After losing both parents, recent SC State ROTC grad ready to complete family legacy
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – As a newly commissioned Army officer, 2nd Lt. Quinshawn R. Norwood knows he may have to step up in times of crisis.
He had role models who did just that.
The recent South Carolina State University graduate lost both his parents during his childhood. So when he received his officer’s commission via the SC State ROTC Bulldog Battalion in December, Roosevelt and Alice Norwood, the grandparents who raised him, were there by his side.
“They were there for me financially and mentally,” Norwood said. “They supported me in all my dreams, which played a key role. At first, it was hard growing up without a mom and dad, but my grandparents and other family members stepped in and played the role.
“As of right now, I feel like both my parents are looking down and they are happy because they see their son has followed their dreams and has achieved a great thing,” he said. “I wanted to not only create my own legacy but also carry out the legacy that my parents didn’t get a chance to finish because they both passed away at a fairly young age.”
“I grew up in a military family. My grandfather was a drill sergeant, so I grew up around the military,” Norwood said. “Once I got to high school, I joined a JROTC program, and that led me into the military.”
SC State offered Norwood a scholarship to join the Bulldog Battalion while he completed his undergraduate degree in criminal justice, and it paid off in preparing him for leadership as an active-duty officer in the Army. An HBCU (Historically Black College or University), SC State has provided a significant portion of the nation’s minority officers for over 75 years.
“This experience has definitely prepared me, not just in the African American community, but in the overall Army community, as well,” Norwood said. “It’s helped me grow with my communication skills and helped me with public speaking. I think I have learned the skills necessary to lead in the military.
“Of course, it’s going to be a challenge, but I am the type of person who adapts to their environment. After the first few months, I will definitely be able to adapt. I’m excited to get to it,” he said.
He plans to continue to adapt by furthering his education. Again, he wants to continue the family legacy by channeling his experiences into helping others.
“While I am in the Army, I plan on going back to school and getting an advanced degree,” he said. “I don’t whether it will be in business administration or just business, but I want to open a few businesses when I get out of the military. One would be a mentoring program where I could help people who have lost parents growing up.
“I want to give back to the community by helping people who face the same challenges as me,” Norwood said.
Norwood was one of six SC State graduates who received their commissions in December. The others were:
- 2nd Lt. Khi Ahmad Baker, Columbia, South Carolina, reserve commission, B.S. in physical activity management.
- 2nd Lt. Antwann Gregory Huggins Jr., Miami, Florida, reserve commission, B.S. in computer science.
- 2nd Lt. DeSharah Carmella Israel, Columbia, B.S. in family and consumer sciences business.
- 2nd Lt. Juella Trinity King, Sumter, South Carolina, active duty, B.S. in family consumer sciences, child development concentration.
- ·2nd Lt. Zedisha Mareil Littlejohn, Spartanburg, South Carolina, National Guard commission, B.S. in criminal justice.
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