Leadership

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.

Ready To Lead: Caitlynn Walsh ‘24 Named 2023-2024 Corps Commander

March 23, 2023 by rnelson

The Corps of Cadets recently announced the organization’s leadership selections for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. At the top of this list lies the Corps’ third-ever female Corps Commander: cadet Caitlynn Walsh ‘24.

A Political Science major from Double Oak, Texas, Caitlynn currently serves as the Corps’ Sergeant Major for the 2022-2023 school year. As she prepares to officially step into the Corps Commander role next month at Final Review, Caitlynn took time to reflect on her unique path to Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets.

“I transferred to Texas A&M during my sophomore year from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. After reflecting on what I wanted in a university experience, I decided to make the switch to Texas A&M and joined the Corps as a transfer cadet in Company D-1. I have always wanted to serve in the military and saw the Corps as the best place to immerse myself in a community of service-driven individuals with many opportunities to further develop my leadership skills,” Caitlynn said.

With her sights set on military service, Caitlynn has chosen to pursue a Marine Corps contract through the Platoon Leaders Class, an undergraduate commissioning program.

“Before joining the Corps of Cadets, I had not really considered the Marine Corps. Since joining the Corps, I am grateful to have made many friends that shed light onto the opportunities and values of the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps ultimately drew me with its strong esprit de corps, values and mission that I resonated with, and the unique opportunities to serve my country that it offers,” Caitlynn explained.

As Corps Commander, Caitlynn looks to lead the Corps by example and serve as a source of inspiration to those around her.

“I hope to inspire others by setting an example and showing commitment to the Corps’ values of Honor, Integrity, Courage, Discipline, Respect and Selfless Service through my actions. I also aim to foster an environment where every member feels supported, valued and encouraged to succeed and grow as a leader in this organization,” Caitlynn said.

“As the third-ever female Corps Commander, I also hope to inspire other women within the Corps and beyond by serving as an example that leadership is not limited by gender. The role of Corps Commander holds great responsibility, regardless of gender, and I see it as a tremendous opportunity to serve the university that I love.”

With her tenure as Corps Commander about to begin, Caitlynn offered a few pieces of advice to the incoming freshman class of 2027.

“Commit yourself to the Corps’ values. Honor, Integrity, Courage, Discipline, Respect, and Selfless Service are central to the Corps experience and the Aggie identity. Embrace them and they will serve you well as you use them to guide your actions as a cadet and beyond.

Be disciplined, but don’t be afraid to seek help. The Corps experience is a challenging one, and it is supposed to be. It is designed to develop values and strong leadership skills in each member, which takes dedication and hard work. Realize that there is no shortage of people who are invested in your success and are willing to mentor, guide and help you overcome any challenge you may face.”

For over 145 years, the Corps of Cadets has served as Texas A&M’s premier leadership organization, developing leaders from all walks of life. Though Caitlynn took a non-traditional path to the Corps of Cadets, the opportunities available to her were endless. The Corps of Cadets serves as a place for every individual, regardless of their goals for the future, to develop into well rounded leaders prepared for any challenge they may face.

Story By: Robin Nelson ’22

Though Caitlynn has chosen to serve in the United States Marine Corps after her time at Texas A&M, a majority of graduating cadets go on to serve in the public and private sectors. Fill out the form below to learn more about the professional, educational and scholarship opportunities available in the Corps of Cadets.

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Meet With Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band

February 28, 2023 by rnelson

In a good bull story for the ages, cadet Chase Borders ‘25, of B-Battery in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, helped arrange one of the greatest meet ups that the Corps of Cadets has ever seen.

“While in Arlington for the Southwest Classic, I submitted a form requesting an event with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Originally, I didn’t think it would amount to much because I figured they get tons of requests. I received an email from their event coordinator asking to schedule a phone call. After a couple phone calls to iron out the details, I was able to pass the event off to the Band Commander, Cameron Paladino ‘23, to figure out the logistics!”

Once they arrived on campus, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders were welcomed into the Music Activities Center by nearly 150 cadets. During their visit, members of the organization and team director, Kelli Finglass, drew similarities between their organization and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.

“One of the biggest compliments that both of our organizations can get is that we make it look easy, but we know that there’s so much work that goes into it. There are so many moving parts to what we do, but practicing with your team makes it all come together for the final product,” Finglass said.

In addition to highlighting the similarities the two teams share, Finglass also shared advice on how to work as a team through challenges and adversity.

“Going in everyday with that ‘I’ve got this’ attitude is what will carry you through. If even one girl on our team has an ‘I can’t get up’ mindset, it is the job of the rest of the team to help her up,” Finglass explained.

After visiting with the team for an hour, cadets in attendance showed the cheerleaders around the Dunlap Drill Field, where they also took photos with the team members and coaches.

“It was such an honor to get to work with such a prestigious organization. I wasn’t expecting the request to grow into something so amazing. It’s great to know that a professional organization like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders recognizes the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and views us with such high regards. Two highly renowned organizations meeting like this doesn’t happen very often, so I wanted to help create something that we can hopefully turn into a yearly tradition,” Borders said.

Through “career readiness events”, cadets are able to learn from industry leaders about the skills they need to be successful in the workforce. This visit by one of America’s most iconic teams is just one of many career readiness events that are offered to cadets throughout the year. In a unique twist on a traditional career readiness event, cadets heard from the team that has redefined and led the sports entertainment industry for over 60 years.

In a meeting between nationally famous and world famous, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders came together to celebrate commonalities and the value of leadership, hard work and tradition.

“In the Aggie Band, and in the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, we don’t mess around with tradition. We celebrate all of our traditions and we respect that we wouldn’t be who we are today without our larger organizations. Our team, the Dallas Cowboys organization, is the best of its brand, much like Texas A&M,” Finglass said.

Story By: Robin Nelson '22

Kendalyn Lytle ’23

January 30, 2023 by rnelson

Hometown: Boerne, Texas

Major: Environmental Engineering

Outfit: A-Company

Originally from A-Company in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, Kendalyn Lytle serves as the Infantry Band Commander for the 2022-2023 academic year.

In addition to her role as the Infantry Band Commander, Kendalyn also serves on the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’s Bugle Rank and as the Executive Officer for the Fish Drill Team.

Off the Quad, Kendalyn enjoys running marathons, baking and Crossfit.

“I’ve gained a lot from my time in the Corps, but the greatest thing that the Corps gave me was my buddy class and the relationships that I have with other Aggie Bandsmen and members of the Fish Drill Team. It was their support and encouragement that helped me make it through both cycles of OCS, and without them I wouldn’t have had the confidence to become the cadet that I am today,” Kendalyn said of her time in the Corps.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Kendalyn plans to commission into the United States Marine Corps, where she hopes to become a fighter pilot. Kendalyn is also looking forward to marrying her high school sweetheart.