This past weekend, Jesuit’s MCJROTC, along with their families and guests, gathered in the Student Commons for the second annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Each year, on November 10, Marines worldwide commemorate the founding of their Corps, renowned for loyalty, valor, and professionalism. The event honored the Corps’ origins, highlighted its current stature, and offered a vision of its future, allowing attendees to reflect on its distinguished legacy and ongoing dedication.

The MCJROTC Band, one of only three in the southeastern United States that performs in ceremonies and parades throughout the city, opened the evening with a performance under the leadership of senior Cadet Second Captain Jonathan Cho and junior Cadet First Lieutenant Seth Neo. Following this, seniors honored their parents by escorting them into the ceremony, leading up to the guest of honor’s address.

This year’s guest of honor, Jesuit alum Lieutenant Colonel Joel Lomasney ’98, spoke on how the foundation of discipline, the ethos of being a man for others, and the pursuit of excellence he learned at Jesuit prepared him for success in the Marine Corps. He emphasized the shared core values and longstanding traditions of both Jesuit and the Marine Corps, underlining their mutual commitment to leadership, integrity, and service.

The celebration continued with the traditional cake-cutting ceremony, featuring special recognition for the program’s youngest and oldest cadets—pre-freshman Cadet Seungjae Lee and senior Battalion Commander William Degenhart. The event also introduced a new addition to the ball, the 2024 Jesuit MCJROTC Military Court, with Miss Emma Clason, escorted by freshman Private Thomas Denning, being voted queen.