Throughout her career at Cal State Fullerton, Daisy Larios has shown determination and dedication in both her studies and in ROTC. Both served her well as she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.
This summer, her focus is on her military service as she begins the four-month Military Police Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.
Larios’ decision to come to Cal State Fullerton was made early, as was her decision to become an ROTC cadet.
“I chose CSUF because I have been coming to visit the university since I could remember. Being the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I think it my dad wanted to show me that higher education was something to be valued,” she explains.
“Since I could remember, my dad would take me to the CSUF campus to walk around and enjoy the scenery. I would watch students walk around campus, holding their books, and think: One day I’ll be here too. When it came time to choose a college, I knew CSUF would be right for me.
“I decided to join ROTC because I liked the structure of the military, which I was introduced to as a cadet in my high school JROTC program,” she added. “I like being held accountable for my health and lifelong goals, and the military helps with that.”
And Larios excelled at both. With a GPA of 3.74, she graduated magna cum laude and was honored as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
“The Distinguished Military Graduate means that I was assessed as being in the top 20 percent of ROTC cadets in the nation for the 2018 school year,” she explains. “DMG is a great honor to receive. For me, it means that I have made the absolute most of my time in the ROTC program.
“ROTC has fostered my love for learning and has pushed me to excel in uncomfortable situations; it is truly a special program for anyone who has what it takes to push beyond what is normal,” says Larios. “I’m thankful to the ROTC instructors at CSUF, past and present, who have showed genuine interest in the development of myself and my peers.”
She hopes to begin Cal State Fullerton’s teaching credential program in January 2019 and eventually become a high school English teacher while serving in the California Army Reserve.