Palm Beach Atlantic University Inc.

06/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/24/2026 05:49

Guided by Service: ROTC Graduates Commissioned in US Army

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As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we celebrate the patriotic service of Palm Beach Atlantic University's students.

"Everything I do is with the intention of giving back," Frederico Ayres Melo Jr. said. "I am always thinking about the next person, the community, and yes, the country."

In May, Melo graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic University's (PBA) Reserve Officer Training Corps or ROTC and earned a Master of Biomedical Science degree and was subsequently commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Melo was born in Brazil but moved to the U.S. as a child. "From the days of middle school, high school, undergrad, and now graduate school, it's all happened here in the United States," he said. "I grew up learning the importance of altruism. Being in the military is my way of giving back."

Melo enlisted in the Army in 2022 and searched for a university that had an excellent ROTC program that would enable him to pursue a graduate degree in science. When he found PBA online and learned it was also a Christian university, he knew he had found the right institution.

ROTC at PBA

"I had a great experience at PBA," he said. "From the supportive professors to my fellow students, including the many international students who expanded my perspective, to the good cafeteria food, I would highly recommend PBA to any seeking student."

Melo admitted his time here included a challenging schedule and course load. Every weekday started around 4 a.m. First was physical training. After that were ROTC classes, and the evenings were for his PBA graduate school classes. Learning wasn't restricted to the classroom either. There were lab days, typically on Thursdays, where the cadets spent all day in the woods, putting into practice what they learned in their ROTC classes.

Grateful for family, Melo said their support carried him through the pressures of the ROTC training and earning his graduate degree at PBA. Following his graduation and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves last month, Melo is enrolled in and will attend the military police basic officer leadership course, starting in January. Upon completion of the five-month course, he will be closer to realizing his goal of becoming a part-time Army Reserve Military Police Officer and a full-time civilian police officer.

An Additional ROTC Graduate

Another recent PBA graduate completed the ROTC program: Ashley Arango, class of 2026, earned her undergraduate degree in nursing and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

Read more about Commencement 2026.

To find out about PBA's ROTC program, click here.

Palm Beach Atlantic University Inc. published this content on June 24, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 24, 2026 at 11:49 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]