As an Army ROTC cadet and Honors student, Charles Turnbow’s time at UGA, which he finds “alive in every meaning of the word,” has been filled with activity, and he’s taken advantage of every minute of it.
Hometown:
Cumming, Georgia
High School:
Northview High School
Degree objective:
B.S. in statistics and actuarial sciences certificate
Expected graduation:
Spring 2016
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
Honors Program, ROTC Award for Scholastic excellence (2013 and 2014), member of the Army’s Cultural Understanding and Language Program, Leader of Army ROTC Color Guard (2014-2015), Ranger Challenge MVP Award Winner (2014), Special Forces Association Award winner (2015), Air Assault Honor Graduate (out of a class of 180 active duty soldiers), graduated with excellence at CLC 2015 (top 15 percent), ranked highest among CTLT cadets at Fort Bragg (2015), Distinguished Military Graduate (top 15 percent of ROTC cadets in the nation), ranked first among the cadets of the Bulldog Battalion and in the top 10 percent of the nation.
Coming into UGA my freshman year, I was eager to get into my classes as an Honors student. Math, particularly statistics, was of great interest to me and so I began to pursue a statistics major and an actuarial science certificate. I was even more excited to begin work as an Army ROTC cadet. Although it is very demanding and has kept me up late most nights, it has been very rewarding. I have traveled to Mongolia with the Army’s Cultural Understanding and Language Program, competed with teams from across the nation on the Ranger Challenge Team, and led the Color Guard unit as the Color Guard Sergeant Major. I was honored for my efforts more than once when I was given the Superior Cadet Award by the Special Forces Association and most recently when I was named the Honor Graduate of the U.S. Army Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It feels good to see the fruits of four years of labor starting to pay off as I recently learned that I earned an active duty commission as a second lieutenant and will graduate as a Distinguished Military Graduate in May 2016. It has been one of the greatest undertakings in my life to be a Georgia Bulldog and an officer in the United States Army. I am honored to serve.
Family Ties to UGA:
I have grown up a Georgia fan all of my life, and I am to first of my family to attend this distinguished university.
I chose to attend UGA because…
Among all of the schools I visited in the Southeast, none showed more hospitality, dedication and pride than the University of Georgia. This school is alive in every meaning of the word, and I have loved being here ever since moving into Reed Hall my freshman year.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
The Bulldog Café is probably one of the most unspoken treasures on campus; the $4 pasta meals are a must for any Bulldog scholar on a budget. Also, the Ramsey Student Center is a must for any student looking for a quick sweat or a muscle-burning workout.
When I have free time, I like…
If I have free time, I enjoy spending it with my friends. I feel that too often we get caught up with the daily grind that we can forget to spend time with the important people around us. Whether it’s going to the movies or rock climbing at a local gym, the time we spend with our friends is something we will always appreciate in the future.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
Army ROTC provides some of the greatest opportunities any college student could hope for. This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to participate in the Sabalauski Air Assault School. The adrenaline rush of jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
My favorite place to study is…
I enjoy studying in places of solitude. That being said, my favorite place to study is the science library on South Campus. The amazing facilities they provide allow students to concentrate fully on their assignments and rise up to the high expectations of their teachers.
My favorite professor is…
Throughout my ROTC career, I would say there are two teachers who have truly impacted me. Freshman year, Staff Sgt. Johnson was the most outgoing and personable teacher I had at the university. He couldn’t care less if it was our first year in the ROTC Program. He wanted us to succeed, and he did everything in his power to make it happen. During my junior year, Master Sgt. Lister molded my fellow classmates and me into future leaders in the United Stated Army. He was strict, he was direct, but he was fair. He was also one of the most knowledgeable soldiers I have ever met.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
Neil deGrasse Tyson would probably be one of the most interesting people to spend an afternoon with. This man spent every moment of his early life on working toward a future in the academic field. He puts his heart and soul into his work, and I would be happy if I could reach a similar state with my work in the future.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
I would love to open a small restaurant after I retire. I have loved cooking since I was a small kid standing next to my mother in the kitchen on Sunday afternoons. If I could share my love for cooking with as many people as possible, I would be happy.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
I would travel as much as possible and learn as much as I could about the wide variety of cultures and people across the globe. The world is absolutely massive, and I want to be able to see as much as I can with my own eyes.
After graduation, I plan to…
I, along with others in my Army ROTC family, will earn commissions from the United States Army as second lieutenants. My service obligation to our country is eight years, with at least four years as an active duty officer. In the next few weeks, the seniors from our Army ROTC class will receive their branch selection, their specified job in the Army. I do not know what my job will be, but I hope to serve this country as an intelligence officer.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
Attending the University of Georgia has given me a wealth of experiences that will remain near and dear to me for the rest of my life. One that stands out in my mind was an opportunity to hold the American flag during the color guard presentation for the UGA vs. Tennessee football game my freshman year. Georgia football is truly something, and being on the field as a freshman is something that stays with you.
