SLIPPERY ROCK — Senior cadets from Slippery Rock University’s U.S. Army ROTC program recently received their branch assignments, meaning that their next step after leaving SRU has been determined.

Cadets are assessed into one of 17 branches of the Army based on their preferences and where they rank on the Army Cadet Command’s Order of Merit List (OML), which consists of more than 5,000 senior ROTC cadets at colleges and universities across the country.

The criteria for the OML includes grade-point average, physical training scores and service in leadership positions.

SRU had three cadets ranked in the top 10% and 10 in the top 20%, the latter percentage earning them National Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) recognition.

The three cadets ranking in the top 10% nationally and earning DMG status are:

Sean Aston, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Avenel, N.J.; Austin Reep, a senior philosophy major from Butler; and Anthony Rosati, a senior safety management major from Aliquippa.

The remaining seven cadets earning DMG honors are:

Dawson Ambrose, a senior homeland security major from Slippery Rock; Ian Bain, a senior political science major from Seneca; Kurt Bandow, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from York; Travis Braund, a senior petroleum and natural gas engineering major from Butler; Jordan Confer, a senior computing major from Howard; Jonathan Durban, a senior safety management major from Prospect; and Zachary Vandyke, a senior safety management major from Harrisville.

Three cadets have already completed their degrees at SRU and are now commissioned as officers with the rank of second lieutenant.

The remaining 26 are scheduled to graduate and commission in May 2021.

The fall 2020 graduates include:

Matthew and Michael Lugowski, natives of Crescent, who completed their degrees from SRU in psychology and political science, respectively, and Timothy Nicotra, a 2020 graduate from Gibsonia with a degree in secondary education-social studies/history.

The following is a list of Slippery Rock University senior cadets who received their branch assignments:

Dawson Ambrose, assigned to active duty, military intelligence.

Jeffrey Bennett, a senior management major from Harrisville, assigned to active duty, Chemical Corps.

Travis Braund, assigned to National Guard, field artillery.

Jonathan Durban, assigned to active duty, infantry.

Daniel Pennell, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Harmony, assigned to active duty, Signal Corps.

Austin Reep, assigned to active duty, aviation.

Gavin Terwilliger, a senior safety management major from Butler, assigned to active duty, armor.

Zachary Vandyke, assigned to active duty, aviation.

William Wain, a senior computing major from Cranberry Township, assigned to active duty, Signal Corps.