Erin Stanton, FCRH ’23, didn’t come to Fordham expecting to participate in the ROTC program. After meeting someone who does ROTC while on her GO! Trip, she was sold on all the opportunities the program has to offer.

For Erin, ROTC serves as a tool for promoting discipline, establishing friendship and being exposed to valuable future opportunities. Due to the weekly training requirements, Erin is able to enjoy staying fit. The tight knit community allows for bonds to be created that are often deeper than that of a typical friendship. “It would be really hard if I didn’t have my friends because it’s a tougher lifestyle; friendships are stronger because we go through more together in training,” Erin said. This is also her favorite aspect of ROTC. Additionally, she’s looking forward to the opportunity to do part-time service in the army’s medical field, as she is currently on the pre-health track to pursue dental school after her service. Overall, she is excited to give back while still being able to pursue her goals. 

As a sophomore in the program, her responsibilities are more than just meeting standards. Erin must also help guide the freshman members, making sure they keep up with their grades and have proper gear. She appreciates the ever-changing responsibilities, as once your seniority increases, so does the role you play. She is looking forward to eventually planning the program as a senior.

On top of ROTC and the pre-health track, Erin is the treasurer of Fordham’s dental club. A small niche group, they specialize in offering those students who are interested in dentistry a hub for opportunities and a like-minded community. Although she began in the background of the club, she was pleased to be offered the role of treasurer, even if it involves lots and lots of paperwork. Erin’s role in the club’s executive board is unique because of her involvement with ROTC. This allows her to bring a new avenue of possibilities to club members, as the military offers many jobs that are less mainstream than a typical dental job.

As if this mix wasn’t enough, Erin has also participated in many GO! Trips at Fordham. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she traveled to the Appalachian region in Tennessee. Initially, she and the rest of her group believed their mission to be something entirely different than what they ended up being tasked with. “It was interesting how we thought we knew the problems of the area until we got there,” said Erin. Rather than being thrown off by this change in plans, she and her group got straight to work, developing new perspectives and creating lifelong bonds along the way.

Her next GO! Trip will be virtual, focusing on LGBTQ+ issues with the Brother Darst Center in Chicago. Although this will feel much different than it would in person, Erin said she is “excited to see how much of an impact you can make on a computer, if at all.” 

In the future, Erin looks forward to traveling internationally with Fordham. Although studying abroad is difficult as an ROTC member, she hopes to participate in an in-person global GO! Trip before she graduates.