Earlier this spring, two students in Mercer University’s ROTC program received a rare honor during a training exercise. Sophomore Abigail Andrews and junior Beyoncé Francis were presented with challenge coins at the conclusion of the two-day event at Fort Benning with sister schools Fort Valley State and Albany State universities.
Challenge coins — a long-standing military tradition — are generally given by higher-ranking officials to lower-ranking officials to recognize outstanding leadership, service or dedication, said Master Sgt. Craig Mattoon, military science instructor at Mercer. The coins are developed by the giver, making each one uniquely significant. Many people like to build and display their challenge coin collections.
“Each one has a meaning to them,” Mattoon said. “You can look at these coins over your career and say, ‘I got this for doing this.’ It’s really neat to do. It’s even more special for an (ROTC) cadet to receive one,” he said.
Mattoon said challenge coins aren’t awarded often to ROTC cadets. Andrews and Francis are two of only three cadets who have received challenge coins since he came to Mercer two years ago.
“They went above and beyond and did extremely well in their mission, and they were recognized by the other leadership (of Fort Valley State and Albany State). That’s why it’s even more special,” Mattoon said. “Both of those individuals did extremely well in overcoming fears and leading missions.”
Each semester, Mercer ROTC cadets participate in a “super lab” two-day field training, consisting of a shooting assessment, navigation challenge and obstacle course. Mattoon said Andrews and Francis showed they were “true leaders” during the exercises.
Andrews, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Lawrenceville, was recognized for the tenacity she showed during the obstacle course. She said this was her first time doing a super lab, and climbing the 40-foot Jacob’s ladder with rungs spaced increasingly further apart proved a difficult task for her 5-foot-1-inch frame.
“Even though I felt that I couldn’t do it, I climbed it successfully,” she said. “They told me … that it showed I had a lot of heart. I had encountered a challenge, and I was still able to pursue and overcome it. It was an encouragement for me. I’m grateful that I was able to climb.”
Francis, a kinesiology major from the Caribbean island of Dominica, was honored for her performance in the shooting qualifications test, during which she managed to hit all 40 of her targets. She showed great improvement, having hit only 10 targets during her first assessment in 2022 and 23 in another test.
“It tests your ability to move under pressure. I got recognized for having the highest score out of everyone who was part of our training exercise that day,” she said. “(The coin) meant so much. In that moment, I couldn’t believe it myself. I was very proud of that and also very happy to represent my school.”
ROTC was a big reason Francis enrolled at Mercer. She said she was inspired by the people she met in the program, and she wanted to join in order to keep herself disciplined and find her community.
Andrews said she had always wanted to serve her country in some capacity. She joined ROTC in the spring of her freshman year after talking with a recruiter and realizing the program would provide a path to service as well as financing for her education.
Both students have already enlisted in the Army National Guard, which means they will commission as officers and serve after they graduate from Mercer. Francis hopes to become a physical therapist in the military, and Andrews wants to be an Army physician and then a civilian doctor.
The cadets said they have learned valuable skills in time management, communication, critical thinking and versatility from ROTC.
“I think ROTC is a great opportunity for anyone who’s willing to challenge themself,” Francis said. “It’s hard at the start, but if you apply yourself, you’ll enjoy the challenge and the lessons you learn from ROTC on a daily basis.”
Andrews said the mental and physical pressures she’s faced have made her stronger, and she’s enjoyed being a part of the ROTC community.
“It’s really molding me into the leader I’m becoming and the leader I’ve always wanted to be,” she said. “I’m grateful I chose this route because it’s the route less chosen. I’m grateful for all of the opportunities they’ve given to push me and grow myself. Nothing in this world is worthwhile without hard work.”
