ALUMNI & VETERANS
LEADING
“ From the Bronx to West Point and from war to the White House .
At every step , I found fulfillment .”
Fordham Prep holds a special place in my heart . Within the halls of our school , I discovered the value of service , loyalty , and commitment . The Prep was so much more than a High School education – I learned how to be a father , a husband , and a member of my community .
Fordham showed me how to serve others , lead others , be a man for others .
I found structure and much needed role models at Fordham . I learned as much outside the classroom as I did in class : Emmaus , Appalachia , Operation Smile , helping establish the Outdoors Club , and leading the Student Government .
During the four years I walked those halls , I transformed from an aimless adolescent into a man of principle and character .
From this transition point at the Prep , I went to the United States Military
THE WAYBy Major Max
Academy at West Point . I entered the Corps of Cadets in July of 2001 and watched foes assail my beloved New York City while still just a Plebe . On 9 / 11 , my journey as a prospective Army officer changed meaning as we instantly went from a military in peacetime to what we now know as decades of war . West Point ’ s guiding principles of Duty , Honor , Country felt all too familiar after my inculcation to Men for Others at Fordham . It was not long before I met our nation ’ s enemies face to face and learned what both those mottos really asked for .
To the fight ! I led Soldiers in the streets of Baghdad , Iraq . To the fight ! I led Soldiers in the heart of Kandahar , Afghanistan – and back again , once more , twice more – leading Army Rangers on Special Operations raids across Afghanistan . You only win laurels on the football field . On the battlefield , you earn a deeper appreciation for what it means to be an American and what it means to give the pledge of allegiance that we instinctively recited at assemblies back in Leonard Theater .
After ten years of training and fighting , I returned to my academic roots started on Rose Hill and studied at the Naval
War College . A year later , I found myself in the northern reaches of Cameroon in Western Africa commanding a Task Force of Soldiers and Airmen in one of the most austere places in the world . It was also one of the most professionally rewarding and personally meaningful experiences of my life . From Africa , I went to the Pentagon . After the Pentagon , I became a White House Fellow , serving at the State Department on Iran policy through hostage negotiations , the strike on Qassim Soleimani , and tense diplomatic efforts with the United Nations Security Council . As a White House Fellow , being a man for others meant shaping national security issues while trying to avert the outbreak of war .
I am forever grateful to the faculty and staff at Fordham . The example they set shaped me in so many ways . Here I am now , continuing the academic legacy of the Jesuits by returning to academia once more , this time embarking on doctoral studies in public policy – to arm myself with knowledge and perspective for unknown decisions - that I know await - in the fray ahead .
Hail , men of Fordham , hail . I am proud to be one of you . I fully recognize that to wave that old Maroon on high calls for the continual pursuit to serve others . Thank you to all of you who continue to serve your communities in your own way .
Men for Others . Duty , Honor , Country . Rangers Lead the Way .
Ferguson ‘ 01 , USA
The light infantry company in the 10th Mountain Division I commanded while deployed to southern Afghanistan in 2011 .
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