Penn State ROTC Award 2016 – Matthew Wolfel
The CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Fund presented its eleventh annual ROTC award to graduating Penn State University senior Matthew Wolfel. This award is given to the Penn State Army ROTC student who best demonstrates the spirit, leadership and courage of CPT Faunce.
Matthew Wolfel, left; Penn State ROTC Award Winner 2016
Upon commissioning in December 2016, CDT Wolfel hopes to branch into the active duty component as an armor officer. The $1,500 CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Award will help launch his military career with a gift card to AAFES (for the purchase of uniforms, boots, and other required gear) and an additional $500 cash for related expenses.
Collegiate Accomplishments
Matthew is a Civil Engineering major who holds the highest APFT score record in the Nittany Lion Battalion. He made the Dean’s List five out of seven semesters, and was awarded the Superior Cadet Award twice in three years.
He is a four-year member of the Penn State ROTC Sandhurst Team and a three-year member of the six-time 2nd Freedom BDE Champion Ranger Challenge Team. CDT Wolfel served as team leader for two years on both the Sandhurst and Ranger Challenge Teams. who earned a 3.43 GPA. His Cadet Duty position was Charlie Company Commander.
Matthew’s Army ROTC and volunteer accomplishments these past four years include:
- Cadet Leader Course
- Cadet Troop Leader Training Course
- International experience at CULP in Lithuania, 2014
- Joint Leadership Development Planning team
- Family Relations Chair and Fundraising Chair for Army ROTC THON (Penn State’s annual Dance Marathon benefiting pediatric cancer)
- Mission Mexico, serving the orphanage Casa Hogar de Los Niños for three years each spring break
Congratulations Matthew!
We wish him the best in all his future endeavors.
