chief of staff; Dr. Inga H. Musselman, provost, vice president for academic affairs and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership; and Dr. Jennifer S. Holmes, EPPS dean and the Lloyd V. Berkner Professor of political science and of public policy and political economy.

“The School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences is proud to be the host of the Army ROTC Comet Battalion and support its first commissioning,” Holmes said. “ROTC’s mission is aligned with the school and our commitment to public service, from second lieutenants to city managers and policy analysts. 

“Being a part of creating new military officers is incredibly rewarding. Now, our colleagues not only teach international relations, but our alumni also practice it and directly work to advance U.S. strategic interests in their role with the Army.”