What’s next for the Class of 2025: Emma Elmen

“What’s next for the Class of 2025” is a series that features Lafayette grads—where they’re headed, and the mentors, resources, and experiences that inspired their future path. Stay tuned for more stories throughout May.

(Photo by Adam Atkinson)

By: Kelly Huth

Major: Government and law

Destination/future plans: Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. 

After Commencement, Emma Elmen ’25 will head to Fort Knox in Kentucky to help with cadet summer training before heading to Fort Sill in Oklahoma for U.S. Army Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC). Elmen will become a platoon leader with the 75th Field Artillery Brigade, which coordinates fire support for operations using cannon, rocket, and missile fire.

(Courtesy Photo)

Involvement on campus: Elmen spent four years balancing the demands of challenging coursework, training in early morning hours and weekends with Steel Battalion ROTC, and competing as a Division I lacrosse player.

“It was a balancing act, but my cadre, my coaches, and my professors were very understanding and helped me to find a way to balance all the things I wanted to do in my college career,” Elmen says.

A typical spring week for Elmen included daily lacrosse practices, two games per week, lifting twice a week, and individual training sessions spread out as time allowed. Elmen was required to conduct ROTC physical training at 5:30 a.m. with the Steel Battalion at Lehigh several times each week before her Lafayette coursework. One day each week and some weekends Cadet Elmen would be in labs or tactical trainings with the Steel Battalion, an ROTC program that spans 11 colleges and universities around the Lehigh Valley. Elmen says the trainings—held outdoors in any weather—taught her to be hard-working and strong, and helped her to grow as a leader.

(Courtesy Photo)

In her free time, Elmen volunteered with fellow lacrosse players at the afterschool program at Paxinosa Elementary School. “It was a great experience to be around the kids, reaching out and helping our broader community.”

Mentors and experiences that mattered most: 

While her schedule sounds daunting, Elmen is grateful she got the chance to carve her own path.

“From the moment I got here, everyone around me was very welcoming and helpful,” Elmen says. “My coaches, my cadre, my family, and friends helped me succeed,” she says. 

As a senior, Elmen is paying it forward and supporting first-year students in ROTC and lacrosse who are pursuing their dreams.

“When I first came to Lafayette it was a big unknown for me and my coaches on being an athlete and a cadet,” Elmen says. “Without their support, or if I were at any other school, I don’t think I would have been able to complete my goals.”

(Courtesy Photo)

Elmen says her parents and sister were her constant source of support, calling often and steering her in the right direction. Elmen followed in the footsteps of her father who participated in the ROTC program at the University of Tampa, and was an officer in the Army.

Advice for fellow and future students:

“If you have a dream—something you really want to do—stick with it,” she says. “It definitely got hard at times. But by leaning on the support of those around me and working hard, I was able to get to my goal of being a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.”