Orlando Cabrera, who will attend medical school at UMDNJ through the United States Navy's Health Professions Scholarship Program, was commissioned to the United States Navy/U.S. Naval Reserve last month to the rank of ensign.

During high school, while most of his friends were enjoying their lives, Orlando Cabrera was out saving them.

Cabrera began volunteering as an emergency medical technician (EMT) at age 14 after his best friend's father, an EMT for the Plainfield Rescue Squad, convinced him to get involved. He still recalls the evening of Nov. 21, 1998 and the life-altering event that pointed him toward his vocation in life.

"We responded to a call that a woman delivered a baby on the street and abandoned it in a garbage bag," he said. "We took care of the baby and he turned out to be fine. Being an EMT that night made me decide to become a doctor."

When he wasn't cruising around in an ambulance, Cabrera maintained an "A" average at Plainfield High School, ran the 400-meter dash and played soccer. He was accepted to Montclair State on a Presidential Scholars Award Scholarship and this year earned the inaugural President's Carpe Diem Award. Enrolled in the Health Careers Programs, he also was inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society and is a member of the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Without skipping a beat, Cabrera will graduate on May 21 and just a few weeks later will enter the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) Medical School under the eight-year B.S./M.D. articulation agreement between Montclair State and UMDNJ and on the United States Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship.

"I've heard that Navy medicine is the best in the world and I was attracted to the leadership attributes of a naval officer," said Cabrera, who will be promoted to lieutenant when he joins the medical corps after he earns a medical degree and completes his military training. "In my dual role as a health care provider and as a naval officer, my main responsibilities will be to serve my patients and my country."

A biology major with a chemistry minor, Cabrera plans to specialize in pediatric emergency medicine. "I'm better at treating children than adults," he said. "While I'm in the service I'll treat families of soldiers, then focus on children."

Cabrera's unswerving commitment to service and hard work, with some time left over to enjoy himself, made him a student leader on campus. Cabrera served as legislator, executive vice president and president pro tempore of the Student Government Association (SGA), he volunteered with MSU Emergency Medical Services, serving as a crew chief and vice president, was a member of the Student Advisory Committee of Higher Education-Student Assistance Authority, is a building supervisor with Campus Recreation and played intramural softball and soccer.

"Montclair State pushed me to explore the world," he said. "Through the SGA and in class I learned about perspectives we as Americans don't get unless we reach out to meet international students to get their perspectives. My experiences at Montclair State have taught me to accept and appreciate people's differences. The University also pushed my personal limits and helped me develop my leadership skills."

Cabrera singled out three people from the campus community who helped give him direction. "Chris Fitzpatrick, last year's SGA president, has become my best friend. We have such different styles and opposite personalities that he taught me different perspectives.

"Marie Washington [of the Health Careers Program] has given me a tremendous amount of support, especially when I was afraid my performance was not at its best," Cabrera admitted. She was honest with me when I was not reaching my potential, yet she never stopped believing in me."

Washington describes Orlando as "an outstanding young man with great potential. "Having high expectations of Orlando, accepting second best was not an option," Washington said. "He possesses innate ability and I always expected academic competitiveness from him."

Rick Brown, director of Student Leadership Programs, worked with Cabrera for three years in his various student leadership positions, and was Cabrera's adviser in his role as SGA vice president. Brown also supervised him this past year as an intern for College Leadership New Jersey--a statewide leadership program of which he is director. "Rick challenged me in ways no one else had," recalled Cabrera. "When I didn't want to push my limitations he did. He helped me overcome the challenges a student leader faces."

But according to Brown, Cabrera did push way beyond his limitations. "Orlando has grown continually as a student leader and as a person," said Brown. "I like to challenge students to see the big picture and to think through all the possible ramifications of their decisions. Orlando exemplifies this. He is objective in his thinking and his decision-making, and he strives to be inclusive in everything he does. He has become adept at looking at the big picture, while also realizing how decisions impact all constituencies. These qualities are going to make him an asset to the medical profession and to the U.S. Navy."