When Lucy Givens transferred to the University of Missouri from Drury University to play tennis, she didn’t know if she would make the team. To her surprise, she played in back to back tennis matches the day after MU’s coach at the time, Sasha Schmid, offered her a spot.
During her time at MU, Givens has participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, MU Women’s Tennis, where she played for a year but is now the team’s student manager and Epsilon Sigma Alpha Fraternity, where she is the project execution coordinator.
But one of her favorite accomplishments during her time at MU is being named Ranger Company Commander.
She decided to join Army ROTC, where she was the first female awarded the title of Ranger Company Commander since its re-founding five years ago.
“In the fall, I was chosen by the Cadre to be the Ranger Company Commander. This role hasn’t been given to a female in a long time, so it was a special moment for them to have thought so highly of me,” Givens said.
Givens is a senior graduating with a degree in marketing. After graduation, she hopes to become a military intelligence officer after training in Kentucky, where her duty is to serve six years of active duty and two years in the National Guard.
“I joined ROTC right after the attacks in Paris and thought if these horrible events could happen in Paris, they could happen anywhere,” Givens said. “I wanted to protect people, and I thought this is the way I could help my country.”
The company commander is directly in charge of approximately 35 people and plans a five day physical training schedule.
“The Ranger company was made up of all ages, freshmen to seniors,” Givens said. “ It is the physically hardest group, so cadets who chose this path are willing to work hard, but they are also noticed more.”
This training was all for the Ranger Challenge, which is a physical endurance competition that schools from all over the Midwest compete at. Given’s group won second place.
As company commander, Given faced challenges coming into a leadership role, but she learned how to trust her instincts.
“I would take advice from others, because I thought I didn’t have the tools to make those tough decisions or lead my group,” Givens said. “However, as time went on I overcame them. I would welcome the advice from others and then decided to do what I felt was right. I finally got over the need of affirmation, and loved myself because I knew I was doing the right thing.”
Givens put in much of her time and energy throughout her college career into her accomplishments, but the thing she is most proud of is her time with the younger cadets.
“I am most proud of my time and effort investing in the younger cadets,” Givens said. “When you touch the lives of so many more people it leaves a last impact.”
_Edited by Brooke Collier | bcollier@themaneater.com_