OSU student receives U.S. Marine Corps' top officer candidate award

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Business management senior Jeffrey Swinford received the Commandant's Trophy, the U.S. Marine Corps' award for superior performance at Officer Candidate School, at the 2007 OSU fall convocation. He graduated first among all Marine officer candidates nationwide in the Senior Platoon Leaders Class at Marine Base Quantico, Va., last summer. Appearing with Swinford are Interim OSU System CEO and President Marlene Strathe and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Adam Chalkley, commanding officer of Recruiting Station Oklahoma City.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. -- Oct. 11, 2007) -- The 2007 Oklahoma State University Fall Convocation, a ceremony honoring exemplary performance by faculty and staff members over the past year, included a special, national student recognition.

Jeffrey Swinford, an OSU business management senior from Southlake, Texas, received the Commandant’s Trophy, the U.S. Marine Corps’ award for superior performance at Officer Candidate School. Initiated in 1957, the trophy recognizes members of each Platoon Leaders Class who distinguish themselves during summer training. Recipients are candidates who attain the highest leadership, physical and academic averages in their respective increments of Officer Candidates School.

Swinford graduated first among all Marine officer candidates nationwide in the 2007 Senior Platoon Leaders Class at Marine Base Quantico, Va.

Swinford was congratulated by Interim OSU System CEO and President Marlene Strathe. He was presented the trophy by U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Adam Chalkley, commanding officer of Recruiting Station Oklahoma City, and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. M. G. Gehrki, officer selection officer in Norman.

Appearing on the Dean’s list every semester and twice on the President’s Honor Roll at OSU, Swinford is a member of the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He has served an internship with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, and he is currently applying to law school with aspirations to become a judge advocate in the Marine Corps.

Swinford said he joined the Marine Officers Program due to the Marine Corps’ mental and physical demands and code of honor, courage and commitment.

“I view the Marine Corps as the most elite military branch and the most difficult one to be a part of,” Swinford said. “I thrive on challenges and am constantly pushing myself harder to be the best at whatever I’m doing, including my academics, physical fitness and preparing for my career.

“I enjoy taking challenges under pressure situations and excelling in resolving their solutions,” he said.

Swinford, a 2004 graduate of Carroll High School, is the son of Benjamin and Kathleen Swinford.