{"id":227147,"date":"2026-05-05T20:44:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T00:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=227147"},"modified":"2026-05-06T09:26:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T13:26:32","slug":"nc-state-naval-rotc-honors-fallen-alum-with-new-scholarship-endowment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/05\/nc-state-naval-rotc-honors-fallen-alum-with-new-scholarship-endowment\/","title":{"rendered":"NC&#160;State Naval ROTC Honors Fallen Alum With New Scholarship Endowment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p>As officers and midshipmen in the <a href=\"https:\/\/naval.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">NC State Naval ROTC (NROTC)<\/a> program, alongside family, friends and Division of Academic and Student Affairs leaders, gathered to honor members of the Wolfpack battalion for their hard work this school year, the program also began an annual tradition of honoring an NROTC alum who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The annual awards ceremony, held April 22 in Reynolds Coliseum, saw the first official awarding of the Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Naval ROTC Scholarship, given this year to Sean O\u2019Connor, third-year student studying aerospace engineering.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<aside class=\"with-image wp-block-ncst-highlight\">\n    <h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2>\n    <a \n      href=\"https:\/\/www.givecampus.com\/campaigns\/47387\/donations\/new?designation=148336\"\n      class=\"highlight__link\"\n    >\n              <div class=\"highlight__image-container\">\n          <div class=\"highlight__image-background\">\n            <img \n              decoding=\"async\"\n              class=\"highlight__image wp-image-424721\"\n              src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC03964-1.jpg\"\n              alt=\"Captain Brian Tanaka gives welcome remarks at the NC State Naval ROTC Awards Ceremony. \">\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"highlight__text-container\">\n        <h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Support NROTC Students<\/h3>\n                  <p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Support NC State&#8217;s Naval ROTC students by giving to the LCDR Eric A. Cranford &#8217;92 Navy ROTC Scholarship Endowment, which will be presented annually to a Wolfpack midshipman in memory of Eric A. Cranford, an NC State alum who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. <\/p>\n                          <p class=\"highlight__cta\">\n            <span class=\"text\">Give to the Eric Cranford Scholarship<\/span>\n            <span class=\"arrow-indicator\">\n              <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\"><\/use>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n          <\/p>\n              <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very special,\u201d O\u2019Connor said. \u201cIt\u2019s something to think about when I\u2019m going forward in my career, and trying to live out the same values that he did, trying to serve wherever I can and give back to my community. I\u2019m trying to be close to the man that he was.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"has-custombg-one-text-color wp-block-ncst-pullquote\">\n  <div class=\"pullquote-container\">\n    <p class=\"pullquote-content\">&#8220;It\u2019s something to think about when I\u2019m going forward in my career, and trying to live out the same values that he did.&#8221;<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Eric Cranford graduated from NC State in 1992 with degrees in political science and economics, and was commissioned from the NROTC program. He completed flight training in Corpus Christi, Texas and Pensacola, Florida, and later flew two tours in the Persian Gulf as a helicopter pilot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cranford, a native of Drexel, North Carolina, was last assigned to the Pentagon, as a knowledge analyst in the Naval Command Post, and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander.&nbsp; He was also working towards an MBA from the University of Maryland. Cranford tragically perished at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"has-custombg-one-text-color wp-block-ncst-pullquote\">\n  <div class=\"pullquote-container\">\n    <p class=\"pullquote-content\">&#8220;Eric\u2019s presence extends beyond those who knew him personally.&#8221;<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The memorial scholarship serves as a way to continue to honor Cranford\u2019s memory at his alma mater, and continue to provide an example of his legacy and leadership. His younger brother, Brad Cranford, spoke at the awards ceremony.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEric\u2019s presence extends beyond those who knew him personally,\u201d Brad Cranford said. \u201cIt lives on through this scholarship and through each student who steps forward to carry his name into their own future. Every recipient becomes part of the ongoing story of who Eric was, not just how he died. His legacy continues to grow, not as something frozen in the past, but as a living influence shaping new leaders, new thinkers and new acts of courage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scholarship will be awarded from a $50,000 endowment created by Greg Duffy, a retired Air Force major and Brad Cranford\u2019s former next-door neighbor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Brad Cranford shared the story of his brother, Duffy, who also formerly taught in UNC-Chapel Hill\u2019s Air Force ROTC program, wanted to find a permanent way to honor Eric Cranford\u2019s memory at NC State.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s great to memorialize him for what he stood for,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cThat\u2019s what it\u2019s about. There are a lot of folks who have gone before us who have served in the military. Eric is one of them, so it\u2019s an honor to be able to remember him, remember the things he did and remember what he stood for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC03929-1-1024x918.jpg\" alt=\"The LDCR Eric A. Cranford Scholarship plaque. \" class=\"wp-image-424722\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The scholarship will be awarded annually to undergraduate students in the Naval ROTC program, with priority given to rising fourth-year students, to assist with the costs of their education and potential leadership development opportunities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDoing things we can do to help them have a good experience through their Naval ROTC time while they\u2019re at NC State is very useful,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cDoing it in a way that also commemorates someone who\u2019s gone before them and helps them think about why they\u2019re doing what they\u2019re doing is very special.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brad Cranford described his older brother as a quiet leader, but someone who always stepped in when he was needed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"has-custombg-five-text-color wp-block-ncst-pullquote\">\n  <div class=\"pullquote-container\">\n    <p class=\"pullquote-content\">&#8220;May each of us strive to live in a way that strengthens the legacy of courage, character and service that Eric embodied.&#8221;<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>He shared a favorite quote in Eric Cranford\u2019s journal from former United States President Andrew Jackson, \u201cOne man with courage makes a majority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMay each of us strive to live in a way that strengthens the legacy of courage, character and service that Eric embodied,\u201d Brad Cranford said to the gathered midshipmen. \u201cHis legacy continues through every life touched by this scholarship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC04077-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Captain Ted Hamilton of the Naval Submarine League shakes hands with NC State Midshipman Jireh Gibson.\" class=\"wp-image-424720\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Captain Ted Hamilton of the Naval Submarine League presents the Naval Submarine League Outstanding Achievement Award to Jireh Gibson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Honoring Hard Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the Eric Cranford Scholarship, the NROTC program also presented several additional awards to midshipmen who distinguished themselves throughout the 2025-2026 school year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lieutenant Zac Tilley, a Naval Science instructor, explained that the Triangle\u2019s NROTC Battalion is made up of three different schools \u2013 NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke \u2013 and that, especially with presenting the first Cranford scholarship, this was the first year NC State held its own separate awards ceremony.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"has-custombg-one-text-color wp-block-ncst-pullquote\">\n  <div class=\"pullquote-container\">\n    <p class=\"pullquote-content\">&#8220;We\u2019re preparing these young people to go into harm\u2019s way and carry out the nation\u2019s business.&#8221;<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe fact that we can carry on Lieutenant Commander Cranford\u2019s legacy and his sacrifice, I think, speaks highly to the midshipmen and the entire active duty staff that what we\u2019re doing here is important,\u201d Tilley said. \u201cWe\u2019re preparing these young people to go into harm\u2019s way and carry out the nation\u2019s business. This is just something that brings the gravity of the situation publicly and to the personal aspect with his family being there. Eric isn\u2019t with us anymore, but his family still recognizes the importance of the mission of what we do today, and still wants to continue to support future officers in the Marine Corps and the Navy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other awards presented came from organizations such as the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, Reserve Organization of America, American Legion, Order of the Purple Heart, American Veterans, Naval Submarine League, Military Officers Association of America and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s incredible,\u201d Tilley said. \u201cAll these midshipmen have majors that are so different from military science. Military science is more of a minor for them. So all of these midshipmen are highly motivated, highly capable and highly skilled at what they do. They\u2019re going to lead the fleet. They\u2019re going to leave here as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps, and they may be going into harm\u2019s way to defend this country. So it\u2019s important that we get them all together at least once a year and congratulate them, celebrate them and recognize them for their hard work.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC04020-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Major Roger Kerstetter of the United States Navy presents the Patriot Award to Natalie Wilhelm. \" class=\"wp-image-424723\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Major Roger Kerstetter of the United States Navy presents the Patriot Award to Natalie Wilhelm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2026 NC State Naval ROTC Award Winners<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Scholarship: <\/strong>Sean O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patriot Award: <\/strong>Natalie Wilhelm&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>War of 1812 Award: <\/strong>Bryan Gambel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sons of the American Revolution Award: <\/strong>Hunter Proctor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Daughters of the American Revolution Award: <\/strong>Brynn Elliott<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reserve Organization of America Medal: <\/strong>Zein Oweis (gold), Sophia Beasley (silver)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>American Legion Honors Award: <\/strong>Emily Anderson, Nathan Ballou, Isabella Atkins, Ryan McGrath<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Military Order of the Purple Heart: <\/strong>Jed Rose<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>American Veterans Award: <\/strong>Kenneth Cates<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Naval Submarine League Outstanding Achievement Award: <\/strong>Jireh Gibson<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Military Officers Association of America ROTC Award: <\/strong>Sean O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ensign Worth Bagley Leadership Award: <\/strong>Andrew Adler<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>National Sojourner Award: <\/strong>Page Snider<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Scottish Rite Award: <\/strong>Sean Hood<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CNO Distinguished Graduate: <\/strong>Everett Miller<\/p>\n<p><em>This post was <a href=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/nc-state-naval-rotc-honors-fallen-alum-with-new-scholarship-endowment\/\">originally published<\/a> in DASA.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header {\"block\":\"ncst\/default-post-header\"} -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-post-header {\"caption\":\"Brad Cranford, Eric Cranford's younger brother, presents the Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Scholarship to its first recipient: Midshipman Sean O'Connor.\",\"displayCategoryID\":596,\"subtitle\":\"At the NC State Naval ROTC annual awards ceremony, the program honored the life and legacy of Lieutenant Commander Eric Cranford, an alumnus of the battalion who perished at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, by presenting the first annual scholarship in his memory.\"} \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As officers and midshipmen in the <a href=\"https:\/\/naval.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">NC State Naval ROTC (NROTC)<\/a> program, alongside family, friends and Division of Academic and Student Affairs leaders, gathered to honor members of the Wolfpack battalion for their hard work this school year, the program also began an annual tradition of honoring an NROTC alum who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The annual awards ceremony, held April 22 in Reynolds Coliseum, saw the first official awarding of the Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Naval ROTC Scholarship, given this year to Sean O\u2019Connor, third-year student studying aerospace engineering.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"heading\":\"Support NROTC Students\",\"teaser\":\"Support NC State's Naval ROTC students by giving to the LCDR Eric A. Cranford '92 Navy ROTC Scholarship Endowment, which will be presented annually to a Wolfpack midshipman in memory of Eric A. Cranford, an NC State alum who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. \",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.givecampus.com\/campaigns\/47387\/donations\/new?designation=148336\",\"callToAction\":\"Give to the Eric Cranford Scholarship\",\"imageID\":424721,\"imageURL\":\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC03964-1.jpg\",\"imageAlt\":\"Captain Brian Tanaka gives welcome remarks at the NC State Naval ROTC Awards Ceremony. \"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very special,\u201d O\u2019Connor said. \u201cIt\u2019s something to think about when I\u2019m going forward in my career, and trying to live out the same values that he did, trying to serve wherever I can and give back to my community. I\u2019m trying to be close to the man that he was.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022It\u2019s something to think about when I\u2019m going forward in my career, and trying to live out the same values that he did.\\u0022\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Eric Cranford graduated from NC State in 1992 with degrees in political science and economics, and was commissioned from the NROTC program. He completed flight training in Corpus Christi, Texas and Pensacola, Florida, and later flew two tours in the Persian Gulf as a helicopter pilot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Cranford, a native of Drexel, North Carolina, was last assigned to the Pentagon, as a knowledge analyst in the Naval Command Post, and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander.&nbsp; He was also working towards an MBA from the University of Maryland. Cranford tragically perished at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022Eric\u2019s presence extends beyond those who knew him personally.\\u0022\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The memorial scholarship serves as a way to continue to honor Cranford\u2019s memory at his alma mater, and continue to provide an example of his legacy and leadership. His younger brother, Brad Cranford, spoke at the awards ceremony.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cEric\u2019s presence extends beyond those who knew him personally,\u201d Brad Cranford said. \u201cIt lives on through this scholarship and through each student who steps forward to carry his name into their own future. Every recipient becomes part of the ongoing story of who Eric was, not just how he died. His legacy continues to grow, not as something frozen in the past, but as a living influence shaping new leaders, new thinkers and new acts of courage.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The scholarship will be awarded from a $50,000 endowment created by Greg Duffy, a retired Air Force major and Brad Cranford\u2019s former next-door neighbor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When Brad Cranford shared the story of his brother, Duffy, who also formerly taught in UNC-Chapel Hill\u2019s Air Force ROTC program, wanted to find a permanent way to honor Eric Cranford\u2019s memory at NC State.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s great to memorialize him for what he stood for,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cThat\u2019s what it\u2019s about. There are a lot of folks who have gone before us who have served in the military. Eric is one of them, so it\u2019s an honor to be able to remember him, remember the things he did and remember what he stood for.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":424722,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC03929-1-1024x918.jpg\" alt=\"The LDCR Eric A. Cranford Scholarship plaque. \" class=\"wp-image-424722\" \/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The scholarship will be awarded annually to undergraduate students in the Naval ROTC program, with priority given to rising fourth-year students, to assist with the costs of their education and potential leadership development opportunities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cDoing things we can do to help them have a good experience through their Naval ROTC time while they\u2019re at NC State is very useful,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cDoing it in a way that also commemorates someone who\u2019s gone before them and helps them think about why they\u2019re doing what they\u2019re doing is very special.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Brad Cranford described his older brother as a quiet leader, but someone who always stepped in when he was needed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022May each of us strive to live in a way that strengthens the legacy of courage, character and service that Eric embodied.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"custombg_five\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>He shared a favorite quote in Eric Cranford\u2019s journal from former United States President Andrew Jackson, \u201cOne man with courage makes a majority.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cMay each of us strive to live in a way that strengthens the legacy of courage, character and service that Eric embodied,\u201d Brad Cranford said to the gathered midshipmen. \u201cHis legacy continues through every life touched by this scholarship.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":424720,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC04077-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Captain Ted Hamilton of the Naval Submarine League shakes hands with NC State Midshipman Jireh Gibson.\" class=\"wp-image-424720\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Captain Ted Hamilton of the Naval Submarine League presents the Naval Submarine League Outstanding Achievement Award to Jireh Gibson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h2><strong>Honoring Hard Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In addition to the Eric Cranford Scholarship, the NROTC program also presented several additional awards to midshipmen who distinguished themselves throughout the 2025-2026 school year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Lieutenant Zac Tilley, a Naval Science instructor, explained that the Triangle\u2019s NROTC Battalion is made up of three different schools \u2013 NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke \u2013 and that, especially with presenting the first Cranford scholarship, this was the first year NC State held its own separate awards ceremony.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022We\u2019re preparing these young people to go into harm\u2019s way and carry out the nation\u2019s business.\\u0022\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe fact that we can carry on Lieutenant Commander Cranford\u2019s legacy and his sacrifice, I think, speaks highly to the midshipmen and the entire active duty staff that what we\u2019re doing here is important,\u201d Tilley said. \u201cWe\u2019re preparing these young people to go into harm\u2019s way and carry out the nation\u2019s business. This is just something that brings the gravity of the situation publicly and to the personal aspect with his family being there. Eric isn\u2019t with us anymore, but his family still recognizes the importance of the mission of what we do today, and still wants to continue to support future officers in the Marine Corps and the Navy.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Other awards presented came from organizations such as the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, Reserve Organization of America, American Legion, Order of the Purple Heart, American Veterans, Naval Submarine League, Military Officers Association of America and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s incredible,\u201d Tilley said. \u201cAll these midshipmen have majors that are so different from military science. Military science is more of a minor for them. So all of these midshipmen are highly motivated, highly capable and highly skilled at what they do. They\u2019re going to lead the fleet. They\u2019re going to leave here as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps, and they may be going into harm\u2019s way to defend this country. So it\u2019s important that we get them all together at least once a year and congratulate them, celebrate them and recognize them for their hard work.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":424723,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.dasa.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/05\/DSC04020-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Major Roger Kerstetter of the United States Navy presents the Patriot Award to Natalie Wilhelm. \" class=\"wp-image-424723\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Major Roger Kerstetter of the United States Navy presents the Patriot Award to Natalie Wilhelm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3,\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h3><strong>2026 NC State Naval ROTC Award Winners<\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Scholarship: <\/strong>Sean O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Patriot Award: <\/strong>Natalie Wilhelm&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>War of 1812 Award: <\/strong>Bryan Gambel<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Sons of the American Revolution Award: <\/strong>Hunter Proctor<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Daughters of the American Revolution Award: <\/strong>Brynn Elliott<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Reserve Organization of America Medal: <\/strong>Zein Oweis (gold), Sophia Beasley (silver)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>American Legion Honors Award: <\/strong>Emily Anderson, Nathan Ballou, Isabella Atkins, Ryan McGrath<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Military Order of the Purple Heart: <\/strong>Jed Rose<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>American Veterans Award: <\/strong>Kenneth Cates<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Naval Submarine League Outstanding Achievement Award: <\/strong>Jireh Gibson<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Military Officers Association of America ROTC Award: <\/strong>Sean O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Ensign Worth Bagley Leadership Award: <\/strong>Andrew Adler<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>National Sojourner Award: <\/strong>Page Snider<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Scottish Rite Award: <\/strong>Sean Hood<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>CNO Distinguished Graduate: <\/strong>Everett Miller<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the NC State Naval ROTC annual awards ceremony, the program honored the life and legacy of Lieutenant Commander Eric Cranford, an alumnus of the battalion and Poole College who perished at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, by presenting the first annual scholarship in his memory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":732,"featured_media":227149,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_custom_author":"Andrew Schnittker","ncst_show_custom_author":true,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"caption\":\"Brad Cranford, Eric Cranford's younger brother, presents the Lieutenant Commander Eric A. Cranford Scholarship to its first recipient: Midshipman Sean O'Connor.\",\"displayCategoryID\":1652,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"subtitle\":\"At the NC State Naval ROTC annual awards ceremony, the program honored the life and legacy of Lieutenant Commander Eric Cranford, an alumnus of the battalion and Poole College who perished at the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, by presenting the first annual scholarship in his memory.\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1652,9],"tags":[38,2262,2263,132],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-227147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-awards","category-students","tag-alumni","tag-eric-cranford","tag-naval-rotc","tag-scholarship"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":1652,"name":"Awards &amp; Recognitions","slug":"awards","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1652,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":1811,"count":121,"filter":"raw"},"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/732"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227147"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":227154,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227147\/revisions\/227154"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227147"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=227147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}