AUBURN, Ala. – The first time Helen Lohr visited Auburn's campus, she moved in.
"I pulled up on South Donahue Drive and one of my teammates, whom I'd never met before, was waiting for me and she helped me move all my stuff in."
Growing up in Virginia – "the heart of horse country" as Lohr calls it, she began fox hunting at age 4, and started riding competitively at age 9.
Attracted by Auburn's elite engineering education and the nation's top-ranked equestrian program, Lohr received a Navy ROTC scholarship, solidifying her decision to attend Auburn.
"All the cards fell into place," said Lohr, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. "I moved in straight out of a horse show, so my mom had to take my horses home and I hopped in my car and drove down here alone. Had no idea where I was. I had no idea what I was getting into."Helen Lohr with Izzo
For Lohr, becoming a Navy ROTC midshipman carried on a family tradition.
"My dad did the same program at UPENN," she said. "I had always planned on taking the Navy route. It's always been something that I've felt is important to do.
"I have a very long familial history of serving. It's always seemed like something that one going out into the world should do. It seems like something normal to me. I'm excited for the opportunity to serve the nation."
Like her father, Helen hopes to join the Navy's submarine force, requiring two additional years at nuclear power school in Charleston, South Carolina, after she graduates from Auburn in 2024.
"It doesn't make me nervous at all," Lohr said. "Tight spaces with the same group is generally what people struggle with. I'm hoping that if you decide to make it a positive experience, you can do that. It will be really exciting to go do what my dad did."
Managing her schedule requires maximum organization, and generous cups of coffee.
"I have a pile of espresso every morning to kick-start the day," she said.
Her schedule is demanding; equestrian morning workouts on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, while Navy ROTC's leadership lab meets Wednesday at 6 a.m.
"My coaches have been incredible about working with my officers in the ROTC unit," she said. "There's a lot of late-night studying and sometimes too little sleep, but we make it all happen, and it helps a lot that I feel very passionately about all of the above."
Whether she's practicing her jumping seat skills or training to operate a Navy submarine, Helen feels the principles that create success are similar.
"It is a transferable talent," Lohr said. "Being able to manage your teams and work with your teammates is very relevant in the fleet. I have a unique perspective on that."
When Helen Lohr graduates from the Naval Nuclear Power Unit, she hopes to wear her father's submarine pin.
"Submarines are the nerdy section of the Navy," Lohr said. "I'm hoping that my mechanical engineering degree will help me excel in that sense. It's not easy at all, but you get out what you put in. I'm very fortunate to be able to use Athletics tutors, which helps so much.
"It has been a truly awesome experience being around the Auburn people and having that Auburn family which everybody talks so much about. You don't understand it until you're in it. There's support everywhere you turn. I truly believe in Auburn and love it."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
