First Posted: 6/10/2014

Cody Plesnar, a 2010 graduate from Dallas High School, recently graduated from Shippensburg University, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. A member of Who’s Who Among College Students, he was also a member of the Dean’s List multiple times.

While at Shippensburg, Plesnar contracted with the Raiders Battalion R.O.T.C. program and was awarded a 3-year scholarship. In his sophomore year, he was chosen as a member of the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency Program (CULP) and spent time in Indonesia with the Indonesian army. He also graduated from Air Assault School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

In his junior year, he was also one of only five cadets in the entire northeast to attend and graduate from Northern Warfare School at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. At the end of his junior year, he competed at Fort Lewis in the Leader Development and Assessment course with 6,000 other cadets and rated in the top 10 percent in the nation.

In his senior year, he was elected as the Bravo Company Commander at Shippensburg where he excelled at coaching and mentoring other peer cadets. He was awarded the George C. Marshall Award, making him one of only 275 cadets who received the award which recognizes the top cadet at each host battalion across the nation.

Upon graduation, Plesnar was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and is now attending the 16-week Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Upon completion of the course, he will be assigned active duty as an Infantry Officer assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Plesnar is the son of Steven and Leslie Plesnar, of Dallas and the grandson of Anna Plesnar, of Dallas and Ronald Thomas, of Sweet Valley. His younger sister, Cierra, will be a senior at Shippensburg University this fall.