Avery White, who earned near-straight-A grades while completing ROTC, plans to serve in the California National Guard and pursue software engineering
Avery White arrived at Cal Poly from Eagle River, Alaska, ready for one of the university’s most demanding majors. By the time he graduated with a degree in computer engineering, he had also completed Army ROTC, earned Dean’s List recognition 10 times and prepared for a new role as an officer.
White was one of four cadets commissioned as second lieutenants during Cal Poly Army ROTC’s spring commissioning ceremony, held June 13 at the Officers’ Club at Camp San Luis Obispo.
“This is a very big day for cadets,” Lt. Col. Mark Swiney, who heads the Military Science Department for the Army ROTC Mustang Battalion, told an audience of family members and supporters. “This is the last time I get to call them cadets. Every decision that these cadets have made up to this point has brought them to this moment.”
White entered the ROTC program as a sophomore and earned a three-year scholarship. During his fourth year, he served as S4, the battalion logistics and supply officer, managing supplies during daily operations and large joint field training events.
That responsibility gave White a practical leadership role while he balanced the demands of computer engineering, a major known for its rigorous coursework in software, hardware and systems design.
During the commissioning ceremony, White and the other cadets took the Oath of Commissioned Officers, received rank insignia from family members and exchanged their first salute as officers, a longstanding military tradition.
Swiney described the oath as one of the most important the new officers would take.
“They’re taking an oath to themselves, to the military, to others, to their friends that they will support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” he said.
White plans to enter the California National Guard as a logistics officer while pursuing a career in software engineering.
He joins a long line of Cal Poly Army ROTC graduates. Since the university’s military science and leadership program was founded in 1953, 1,442 second lieutenants have progressed through the program.
