Colin Crist

“Being a part of Austin Peay Army ROTC has shown me that, in order to become a leader, I have to first be a team player and learn to be a follower.”

Major: Physics
Hometown: Clarksville, Tennessee
Involvement: PELP, Honors College, ROTC, Relay for Life, SGA, SLA Leader, Fraternity Leadership Council

When Colin Crist, a President’s Emerging Leaders Program student, took a class taught by Lt. Col. John Montgomery, he decided to join the university’s nationally recognized ROTC program.

This decision helped him refine his leadership skills and use them to serve in a number of roles as a student leader.

APSU's ROTC program has prepared cadets for service for more than 100 years.

In addition to his job as a tutor at Austin Peay’s Academic Support Center, Crist also serves as a member of the university’s fraternity leadership council and secretary of the executive council of Austin Peay’s student government association.

Crist is also active in the Clarksville community, having co-founded APSU’s inaugural Relay for Life event. In its first outing, Austin Peay’s Relay for Life fundraiser generated over $5,000 for the American Cancer Society.

“Lt. Col. John Montgomery, he taught me the value of learning to follow; to learn to stop and listen, instead of just taking charge and trying to solve a problem by myself,” Crist said.

“I’ve also learned that the most important aspect of life at Austin Peay and the key to growing is finding something you care about and getting involved with it outside of the classroom.”