Breona Moses, a member of the Winston-Salem State graduating 2015 class, has made Army Reserve Officer Training Corps history.
Breona Moses
She is the first Black female commander of the No Fear Battalion in the Army ROTC program. A battalion is a large body of troops.
Wake Forest is the host ROTC program to partnership schools, WSSU and Salem College.
"The majority of the students do come from Wake Forest University, but the program on our campus [WSSU] is continuing to grow," said Moses, a 21-year-old Fayetteville native.
Moses said joining the ROTC helped her grow as a person.
"It [ROTC] keeps me physically fit, and I have met great people," Moses said.
Being an active member in the battalion, has not stopped Moses from experiencing college life, like parties or athletics, she said.
"Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, but they [ROTC] pay you, so it has been worthwhile."
Moses said her mother is an officer, and that gives her an advantage.
"My mother has mentored me through this whole thing," Moses said.
She said when she was a child, her mother was deployed and was unable to attend family and school functions for Moses.
"It was hard," Moses said. "It hurt, but as I got older I realized it was something that she had to do."
ROTC members are required to graduate with a military science minor. The members can pick a major in a field of their choice.
"We have students now who are pursuing degrees in nursing, English, exercise science, mass communications and more," Moses said.
Moses majored exercise science.
After graduation she will be commissioned as a second lieutenant.