Kunzi is a materials science and engineering senior, and is a cadet captain for the AFROTC Detachment 380, as well as the physical training officer. Even with the huge time commitment AFROTC requires, Kunzi helped lead MSU’s Water Polo team to a Big Ten championship last season, and an appearance in the national tournament in Utah.

AFROTC is a training program that prepares college students to become officers in the United States Air Force, while simultaneously completing their university undergraduate degree requirements. It’s an experience Kunzi said he loves, and he has already begun to make strides toward his ultimate goal of being a special tactics officer (STO) for the United States Air Force. 

“I just went through, we call it field training, which is our version of boot camp,” Kunzi saidch. “It is four weeks at Maxwell Air Force in Alabama. I went on to an extra training program that followed some special forces guys for about five days. I came back from that, had some time at home, and then went out to another program and spent two weeks with some other special forces guys in Florida.” 

Kunzi became a physical training officer this semester, and even though it comes with a learning curve, it has provided him with some valuable lessons in leadership.

“That’s been a cool experience, and it’s been a lot of adaptation,” Kunzi said. “We create this big ol’ semester plan and I’d say every single workout we have had so far has needed to adapt or change in one way or another, which isn’t surprising but it is definitely valuable experience.”

AFROTC is no easy task for any soldier in training, but even with Kunzi’s added responsibilities this semester, he is not giving in. Kunzi is aware that all his peers in the program have to do the same.

“The first couple years in the program, it’s a lot of learning,” Kunzi said. “Everybody that goes from second to third year goes through that field training experience, and that’s where you get a lot of leadership theory training and really kind of test yourself as a person and a leader.”

Based on the testimony of his water polo teammate Forrest Taylor, a supply chain management senior and Kunzi’s former roommate, Kunzi becoming a physical training officer was a surprise to no one on the team.

“With all the physical training, he’s usually ahead of all of us in push-ups and all the stuff we do out of the water,” Taylor said. “It really translates into how he plays in the water. He’s a big guy, and he’s a great defensive player because of it.”

Kunzi’s physical presence isn’t the only thing that has his friends singing his praises. Victoria Curtis is a criminal justice junior and a cadet captain for the AFROTC. Kunzi and Curtis joined the AFROTC together freshman year, and have become good friends.

“He is probably my closest friend in (Air Force) ROTC,” Curtis said. “I think he definitely pushes everyone to do their best, and he pushes himself as well.”

Taylor was also vocal about Kunzi’s friendship and his willingness to help others.

“Grant is a real nice guy. He’s the first one to help you out if you have a question about some schoolwork or anything,” Taylor said. “He’s also probably one of the more dedicated guys I know in terms of classwork.“

Kunzi may not be able to make every water polo practice, but he is there for every game, and is a key contributor to the team. Kunzi said he has been playing water polo since eighth grade, and it developed into a sport he is extremely passionate about.

Even though it did take him a while to find that niche, Kunzi has found a group of guys and teammates which share his interests, and it has led to some great friendships and competition.

“Graduating high school, it wasn’t a question as to whether or not I was going to play water polo,” Kunzi said. “It was set in stone I was going to play water polo.”

When Kunzi joined the MSU club water polo team his freshman year, nerves may have been a factor, but he adjusted to his new team smoothly.

“We practice so much together, and for such an open group, it didn’t take long to get acclimated and figure out how things go around,” Kunzi said. “It’s just a blast. We have so much fun together.”

Kunzi wakes up every day having to deal with an extraordinary amount of responsibility. Regardless, he remains on the right path to achieve his goal of becoming a Special Tactics Officer, while still enjoying his college experience in the water.

“I definitely see him being very successful in that (special tactics) field,” Curtis said.