Tiffany Cao Discovers Her Purpose

Named Outstanding Graduate in Air Force Leadership Studies

by PSFA News Team

May 14, 2020

​May 14, 2020

Tiffany Cao, a Psychology major in the College of Science, has been named 2020 Outstanding Student by the PSFA Air Force Leadership Studies Minor.

Cao has been selected to be an intelligence officer in the Air Force and will be moving to Texas for tech school at Goodfellow Air Force Base where she expects her SDSU degree to help her not only understand and examine human behaviors, but also assist her in settling into the military lifestyle.

While at SDSU Cao found herself challenged to discover answers to some of life’s hardest questions: Who am I? What do I want to be? Who do I want to become? “I constantly had a battle against my identity crisis,” said Cao. “I was always doubting myself and questioning my role in society, from changing majors 3 times to wondering if the military was right for me, to whether or not I should even stay in college or drop out. However, seeing that I am about to graduate, I realize that everything I went through was for a reason. I don’t regret a single decision that I’ve made in college because I am confident that where I am today is exactly where I was meant to be.”

Cao credits her 4 years in the Air Force ROTC program for shaping her into the woman and leader that she is today. “From having to wake up at 3:30 a.m. two to three times a week to going to boot camp all the way in Alabama, and to making life-long friends that I now consider my family, each has been a timeless experience of its own,” says Cao. “My journey at SDSU can be boiled down to a full-time student working a part-time job, trying to balance the rigors of ROTC, while maintaining somewhat of a social life. Though it has been difficult, to say the least, not everyone can say they had to wake up at 4 in the morning to work out at the beach!”

Though COVID-19 has disrupted many of the long-awaited events and activities for the graduating class of 2020, Cao says this pandemic has united her class. “This is a moment that will do down in history, and I’m lucky enough to share that with a tenacious and spirited group of people. There will be no question that the future for the class of 2020 will be nothing but monumental.”

Cao’s advice to incoming freshmen is to try new things. “SDSU has so much offer, and if you truly want to have the best 4 years of your life here, you need to broaden your horizons and not insulate yourself,” she advises. “Take a surfing class, learn how to sail, join ROTC (like me!) or try greek life! Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to try something new. I spontaneously joined ROTC three weeks into my freshman year, and it ultimately became the best and most prominent decision I ever made.”

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.

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