A New Start: How the Air Force Led Mady to Miami University
June 27, 2025 | Natalie Pond
Meet Madeline “Mady” Gardiner. She’s a current first-year Music Education major with a minor in Education, Teaching, and Learning from Liberty Township, Ohio. Mady didn’t take the “traditional” route of graduating from high school and going straight to college; instead, she took a gap year to join the Air Force. This is her story about what she has learned from her gap year and how that has helped her at Miami.
After High School Plans
“February of my senior year, I enlisted in the Air Force National Guard. So I wasn’t really thinking about college or anything like that, because I was leaving for basic (training) in August. So, the plan was to just work the entire summer as hard as I could and physically, mentally, and emotionally. Prepare for basic training as much as I could.”
How did you decide that you wanted to go into the Air Force?
With her stepdad being in the Air Force, Mady had learned a lot about it. The Air Force had always been part of her life.
“Once I got older, I realized that my desire to help people could be fulfilled by the Air Force. Plus, my desire to be a teacher could be helped by their tuition agreement. So, it was kind of like, the perfect way to accomplish all of my goals was to go into the Air Force National Guard.”
Mady in front of the Heritage Museum in her Air Force uniform
What did you learn through the gap year and basic training?
“I learned that the world is a lot bigger and there are a lot greater things than I ever thought. I went into basic training right after high school, turned 18, and four days later, got on a plane to Texas. So my viewpoint at that point in my life had been so small and so focused on myself and just getting through high school and getting that diploma,” Mady said.
“And then once I came out of basic, I realized that this world is so much bigger and has so many more opportunities than I ever thought. And once I got home from the military, I realized how expensive life was because I had to work full time. I paid for my own car and my own phone for the first time.”
How did you decide to go to Miami after your gap year?
Mady only actually applied for two schools but also had family ties to Miami. Her grandfather, Jay Gardiner, was the assistant athletic director in the early 2000s. So Miami was always part of her life.
“When I went on a tour, it was my first college tour that I had never gotten on, and afterwards I turned to my mom, I was like, yeah, I’m gonna go here.”
What did move-in look like for you?
With her roommate having already moved in for marching band, Mady was very thankful that she had the room to herself for move-in. It was stressful enough to move-in on her own, and she couldn’t imagine having moved in at the same time.
“Once my parents left, I sat in my room and I cried a little bit. I was like, OK, like, this is a big deal for me. I’m starting something that no one in my family really has ever done. I’m not far from home, but I am on my own, and I was also mad at myself because I was like, I had done basic training for the Air Force, I had done harder things. I had not talked to my family for two straight months, I’ve done harder things. Why are we crying about going to college?”
What did your first semester look like when trying to get involved in things?
“I looked at a lot of things at Mega Fair, but I really had my heart set on an a cappella group. I’d heard the a cappella groups perform before, and I absolutely loved it. I knew I wanted to do something in music that wasn’t my major. I knew that if I didn’t get my creativity out in a way that wasn’t academically focused, I was gonna go crazy. Like, if music was all I did all the time for a grade it would have been bad, so I auditioned for two a cappella groups and got into one.”
Mady was recently elected as president of her a cappella group, Just Duet, for the 2025-2026 academic year!
What was the adjustment like?
“I did not expect to be at 18 credit hours my first semester of college. It was kind of a culture shock because I hadn’t been in school for over a year at that point. Everyone else had only been out of school for a few months. I had been out of school for over a year. I had to really lock in on what I’m doing and get back into that school mindset of going to class on time and making sure I’m up to date with assignments.”
What opportunities have you had/are you looking forward to within your major, Music Education?
First semester, as part of her Bachelor of Music in Music Education program, Mady had the opportunity to shadow a teacher and student teach at local middle and high schools. This is different from the traditional way where college students don’t student teach until their last semester in college.
“The professors here at Miami are very adamant about students getting hands-on experience early. They don’t want the first time you stand up in front of a classroom when you’re being graded for it. They want you to go learn and kind of teach your own lessons, which was so, so cool. I got to go to Edgewood Middle School, and they were just awesome kids, awesome choir class.”
