Walsh University Senior Blaise Rudmann isn’t surprised to find himself where he is today. As a Senior Airman in the Air Force National Guard and President of Walsh University Student Government (WUSG), Blaise believes that if you live in the moment and listen to your gut, you will find yourself moving in the right direction.
But that wasn’t always the case. As a freshman at Walsh in 2018, Blaise felt he lacked the discipline he needed to succeed to his fullest potential. It was that inner awareness that led him enlist in the Air Force National Guard.
“We all feel that call to serve,” said Blaise. “But the main reason I wanted to join the military was I found myself lacking discipline in my life. I was really struggling in that area, and I realized there is one place I know I can get it. And that is the military.”
After joining, Blaise left Walsh for two months of boot camp in San Antonio, Texas, followed by five months in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he received job training in technical skills such as masonry, carpentry, sheet metal, dry wall and duct work. He returned to Walsh in spring 2019 to resume his college education with a major in Psychology Pre-Occupational Therapy.
“When I arrived as a freshman, I was looking at a major in Pre-Bio Engineering. But I realized when I returned that I didn’t want to spend my time in a lab. I wanted to work with people. I began to explore a career in prosthetics and changed my major to something that was more people focused.”
At Walsh, he is close to his base in Mansfield, Ohio, where he is a member of the 200th Red Horse Squadron, Detachment 1. His responsibilities include one weekend a month for drill and two weeks out of the year for a temporary deployment assignment.
“Joining the military was 100% the best decision of my life. I’m a better student and more productive with my time,” said Blaise. “The Red Horse Squadron actually gets deployed around the world on assignments such as hurricane or earthquake relief efforts. I haven’t been able to deploy internationally because of COVID, but it’s something I hope the future holds.”
When he returned to Walsh in 2019, Blaise found he had changed a lot more than he realized. As he worked through the new transition, he didn’t waste any time getting involved as a member of the Walsh Chorale, campus ministry events such as AGAPE retreat and serving as the Veteran’s Commissioner for WUSG.
“Walsh is the perfect fit for me. The atmosphere is really great here and I love the sense of community we all feel,” said Blaise. “There is a positive vibe to campus and you always come across people who are open to conversation and friendly. Obviously COVID may have changed things a little bit, but even with it, it’s still a friendly welcoming atmosphere.”
As he prepares to graduate, Blaise leaves knowing he has made the most of his time in college and is ready to see where the journey takes him.
“The faculty here are a great support and I appreciate the personal relationships and discussion-based learning I’ve been able to experience here,” said Blaise. “It is kind of crazy to see how far I’ve come, from where I expected to be by doing that. I’m keeping my options open, but I know, whatever comes next, I’m grateful that at Walsh I able to delve deeper not only in my academics, but also my own personal development. I don’t know if I could’ve found the same experience at a larger university.”
