Roger D. Huffstetler
Outstanding Young Alumnus Award
“A manager operates from a position of authority; a leader, from personal influence.”
This quote by leadership expert Warren Bennis has particular importance to University of West Georgia alumnus Roger Huffstetler. As a United States Marine, Huffstetler put those words into action. He is now a proud veteran after four years of service and tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now back in the civilian life, Huffstetler is going to Harvard Business School to extend his leadership training. He began his studies at UWG as an Honors chemistry student. He was active within the chemistry department and the Honors College. He also weighed offers from Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Berkeley, Cambridge and Harvard.
Huffstetler was getting ready to start his classes at Harvard when he saw footage of the twin towers collapsing on Sept. 11, 2001. Realizing early on that he wanted something else for his life, he eventually left the Ph.D. program. He joined the Marine Corps in March 2003.
“Not everyone will be a hero, but everyone can serve and serve proudly,” he said of his time in service.
As a Marine, Huffstetler led many teams and rose to Operations Department Manager. A few of his many accomplishments include the establishment of a mentoring program, the publication of several articles and invited consultations with generals.
He believes that his leadership skills were fostered at West Georgia, where he served as a resident assistant at Gunn Hall, president of the Student Honors Council and a senior researcher in the chemistry lab. Huffstetler says that if it weren’t for his experiences at UWG, he would not have been as successful in the Marine Corps.
“I am your typical student from western Georgia as I am the first in my family to go to college,” he said. “UWG can take you anywhere you want to go; no school in Georgia provides as much personal attention for its students.”