I heard it before I went out there.
“You’ll be the first person to speak in the Qubein Arena!”
I had made presentations before in front of my Air Force ROTC unit. So, I was used to public speaking. But when I walked onstage and the lights went down, everyone started clapping. I heard my buddies yell, ‘Hey, Matt!’, I heard people clapping, and I kept thinking, ‘I hadn’t said anything yet.’ I knew then I’d better not mess up.
I didn’t. I got to introduce Lee Greenwood, and it was such a surreal honor. It all happened so fast.
He and I worked on the details together on what I was going to say right before he sang, and the whole time, I was sort of starstruck. Such an insane opportunity. It shows how High Point University feels about ROTC, the military in general and how much trust they put in us, their students, someone like me.
That’s who we are. High Point University is a God, family, country school, and Saturday night really tied into the country part. Lee Greenwood sang ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ to open Saturday’s concert, and the crowd loved it. I did, too. But I know that song resonates with more than just me. It resonates with High Point University and mirrors the values that are important to our school and important to me. You can tell by the way the crowd responded to a person in uniform. That is what makes me proud to put on the uniform each day.
Being an ROTC cadet, I really appreciate that. And I appreciate High Point University. I’ve spent four years of my life here, and I’ve grown immensely. When I graduate, I’ll go into the Air Force where my dream is to become a fighter pilot, and I know HPU supports that dream. The lessons and mindset I’ve developed here will serve me well for the rest of my life. I am proud to be a HPU student.
Matt Redbord is a senior finance major from Ocean, New Jersey, and a member of HPU’s Air Force ROTC. He introduced Lee Greenwood before his performance Sept. 25 inside the Qubein Center.