I’m A Jewish Cadet In Texas And College Has Been Anti-Semitism Free

I’ll be the first to admit. College Station, Texas is an awkward place for a Jew. Living in Dallas for eighteen years, the Jewish community was as much a part of me as every other facet of my life. Most of my friends were Jewish, I was heavily involved with BBYO, and I attended religious school every week. Anywhere I went, I would pass at least one synagogue or Jewish institution.

So when the time came to decide where to apply to college, it was a no-brainer. I would follow my family legacy and many of my Jewish friends and attend the University of Texas at Austin, or “T.U.” as us Texas A&M Aggies affectionately refer to the school as. From what I knew, the Jewish community in Austin was strong, and per my mother’s wishes, I would find an acceptable, intellectual, nice Jewish girl by the end of freshman year.

But then, as my senior year began, my feelings began to change. I received an Air Force ROTC scholarship. The idea of public service and doing something greater than oneself appealed to me, and I wanted an institution that would provide a solid foundation to train me for a military commission. I visited Texas A&M, a place as foreign as North Korea among my Texas Longhorn parents’ friends, and I was hooked.

On my visit, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, a 2500-student military organization, was an avenue for challenge. There were only five Jews at the time, but for me, I wanted an opportunity that I could look back on years from now, and be proud of.

It was all fun and exciting, until Freshman Orientation Week.

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