As the 2023-24 academic year begins in Aggieland, the Corps of Cadets welcomed 858 new cadets to campus for Fall Orientation Week (FOW). The incoming class is comprised of students who’ve transferred into the Corps and incoming first-year students to Texas A&M University.
The Corps’ newest class of cadets is the largest in the last five years for Texas A&M’s oldest student organization. The class of 2027 represents a 20% growth in class size over last fall’s incoming cadet class. Cadet-led efforts in recruiting and retention will be key factors to continued growth, say Corps officials. Last year, the Corps achieved a retention rate of 82%, an 11% increase over the previous year.
As one of the nation’s most unique leadership development programs, the Corps of Cadets is home to students from all majors, interests and backgrounds. Though the Corps experience is deeply rooted in its iconic, military-based cultural model, the skills that cadets develop in the program are applicable in every environment. This is proven regularly by the 60% of cadets who go on to lead in the public and private sectors after graduation, and the 40% of cadets who pursue a military commission, helping Texas A&M uphold its reputation as the largest producer of officers outside of the service academies.
“The Corps of Cadets provides every student, no matter their goals, with a developmental experience that’s like no other. While we do leverage our military structure to foster the holistic growth of each cadet, we are preparing our students to lead at every level, whether that’s in the public, private, military or non-profit sectors,” said Brigadier General Patrick Michaelis ‘93, commandant of the Corps of Cadets.
“From day one of FOW to the time our cadets walk the stage at graduation, they are receiving the tools they need to tackle any obstacle in life. The value of this experience, especially when paired with our growth priority, will have significant impacts on our communities, our state and our nation.”
Courtesy of Texas A&M Today
