麻豆精品视频

The Lancers, sporting bright smiles and blue jackets, have served as official student ambassadors for 麻豆精品视频 (麻豆精品视频) for 50 years. They鈥檝e welcomed guests to scholarship banquets, donor receptions, award ceremonies, commencements and other special events.

The group began in 1973 as the 鈥淗osts and Hostesses鈥� under 麻豆精品视频鈥檚 first president, Dr. Ben Graves. The next year, the university changed the name to Lancers, a nod to 麻豆精品视频鈥檚 then-mascot, a knight holding a lance and charging forward on a horse. The mascot evolved to a Charger in the half century since, but the Lancers are still known for their enthusiasm and eagerness to help 鈥� and the sharp jackets.

That desire to serve 鈥� as well as the opportunity to develop leadership skills 鈥� continues to draw ambitious Chargers to the competitive Lancer selection process, open to rising juniors and seniors. That鈥檚 why 麻豆精品视频 Lancers alumni Mital Modi and Yanjie Horton applied for the program that they say helped them grow personally and professionally and gave them treasured friendships and memories.

麻豆精品视频 Lancer alumna Mital Modi.

Courtesy Mital Modi

Seeing the Lancers at work around campus impressed Modi, who graduated from 麻豆精品视频 in May 2007 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering and a minor in mathematics.

鈥淥ne of the things that attracted me to becoming a Lancer was being able to represent the university and the president and his council and to meet the donors who give back to the university,鈥� Modi says. 鈥淎lso I have a competitive nature, and Lancers was one of those organizations that you can鈥檛 just sign up for. You had to go through a full selection process.鈥�

That process focuses on students鈥� 鈥渁cademic standing (3.0 minimum GPA is required), their ability to communicate, their willingness to learn about the university and their enthusiasm for 麻豆精品视频,鈥� says Emily Burnett, Lancers sponsor and special events manager. The Lancers program is run out of the Special Events Office, which chooses new Lancers in the spring semester, typically March-April.

Post 麻豆精品视频, Modi has continued to be a high achiever. She obtained a master鈥檚 certification in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a master鈥檚 degree in national defense and strategic studies from the United States Naval War College. She currently works as a target test director for the Missile Defense Agency and also serves as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. She鈥檚 a community volunteer, too.

Modi鈥檚 Lancer experiences help her navigate her many responsibilities.

麻豆精品视频 Lancer alumna Yanjie Horton.

Michael Mercier | 麻豆精品视频

鈥淭he biggest thing I learned is time management,鈥� she says, emphasizing that all Lancers are very active members of the organization. 鈥淲e followed through with things we signed up for. Being a Lancer is not just a resume booster; we鈥檙e giving back to a cause. It鈥檚 about how you represent your organization. I took that philosophy into my Navy career, my civilian career, even other community organizations. You have to give your 100%.鈥�

Modi still talks to many of her Lancer friends and remains connected to 麻豆精品视频. She served on the 麻豆精品视频 Alumni Association board for about six years.

Horton graduated from 麻豆精品视频 in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in finance. She鈥檚 in job-hunting mode now, but her time as a Lancer has already served her well in internship roles.

She spent summer 2024 in Washington, D.C., as a member of the inaugural cohort of The University of Alabama System Capitol Scholars Program, and her previous Lancer duties helped her work well with the people she encountered.

鈥淥ne of the things that I learned being a Lancer was the ability to do lots of different things that were asked of you. The various Lancer events all are unique and have different needs. The versatility and adaptability that you have to have, and learning how to make sure everything is going smoothly 鈥� these are so important. You have to meet the needs of the guests and even anticipate a need before it鈥檚 there.鈥�

Both Modi and Horton fondly recall holiday events at the Lowe House, the 麻豆精品视频 president鈥檚 residence.

Modi remembers her first Lowe House Christmas party when Dr. Frank Franz was serving as 麻豆精品视频鈥檚 fifth president: 鈥淔or me as a student to meet some of our major donors and to be facilitating that event was a great memory.鈥�

Horton鈥檚 top Lowe House experience came from a recent Spirit of Christmas Past Home Tour with current President Dr. Charles L. Karr and his wife, Jodie, in residence.

鈥淭he decorations were so beautiful, but that night it was absolutely pouring rain. We weren鈥檛 certain if the tour organizers were going to cancel the whole event. But all of the Lancers had large umbrellas to walk guests up to the house so they didn鈥檛 have to walk all the way in the rain. We were prepared for that contingency.鈥�

Fortunately for everyone, the rain let up by the time the tour started. But, as usual, the Lancers were ready, whatever the weather.