When Jack Rouhana ‘26 steps into a room, his presence carries a quiet, grounded confidence. At 180 pounds, fit and lean, he bears little physical resemblance to the 250-pound offensive lineman who used to battle in the trenches for the Walpole High School football team. But the discipline that drove his physical transformation – losing 70 pounds through calculated dieting, weightlifting, and relentless incline treadmill sessions – is the exact same grit carrying him through the final stretch of the 9th Recruit Officer Course (ROC) at Fitchburg State University.
In May, Rouhana earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Today, he is nearing the finish line of an intensive, 17-week police academy that will certify him and his peers to serve as municipal police officers in Massachusetts and neighboring states.
For Rouhana, the destination isn't just any police department. It’s Walpole – the town he has called home since he was 5 years old. And waiting for him on the force is a familiar face: his older brother, Justin.
The path toward law enforcement wasn't a family legacy from the start.
"We are the first ones," said Rouhana, pointing out that his parents built their lives through entirely different avenues. His father, Joe, immigrated to the United States from Lebanon and works as a car salesman. His mother, Jen, balances working in the family business with a desk job at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Initially, both brothers harbored ambitions of joining the military.
“We both wanted to go into the Marines, but my mom put her hand down on that one and said, ‘No way,’” said Rouhana. “So we decided to stress her out and both become police officers instead. I don’t think any job where you wear a bulletproof vest to work is something that your mom wouldn’t be worried about.”
Despite a nine-year age gap, Justin became Jack’s north star. While Justin graduated high school when Jack was still in elementary school, the distance in years only amplified Jack's admiration.
“(Justin) was always a role model growing up. He’s kind of like a second dad in a way,” said Rouhana. “He taught me how to throw a football, taught me how to get into a three-point stance, taught me how to hit people in football. As a kid, you look up to your older brother, and you think he’s the blueprint. He’s 10 feet tall and Superman.”
Justin joined the Walpole Police Department in 2019, quickly establishing himself as a field training officer, defensive tactics instructor, and firearms instructor. Watching his brother excel solidified Jack’s own calling.
Now, as Jack prepares to join the same department, that childhood bond has evolved into a daily professional mentorship.
“I talk to my brother pretty much every day, letting him know how my day was at the academy,” said Rouhana, who was also quick to thank the Walpole Police Department and Chief Richard Kelleher. “Any small question that I can think of, whether it be on a report or my uniform or a question about a law, he’s the guy I go to. It’s almost like I have access to my own personal trainer while I’m in the academy.”
Beyond the guidance, there’s still that inevitable brotherly push.
“I’ve always been able to learn from him,” said Rouhana, “but I’ve always wanted to be better than him, more than anything. He’s a great man and a great police officer, but we do have that brotherly competition that pushes both of us to be better.”
When it came time to choose where to pursue his degree, Justin gave Jack a piece of advice that would define the next four years of his life: Go to Fitchburg State.
“My brother said that I shouldn’t go anywhere else,” said Rouhana. “He said that if he could have gone back in time, he would have gone to Fitchburg State.”
When I was thinking about what college I wanted to go to, my main focus was having a career after college and being set up for that. No school sets you up for a job in law enforcement like Fitchburg State. If you’re going to be a police officer, there’s nowhere else to go to school in the state. There’s no debate.
The university offers a unique, groundbreaking five-year model. In total, students earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, full Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) certification to become active officers, and a master’s degree in criminal justice.
For Rouhana, the decision meant sacrificing college football – a choice heavily influenced by his brother's practical wisdom.
"My brother said, 'Hey, you can play your four years, but if in your senior year you get a knee injury, you’re not going to the academy,’” said Rouhana.
Rouhana pivoted his athletic drive entirely into preparing his body and mind for the academy floor. Looking back, he believes there is no better launching pad for anyone serious about a career in law enforcement.
“When I was thinking about what college I wanted to go to, my main focus was having a career after college and being set up for that,” said Rouhana. “No school sets you up for a job in law enforcement like Fitchburg State. If you’re going to be a police officer, there’s nowhere else to go to school in the state. There’s no debate.”
Even beyond traditional municipal policing, Rouhana notes how the environment instills life habits that set students apart in any competitive field.
“You get that almost military-like experience because of the uniform, building good habits, and being under the microscope of keeping your GPA up,” said Rouhana, who was greatly impacted in the academy by Sergeant Mei-Ling Polanco-Diaz of the Fitchburg Police Department and Fitchburg State Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences Michael McCutcheon.
That competitive edge showed up early when Rouhana applied for an undergraduate internship with the Chatham Police Department.
“Seeing 'Fitchburg State Police Program' on your resume makes you stick out just because of the name,” said Rouhana. “They know you are focused.”
The 9th Recruit Officer Course is an intimate, high-intensity environment. With only five recruits in the cohort, there is nowhere to hide – and that is precisely how Rouhana prefers it.
“This is a great crew,” said Rouhana about his squad. “There’s only five of us, but I have faith in each and every one of us. Since there’s a small number of us, of course, all eyes are on us, especially with the drill staff, so it’s only pushed us to be better.”
The transformation from Day 1 to the final weeks has been profound. Where early days were marked by the inevitable chaos and minor mistakes of recruits adjusting to strict discipline, consistency has now become second nature.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been as consistent in my life until the academy,” said Rouhana. “Mentally, I’ve matured a lot.”
He credits much of that growth to the dedicated instructors and Police Academy Director Ola Wysocki.
“We are blessed to have the group of instructors that we do,” said Rouhana. “They care so much, not only about us as people, but as future police officers. We have some instructors that work 12-hour shifts and come in and spend another 10 hours with us. They give us 110 percent effort, and it makes me want to give my 120 percent.”
Wysocki's hands-on leadership leaves a similar impression.
“She’s right here with us all the time and extremely supportive,” said Rouhana. “What she’s done to enhance this program has been extremely substantial.”
That support has clearly rubbed off on Rouhana.
“On day one of the Academy someone asked Rouhana how he was doing, his immediate answer was, ‘I am happy to be here,’” said Wysocki. “Jack has always displayed a can-do attitude. But his true strength is in motivating others, always giving support during PT and applauding his classmates' success is truly a joy to see.”
For Rouhana, every pushup, late-night study session, and drill routine points toward a single goal: protecting the community that raised him.
Having grown up in Walpole, played local sports, coached youth flag football, and mentored tackle football players, Rouhana isn't an unfamiliar face stepping onto the force. He’s a familiar neighbor returning in uniform.
“It means a lot to me and it’s a privilege to do so,” said Rouhana. “Being able to work in your own town that you’ve lived in and get hired there, I think it says a lot about me and it says a lot about my town. I’m not a stranger, so they have that trust in me to not only be a good kid when I was younger, but a great adult now and a better police officer moving forward.”
As the close of the academy approaches, graduation – a moment Rouhana has envisioned since his freshman year – is finally within arms' reach. Surrounding him will be his parents, his girlfriend Kaylie McDevitt (a 2025 Fitchburg State alumna), and the brother who helped show him the way.
Having Justin pin the badge onto his uniform will mark the end of one journey and the start of a lifelong career side-by-side.
“Graduation has been on my mind since the day I got to Fitchburg State,” said Rouhana. “To now know that I’m about to graduate, it means everything to me. Having Justin there is going to be a big moment for sure.”
When asked what advice he would pass down to the next generation of freshmen standing where he once stood, Rouhana’s message is simple, grounded, and clear.
“Stick through it,” said Rouhana. “It’s a long four years, but it’s going to be worth it in the end. What you’re going to get out of this program is more than you’re going to get from other traditional criminal justice routes. Soak in all the information you get and take every opportunity that you have here.”