The Citadel

The Summerall Guards for the Class of 2026 are now in position. The 61 rising-senior cadets held their first performance during the changing of the guard ceremony, an event that is part of The Citadel's annual Corps Day weekend ceremonies. This marks the moment that the Class of 2025 Summerall Guards perform their last precision drills as a unit before passing their rifles to the new platoon. They were selected after a process that included weeks of Bond Volunteer Aspirant (BVA) training. Junior cadets who pass an initial physical fitness test take part in the six-week BVA training and tryout sessions. They must perform military pushups, sit-ups and rifle-bearing physical training, exhibiting exceptional physical condition and stamina. Known around the United States as one of the elite military drill troupes, membership is a high honor at the military college of South Carolina. Created in 1932, The Summerall Guards have represented The Citadel at events around the nation, including performing in five presidential inaugural parades. The platoon is named for Gen. Charles P. Summerall, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army and The Citadel president from 1931 until 1953. Its purpose is to exemplify the exactness and thoroughness of a cadet's training through a unique series of movements based on old, close-order Prussian drills. The maneuvers have never been written down, are passed from class to class and are performed to a silent count. The 61 seniors will be commanded by Cadet Cole Bouknight.

The Citadel honored three of its most outstanding cadets during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 4. The awards, which are given out annually, recognize the cadets with the highest grade-point averages, as well as the most courteous member of the graduating class. The David Shingler Spell First and Second Honor Graduates are the cadets whose grade-point averages are the highest in each graduating class, based on the total college record of that class. Recipients of the awards receive a plaque and a stipend for educational expenses at the graduate level.

The President's List is one of the most distinguished cadet awards presented by The Citadel. It indicates excellence in academics and military duties. The list is a combination of the Dean's List and the Commandant's Distinguished List and is composed of cadets who contribute the most to their companies while maintaining excellent military and academic records.

The President's List is one of the most distinguished cadet awards presented by The Citadel. It indicates excellence in academics and military duties. The list is a combination of the Dean's List and the Commandant's Distinguished List and is composed of cadets who contribute the most to their companies while maintaining excellent military and academic records.

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the fall 2024 semester. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel's dean's list.

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the spring 2024 semester. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel's dean's list.

The dean's list is a recognition given to cadets and students who are registered for 12 or more semester hours and whose grade point average is 3.20 or higher, with no grade of I (Incomplete) and no grade below C for work in a semester.

The United States Armed Forces now have more than 140 new officers. Held on Friday, May 3, during a joint commissioning ceremony, approximately 30% of the Class of 2024 accepted commissions into the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. This year's joint ceremony was held in McAlister Field House. The ceremony included the now-officers reciting their oath, as well as having gold bars pinned on their uniforms by their sponsors. Following the ceremony, the commissionees gathered on Summerall Field where they received their first salutes as officers. The commencement ceremony for the Corps is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies.

The dean's list is a recognition given to cadets and students who are registered for 12 or more semester hours and whose grade point average is 3.20 or higher, with no grade of I (Incomplete) and no grade below C for work in a semester.

The Citadel's mission of producing principled leaders is well demonstrated through the ROTC detachments, which provide cadets with the necessary tools to prepare them for their future military careers after graduation. The departments, which include Air Force/Space Force ROTC, Army ROTC, Marine Corps ROTC and Navy ROTC, ensures The Citadel is one of the nation's proven producers of top military leaders. Annually, the departments nominate their finest cadets and active duty students for awards. The award recipients are normally honored as a group in McAlister Field House.

Commandant of Cadets announces new leadership for upcoming academic year. As the Class of 2024 prepares to join The Citadel's Long Gray Line, the newest cadet leadership for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is preparing to take over. To earn their positions for next year, these cadet leaders went through a series of rank board engagements, performance reviews and interviews. The Citadel continues the tradition of developing principled leaders through a 24/7 military structure on campus, positioning cadets to run the Corps by earning increasing rank throughout their time at The Citadel. Rank holders acquire real leadership experience in these roles, by making decisions that contribute to the academic, physical fitness, military training and overall success of the Corps. The new cadet leadership was announced by The Citadel Commandant of Cadets Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), '91, during a gathering in Jenkins Hall on March 6.

After a series of rank board engagements, performance reviews and interviews, the newest cadet leaders for The South Carolina Corps of Cadets are now poised to take over when the Class of 2022 graduates as part of the college's Long Gray Line. The Citadel's tradition of developing principled leaders through a 24/7 military structure on campus continues, positioning cadets to run the Corps by earning increasing rank throughout their time on campus. Rank holders accumulate real leadership experience, making decisions that contribute directly to the academic, physical fitness, military training and overall success of the Corps. The Citadel Commandant of Cadets, Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), '91, announced the new cadet leadership for the 2022-2023 school year during a gathering in Jenkins Hall on March 8. "This will be the most consequential thing you have done up to this point in your lives," said The Citadel Commandant of Cadets Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), '91, when announcing next year's leadership. "I will tell you, without a bit of hyperbole, that my year as a company commander in the Corps of Cadets was the most impactful for me as a leader for the first five years of my Marine Corps career. This is your opportunity to sharpen and refine your leadership skills."

The Citadel Graduate College Class of 2023 accepted their degrees during the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6. Almost 400 undergraduate transfer and graduate students participated in the spring commencement events. For the graduate program, top academic programs included a Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Project Management, Master of Science in Leadership, Master of Education in Counselor Education and a Master of Science in Health Exercise Sport Science. Graduates accepted their diploma from President of The Citadel Gen. Glenn W. Walters, USMC (Ret.), Class of 1979.

The South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2023 are now part of the Long Gray Line. More than 500 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets accepted their degrees during the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6. Approximately 30% of the graduating cadets accepted commissions as officers into the U.S. Armed Services. The top academic programs for the Class of 2023 included Intelligence and Security Studies, Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Criminal Justice. Graduates accepted their diploma from President of The Citadel Gen. Glenn W. Walters, USMC (Ret.), Class of 1979.

For the first time ever, The Citadel Career Center was awarded a grant to help more cadets and students achieve their professional goals. The $30,000 grant - provided by Boeing - went a long way for eight cadets and students who interned at various organizations in Charleston over the summer and fall. Grant money also went to several faculty partners to support student projects, such as the Supply Chain Management and Port Club and Citadel STEM project. The Career Center held a Boeing Grant Award Recognition Appreciation luncheon to show their gratitude for Boeing's investment as well as to highlight results from each internship. At the event, each individual discussed their internship and shared what they learned, what skills they developed and the overall experience they had. A representative from each site also spoke about how their intern preformed, what they contributed, the assigned projects and the difference between an intern from The Citadel versus past interns from other colleges. Based on the grant's stipulations, students were to benefit from learning transferable skills which apply in business and engineering. Internship sites varied from national political offices, local engineering companies, local financial investment companies, police departments and more.

More than 550 cadets, active duty and veteran students now proudly wear The Citadel class ring. The Class of 2022 marched across Summerall Field, directly into Summerall Chapel, where the rings were presented to the members of the senior class on Friday, Oct. 1. "The presentation of the rings represents our commitment to The Citadel and our accomplishments as a class," said Cadet Kathryn Christmas, Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. "The Class of 2022 has been waiting patiently for this day. We will wear them proudly." One of the very first acts the cadets performed after receiving their rings was to salute The Citadel War Memorial - marching by in rows of four - as they left the Chapel. "Ring Presentation is something we have all dreamed about from our early days as knobs. Then, it seemed like an eternity away - yet here we are, getting to join the brother and sisterhood of those who wear the ring," said Cadet Grayson Gasque, Deputy Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. "For the Class of '22, our rings symbolize the culmination of our efforts here at The Citadel and the efforts of those who helped us along the way. From this day forward, we have the privilege and responsibility of wearing the Band of Gold."

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the spring 2021 semester. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel's dean's list.

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the fall 2020 semester. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel's dean's list.

An annual tradition with the Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business has a new home on campus - Bastin Hall, the new headquarters for The Citadel's business school. Now, from inside the new building, a new student-founded business is $10,000 closer to reality. Extrusionaire - device that melts down 3D printed parts and scrap, and then reforms it back into filament to be reused by a 3D printer - won first place in the Baker Business Bowl VII. 3D printing creates a large amount of waste during production, and Extrusionaire provides a fully automated way to for waste or failed prints to be melted down and reformed into a spool of filament, which can be reused. The entire process takes about five hours to melt down, reform and spool plastic products into useable 3D-printing filament. "This event allowed me a chance to better understand how important business planning and organization is beyond the pure arithmetic and designing process," said Team Extrusionaire's Tiernan VanDyke, an evening undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student. "More than anything, our winning is the result of an effective and compelling product. Additionally, the Extrusionaire would not be nearly as functional if not for the effort and expertise of my team, and for that I'm grateful." Team Extrusionaire worked with 3D-printing hobbyists in mind, though they also see possible partnerships with The Citadel Makerspace, College of Charleston's Mace Brown Museum of Natural History and more. The final round of the competition was held on Tuesday, April 13. Each of the five final teams had 30 minutes to present their business ideas, and to answer questions from the judges.

An annual tradition with the Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business has a new home on campus - Bastin Hall, the new headquarters for The Citadel's business school. Now, from inside the new building, a new student-founded business is $10,000 closer to reality. Extrusionaire - device that melts down 3D printed parts and scrap, and then reforms it back into filament to be reused by a 3D printer - won first place in the Baker Business Bowl VII. 3D printing creates a large amount of waste during production, and Extrusionaire provides a fully automated way to for waste or failed prints to be melted down and reformed into a spool of filament, which can be reused. The entire process takes about five hours to melt down, reform and spool plastic products into useable 3D-printing filament. Team Solar Suck came in second place, earning $5,000 for their business. The company's goal is to create an effective dehumidifier that exclusively uses solar power to lower utility prices and promote clean energy; it can also be used in survival situations, such as in a lifeboat, in order to collect water from the air to drink. Members of Team Solar Suck include: Cade Bennett Andrew Brabazon Charles Marsh Joshua Valencia Jack Zappendorf