Keith Brudnicki
Lifestyle: Corps of Cadets
Major: Psychology
One thing that many people don't realize is, when you go into the military, you still have to [interact] with civilians. Something that Norwich offers that the military academies don’t is that experience while you’re receiving the military training on the same campus.
~ Keith Brudnicki
Keith Brudnicki says he has always associated with military people, and most of his friends are also attending service academies or private military colleges. Keith definitely chose Norwich for its military lifestyle. He plans to join the Navy as a chaplain. Majoring in psychology, with a minor in philosophy, Keith will soon enter a seminary for further study. He says it's a good combination, and he's happy with the choices he made.
Asked about the presence of traditional civilian students at Norwich, Keith says he's glad they're here. “The way I see it is that Norwich and ROTC are designed to train people in the military lifestyle. One thing that many people don't realize is, when you go into the military, you still have to [interact] with civilians. Something that Norwich offers that the military academies don't is that experience while you're receiving the military training on the same campus.
“Also, in class, you get another perspective on things. So you're not always just seeing the military side, or just seeing it from one perspective; you get to see the other side, too. You definitely get lively discussions because of that.”
Asked what makes him unique, Keith says that he loves the snow. He's happy to see a few inches accumulate, because it gives him an opportunity to visit his parents and the mountain fifteen minutes from their home. “I'm an avid skier, so snow equals skiing for me.”
While many Norwich students may claim not to relish snow or winter sports, the student body does tend to be active. Keith says he fits in very well in that regard. “People enjoy things like going to the gym, or doing [intramural or varsity] sports. When I came here freshman year, I actually started with MCW (Mountain Cold Weather Rescue), was in that through my sophomore year, and earned my black hat. I decided to put my energy toward that instead of a sport, just to try something new.”
Keith stopped participating in MCW when he was tapped to serve as a drill sergeant his junior year. He decided to give that leadership opportunity his full attention, and do a good job. Norwich has not changed him much, he says, except by giving him such leadership experiences. He says if he had it to do over again, he would give his cadre more of a hard time, and have a little bit more fun. He advises incoming freshmen, “Enjoy freshman year, and learn from the other years.” Mind you, it hasn't been all work and no play for Keith. He's currently engaged to be married to a traditional civilian student.
