Campus News

Westminster cadet ranked #4 in the nation by Army ROTC

Blake Bassett captures prestigious ranking out of 5,000 cadets nationwide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Krista DeAngelis (801) 832-2682

Nov. 4, 2010

FORT KNOX, Ky. -- Army ROTC cadets from around the country hold their collective breath every September, as they await the release of the Order of Merit List. This year Westminster College’s Blake S. Bassett learned he had captured the fourth spot in the prestigious top 10 out of more than 5,000 cadets nationwide.

The Order of Merit List ranks all Army ROTC senior cadets across the nation, with the top 20 percent earning the designation on Distinguished Military Graduate. This year’s list contained 1,068 Distinguished Military Graduates. A cadet’s positioning on the list determines his or her priority in choosing the limited number of active-duty positions, and increases his or her chance at getting the branch of occupational specialty of choice.

“This award really caught me off guard,” said Bassett. “I try to do my best every day and live by Aristotle’s quote, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit'….and I am humbled at the recognition.”

Cadets are ranked on the Order of Merit List by achieving a superior grade point average, strong athletic performance in the Army physical fitness test and college athletic participation, proving their worth as exceptional leaders in their college ROTC training, and their performance at the Leader Development and Assessment Course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord outside Tacoma, Wash.

“It takes a lot of hard-work, determination and sacrifice over time to be the best of the best. The cadets at the top of this list have proven themselves as standouts amongst an excellent cohort of scholar, athlete, and leaders who'll comprise this year's class of commissionees,” said Col. Barrye Price, Deputy Commanding Officer of U.S. Army Cadet Command.

Basset is a political studies major at Westminster with an emphasis in pre-law. He attends military science classes and training as part of the ROTC battalion headquartered at the University of Utah. Basset hopes to attend Harvard Law School upon graduation and will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard in the spring of 2011. He is the son of Matt E. Bassett of Sacramento, Calif., and Nan T. Bassett of Salt Lake City, Utah.

About Westminster:
Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information visit www.westminstercollege.edu or follow @WestminsterSLC on Twitter.