NJCU Veteran Presents Nation’s Flag to School of Business and Military & Veterans Services
JERSEY CITY, N.J. | New Jersey City University (NJCU) celebrated Veterans Day this month, but it was one veteran who earned two master's degrees from the institution who was the one recognizing his alma mater — presenting our nation's flag to the NJCU School of Business and The Office of Military & Veterans Services. Staff Sergeant Ciro Ulinski, a recent graduate of the NJCU MBA program, made the presentation this fall after returning from his final tour of duty over the Horn of Africa.
Sgt. Ulinski originally enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard in 2013, and from June 2014 until early 2015 was deployed with the 114th Infantry Regiment to Qatar — a nation in the Middle East on the Arabian Peninsula along the Persian Gulf.
In October 2016 he re-enlisted with the New Jersey Army National Guard Honor Guard and served in an Infantry Sergeant position.
From January through December 2019, Sgt. Ulinski deployed for a second time to the Middle East — with the 113th Infantry Regiment of the New Jersey Army National Guard as part of its Reconnaissance team to the Horn of Africa. Based out of the small East Africa nation of Djibouti, he worked with the Air Force 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. There, he served as a Fly-Away Security Team Leader (FAST). This tactical asset was assigned to C-130 aircraft missions and provided support for Air Force Pararescue (PJ) missions in countries through the Horn, including Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. Sgt. Ulinski took part in approximately 210 flights over the course of 71 missions — the most FAST missions for any team leader in the 113th Reconnaissance section.
Sgt. Ulinski, a 2011 graduate of Toms River East High School, attended Kean University as an undergraduate, where he was a four-year member of the men’s lacrosse team and as a senior in 2016 became just the third Cougar to earn Scholar All-America accolades from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) and added Second-Team All-Skyline Conference distinction. He earned a double B.A. in Sociology and Criminal Justice from 2011-16 — attending school part-time in 2015 while overseas as part of his first deployment — and was inducted into the Criminal Justice Honor Society.
Once his athletic career culminated, Sgt. Ulinski turned his attention to graduate school and while NJCU does not sponsor lacrosse — yet — it did offer an academic program he was equally interested in. Studying from 2016-18, he earned a Master of Science in National Security Studies with dual specialization in National Security and Cyber/Information-Assurance. His thesis was titled ‘Socioeconomics and Domestic Terrorism in the U.S., Post Recession’. He was inducted into the NJCU Chapter of Omicron Sigma Sigma — a National Honor Society for the National Security Discipline.
Still hungry to further his education, he re-enrolled in NJCU for a second master’s degree from 2018-20, earning a Master of Business Administration in Spring 2020, with a 3.64 GPA. He previously obtained a Harvard Business School Online Credential of Readiness in December 2018.
Sgt. Ulinski completed the final year of the NJCU MBA program while deployed in the Horn of Africa — despite an eight-hour time difference that made attending live online courses or scheduling exams a particular challenge. He often would study for exams while in the passenger seat of an Air Force jet and scramble back to the base in time to complete exams.
In appreciation for the faculty of the NJCU School of Business and The Office of Military & Veterans Services who were so understanding during his second deployment and whose assistance and accommodations allowed Sgt. Ulinski to complete his MBA in just two years, on October 9 he presented a flag flown and certified during combat operation to NJCU.
Sgt. Ulinski was especially appreciative of Elaine Gargiulo and Randi Fontanez from Veterans Services and Professors Gailanne Barth, John Donnellan and John Laski — himself a Vietnam War veteran — for their support through his final journey of academia and military service.
Sgt. Ulinski will now be stationed in Sea Girt, N.J. where he will be a Staff Sergeant Infantry Instructor for the Infantry Advanced Leaders Course with the 254th Regiment of the New Jersey National Guard until June 2022.
Contact:
Ira Thor, Senior Director of University Communications and Media Relations | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301