Jamaican Butterbirds

“I’ve always wanted to be someone that helps other people.”

Every member of the campus community has their own stories, motives, and goals that drive them. As a houseboy for the Chi Omega sorority and a member of the University of Oregon Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, Terry Liggins’ story is remarkable.

During his sophomore year of high school, Liggins experienced a personal trial that eventually influenced his decision to join the ROTC program. Liggins’ two-month-old nephew passed away, leaving him and his family heartbroken. Liggins was emotionally distraught: “That was really tough. I didn’t know how to handle that; I had never really been through anything like that.” However, the first person to respond was a police officer. He consoled Liggins and his sisters and helped take care of the situation.  That same officer drove Liggins, who was 15-years-old at the time, to school, checked-in on the young man throughout the day, and explicitly told school administrators and staff to make sure that Liggins was fine.

The police officer’s actions and service to Liggins’ family made a difference in Liggins’ life and motivated him to join a program where he could learn values and skills that parallel those of the police officer. Since that tragic day, Liggins’ dream has been to work in a field where he can use these skills and values to serve his community or country.

” If it’s not the military it’s going to be some other job where I am helping other people and doing selfless service.”

Liggins, a senior at the University of Oregon, officially began his military career at the end of his sophomore year when he officially joined the National Guard Reserve. After going to basic training that summer, he realized that he wanted to join the military and one day become a lieutenant on active duty. As a student, he recognized that he could join the ROTC program in order to gain more experience as a soldier and leader. Though he has been in the ROTC program since his sophomore year, Liggins officially signed his contract for the United States Army at the beginning of his junior year and since then has been known as Cadet Liggins.

As an ROTC cadet, Liggins is held to certain moral and physical standards, is required to be at physical training (PT) almost every day of the week, and must be a full-time student at the University of Oregon. Ultimately, each contracted cadet is legally obliged to serve for at least eight years in the military. Being a full-time student has its own challenges; being a full-time student that is contracted to the United States Army is even more difficult. “I definitely have to plan a lot for everything,” describes Cadet Christopher Desert, “You have to have a set schedule for everything.”

Though difficult, being a cadet in the ROTC program is rewarding. Besides being physically and mentally fit, each contracted ROTC cadet takes military science courses that train him or her in all aspects of the military: infantry, teamwork, and tactics. Desert defines what he learns on a daily basis as “the art of leadership.” As described by Darren McMahon, a recruiter at the University of Oregon’s ROTC program, each ROTC cadet begins his or her career in the army as a second-lieutenant officer rather than as a private, the lowest ranked soldier in the army. Depending on the terms of his or her contractual obligations, a cadet can choose to serve in the National Guard, as an active in the army, or in the army reserve.

Waking up every morning at 5:30, Liggins feels the effects of being a cadet on a daily basis. Additionally, Liggins works between 2-3 hours as a houseboy at the Chi Omega sorority house while taking 16 credits every quarter. While many students would have trouble succeeding with such a demanding and busy schedule, Liggins thrives, maintaining a 3.3 grade point average. “He balances it really well,” says Eric Wallace, Liggins’ roommate, “I think the military has given him a lot of organizational skill and a lot of personal responsibility and accountability.”

Last fall, Liggins decided to apply for the position of houseboy at the Chi Omega sorority house. He was hired immediately by the sorority’s housemom and decided to take the occupation for the sake of having extra “pocket money” and financial breathing room. Though he does not feel that the job is too difficult or demanding, Liggins does work nearly 15 hours a week. Veronica Sims, a cook at Chi Omega, describes the role of a houseboy: “for the most part their jobs are to clean, do dishes, clean floors, take out garbage, and help clean the dining room.”

In this role, Sims observes Liggins’ impressive work ethic and values on a daily basis. “Terry I have to say is one of the very best,” states Sims, “and he has leadership qualities, he has teamwork, he’s dependable and responsible.” Though the job can be time-consuming, especially for a student as busy as Liggins, he enjoys having a busy schedule because it reinforces his work ethic and self-discipline on a daily basis. “With my schedule, it’s kind of the perfect job,” says Liggins. Not to mention, Liggins’ works for 60 sorority girls that live at the house.

“In a way, it has reasserted my work ethic.”

Though working for Chi Omega does the girls a service, Liggins ultimately wants to serve people in a deeper setting, similar to what the police officer did for him. Upon graduation, Liggins will be deployed, most likely out of the country. After serving his 8-year contractual tenure, Liggins will either continue to serve in the military and move up the ranks as an officer or begin a career in law enforcement. “Whether it’s a cop or any other job serving the public or nation,” Liggins explains, “a job that I know I’m helping other people.”