Cadet Leadership

Daniel MacKenzie ’24

September 6, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Noblesville, Indiana

Major: Ecological Restoration and Parks & Natural Resource Management

Outfit: C-Company

Originally from C-Company, Daniel MacKenzie ’24 currently serves as the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band Commander for the 2023-2024 academic year.

On the Quad, Daniel serves as a member of the Bugle Rank, as a SOMS Peer Mentor and as an LLC Student Worker. During his freshman year, Daniel was a member of the Fish Drill Team, where he also later served as a sophomore advisor.

Off the Quad, Daniel is an Ecology and Conservation Biology Student Ambassador (ECCBSA). In his free time, Daniel enjoys playing the drums, hiking and cooking.

“If I had to boil it down to three things, the Corps personally has taught me how to truly serve and listen to others, balance a very loaded plate of responsibilities and empower various sized teams and organizations. When I leave here, I know I’ll be taking lifelong friendships, memories and experiences with me to apply into every aspect of my life,” Daniel said of his time in the Corps.

After graduation, Daniel plans to take time to travel abroad and volunteer before settling into his first job. After this, Daniel hopes to either work in seasonal roles with the National Park Service or begin a career in environmental consulting with Lloyd Engineering.

Alexa Reichert ’24

August 23, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Major: Sociology with a minor in Russian

Outfit: Company A-1

Originally from Company A-1, Alexa Reichert ’24 presently serves as the Third Battalion Commander for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Off the Quad, Alexa leads a women’s bible study group for St. Mary’s church and is a member of the MSC Student Conference on National Affairs (SCONA). In addition to these activities, Alexa is also closely involved with the A&M club gymnastics team, as well as the club swimming team.

After graduation, Alexa plans to attend medical school, where she hopes to study to one day become an OBGYN.

“The Corps has prepared me as a leader by giving me opportunities to challenge myself and my mental, spiritual and physical abilities. Each lesson that I’ve learned in the Corps, even the hard ones, have been worth it in terms of how much I have grown,” Alexa said of her time in the Corps.

Caitlynn Walsh ’24

May 3, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Double Oak, Texas

Major: Political Science

Outfit: Corps Staff / Company D-1

Originally from Company D-1, Caitlynn Walsh ’24 now serves as the 2023-2024 Corps Commander.

Prior to being selected to serve as the Corps Commander, Caitlynn served the Corps as the Corps Sergeant Major throughout the 2022-2023 school year. In addition to her service in these leadership positions, Caitlynn is also a Ross Volunteer.

Off the Quad, Caitlynn is a member of the Student Conference On National Affairs (SCONA).

“The Corps of Cadets has prepared me for life after college by giving me the opportunity to build a strong foundation of leadership, character, and professional development. I wake up every morning and have the privilege of working with a team of my peers as we develop our leadership skills through every decision we make. This year, I hope to inspire others by setting an example and showing commitment to the values of Honor, Integrity, Courage, Discipline, Respect and Selfless Service through my actions,” Caitlynn says.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Caitlynn plans to commission as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Marine Corps.

Joey Andruss ’23

April 20, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Victoria, Texas

Major: Civil Engineering

Outfit: Squadron 21/2nd Wing Staff

Joey Andruss ’23 currently serves the Corps of Cadets as the 2nd Wing Major Unit Commander. Within the Corps, Joey is also a Ross Volunteer and member of the Catholics on the Quad organization.

Off the Quad, Joey is an active in the American Society of Civil Engineers, as well as the American Society of Military Engineers.

“The Corps has done more for me than I could ever explain, but there are three major things that I’ll take away from my time in the Corps. First, the Corps taught me how to manage people and how to effectively lead a large organization to be successful and accomplish goals. Second, it taught me the importance of building relationships and being able to cultivate lasting friendships from those relationships. Lastly, the Corps provided me the opportunity to have a unique and developmental Aggie experience that most students never will experience, and I’m truly grateful for that,” Joey said of his time in the Corps of Cadets.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Joey plans to commission into the United States Air Force, where he hopes to serve as a Civil Engineer. After his time in the Air Force, Joey plans to obtain his Professional Engineering License and open his own engineering firm.

Shelby Osborne ’23

April 5, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Marion, Texas

Major: Psychology

Outfit: Squadron 20

A member of Squadron 20, Shelby Osborne ’23 currently serves as the outfit’s Athletics Officer.

On the Quad, Shelby is a member of Parsons Mounted Cavalry, where she also serves as the special unit’s Executive Officer.

Off the Quad, Shelby is a student worker with Texas A&M’s Technology Services. In her free time, Shelby enjoys painting, reading and spending time with her family and friends.

“My dad always talked about how important it is to understand differences you can see in a group of people you work with. A thing he often said was, ‘You don’t have to have the best idea in the room, but instead know how to work with those around you to find it.’ This quote got me through a lot in the Corps. Everyone has an idea on how to best solve issues in leadership, so learning to work with my peers to find the best solution has helped me along the way,” Shelby said of her experience with the Corps of Cadets.

After graduation, Shelby plans to attend the University of Texas’ Health and Science School in San Antonio with hopes of one day becoming a nurse.