Lt. Col. Matthew Tillman credited the prestigious honor to his colleagues across the university.
Lt. Col. Matthew Tillman, who leads Colorado State University’s Army ROTC program, has been named the top military science professor by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Tillman, a CSU Army ROTC alumnus, received the Professor of Military Science of the Year award from U.S. Army Cadet Command Headquarters. He will be honored during CSU’s Military Appreciation Game on Veterans Day on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Under Tillman’s leadership, CSU’s AROTC program has undergone significant changes, helping to commission 28 lieutenants to date. Ram Battalion, which he commands, has performed well during Cadet Summer Training, with cadets averaging 16th in their respective platoons. Of those, 74% earned “outstanding” or “excellent” in overall CST evaluations.
“I am proud of it,” said Tillman, who graduated from CSU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management. “I’m proud of it because of the contributions of everybody that’s around me to make that happen.”
By the numbers
Highlights of 2022-23
- 34 second lieutenants commissioned.
- 18 cadets participated in Advanced Camp.
- 7 cadets are participating in CTLT training across the United States.
- 2 cadets are overseas for Project GO (one to Jordan, one to South Korea).
- 4 cadets selected for Air Assault training.
- 1 cadet selected for Airborne School.
- 1 cadet selected to serve as the Opposing Force for Advanced Camp.
At CSU, Tillman has collaborated across the university to develop innovative programs and initiatives. With the College of Health and Human Sciences, he collaborated with sports medicine faculty and students to increase the effectiveness and safety of ROTC physical training sessions. This resulted in a published study in Military Medicine on the most effective way to train cadets for the Army Combat Fitness Test.
Additionally, he partnered with the College of Business to utilize undergraduate students to survey cadets on key engagement methods. With the CSU Foundation, he helped increase annual department-level scholarships as well as discretionary funding for his department.
Tillman underscored the collaboration across the university in making the Ram Battalion among the best in the country. He noted that the partnerships with the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost have been invaluable.
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Janice Nerger experienced the results over the summer when she visited Fort Knox for the U.S. Army’s annual Cadet Summer Training, where CSU AROTC cadets excelled.
“You know, the Army has their slogan, ‘Be all that you can be,” she said. “And I think Matt Tillman has shown that he’s all that you can be. It’s an amazing thing, even though he’s been very humble about it.”
