A UA ROTC student will be one of 54 people honored by President Bush with a U.S. Navy commission in May.

Meagan Kearney, a linguistics senior, was chosen among top ROTC students to be personally recognized by the president before she serves in the military.

“”I feel very honored that I was chosen,”” Kearney said. “”I worked really hard the past four years.””

Though all graduating ROTC seniors receive commissions, only 54 students in the nation will be commissioned by President Bush to serve in different branches of the military.

Kearney is assigned to serve on the U.S.S. Howard DDG 83, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer ship in the United States Navy.

“”Students are in ROTC to get commissioned into the Navy (and other branches of the military),”” Kearney said.

The ceremony will take place May 17 at the White House.

One of the reasons Kearney was selected is that she is ranked No. 2 nationally among surface warfare officers in the ROTC, she said. This rank was based in part on her 3.8 grade point average and also from high aptitude scores, she said.

“”On behalf of the entire United States Navy and the University of Arizona, we are very proud of her,”” said Col. Gordon Bourgeois, a professor of Naval science who Kearney credits as a teacher and mentor for the past three years.

Selection for the presidential commission is based on GPA, military aptitude score and a physical readiness test, Kearney said.

“”The first time I saw her do the PRT – well, she does push-ups absolutely perfectly,”” Bourgeois said.

Kearney received a perfect score on the PRT, which is uncommon for all students and particularly rare for female students, she said.

She also held the second-highest leadership position in the Naval ROTC battalion, which is made up of both Marines and Navy members, Bourgeois said.

“”Her reputation among her peers ð- her friends really respect her,”” Bourgeois said.

Bourgeois, who was previously one of Kearney’s professors, described her as “”magnificent.”” He also called her “”unselfish,”” “”smart”” and a “”superior representative”” of the U.S. Navy and the UA.

“”She (also) writes extraordinarily well,”” Bourgeois said. “”She is a real renaissance woman.””