Lander ROTC Cadets Commissioned as Second Lieutenants

  • Karen Petit
  • 19 May 2026
Juana Arce Jimenez, Michael Hilley and Mykenzie Hart
Lander University graduates who recently received their Second Lieutenant commissions during an Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony include, from left, Juana Arce Jimenez, Michael Hilley and Mykenzie Hart. Photo by Karen Petit.

Three Lander University graduates recently took the oath to serve as officers in the U.S. Army during a commissioning ceremony at Presbyterian College for the Highlander Battalion, which comprises Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from Lander, Presbyterian College and Newberry College.

Surrounded by family members, friends, fellow cadets and military leaders, the newly commissioned Second Lieutenants celebrated a milestone that reflects personal accomplishment and a commitment to serving their nation. The Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony recognized the cadets’ successful completion of the ROTC program and their readiness to begin the next chapter of military service.

ROTC cadets from Lander who received their commissions included:

  • Mykenzie Hart, of Toney, Alabama, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology. She will serve in the South Carolina Army National Guard in the artillery branch.
  • Michael Hilley, of Starr, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history. He will serve in the South Carolina Amy National Guard in the field artillery branch.
  • Juana Arce Jimenez, of Greenwood, who earned a bachelor’s degree in public health. She will serve in the United States Army Reserve in the chemical division.