The Citadel

One of the first major events during the commencement season at The Citadel is the annual awards convocation for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. The awards are presented to cadets and active duty students in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments. This year's convocation took place on Thursday, May 4, inside the McAlister Field House.

The Summerall Guards for the Class of 2024 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/Recognition Day weekend ceremonies. This marks the moment that the Class of 2023 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.

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 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 2022 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 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.

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.

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the spring 2022 semester. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel's dean's list.

The South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2022 made history as one of The Citadel's largest incoming classes when they arrived on campus four years ago. Now, after two years of modified graduation ceremonies, more than 600 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and more than 500 students from The Citadel Graduate College accepted their degrees during the commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 7. The day before commencement, about 30% of the graduating cadets accepted commissions as officers into the U.S. Armed Services. Among those who accepted commissions are the first two Citadel cadets to join the U.S. Space Force: Conor William Deans, Space Operations Officer, and Jack O. Schwartz, Developmental Engineer. Another significant accomplishment from the Class of 2022 include two cadets tying for the position of First Honor Graduate - Steven Jones and Ashley Ruiz. Ruiz, along with William Jenson and Martynas Tendzegolskis, comprise the first group to graduate through The Citadel Distinguished Scholars Program, a rigorous academic initiative that develops the brightest and most ambitious cadets and students for success in top-tier graduate schools and for leadership roles in their future careers. The top academic programs for the Class of 2022 included Business Administration, Intelligence and Security Studies, Criminal Justice, Mechanical Engineering and Political Science. Graduates accepted their diploma from President of The Citadel Gen. Glenn W. Walters, USMC (Ret.), Class of 1979.

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.

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."

Physical fitness is one of the four pillars at The Citadel supporting the cadet experience in the development of the whole individual. As part of that commitment, The Citadel Physical Effectiveness Program (CPEP) leads cadets through regular early morning physical training (PT) and the required military-based PT test every semester. CPEP is underpinned by the philosophy that effective leaders take pride in their own level of physical fitness. Recently eleven cadets and knobs (freshmen) took their commitment to physical fitness to another level, earning the Dutch Military Proficiency Badge. Members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets were first introduced to the badge and its related challenges by Capt. Wouter Sijtsma, The Citadel's Alpha Company Tactical, Advisory and Counseling (TAC) Officer.

Gold stars were awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher in the fall 2021 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.

Nearing the mid-point of their senior year, more than 70 cadets at The Citadel now know what branch of the Army they will enter after graduation. The soon-to-be Army officers received their branch assignments during a ceremony on Dec. 1 in Summerall Chapel.

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.

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 Graduate College Class of 2021 celebrated commencement in McAlister Field House on campus during two ceremonies on Sunday, May 9. More than 230 undergraduate transfer and graduate students participated in the spring commencement events. Nearly 200 graduates recieved their master's degree and more than 70 were presented with a bachelor's degree. The CGC graduates were welcomed as alumni by the President of The Citadel Alumni Association, Cmdr. Drury C. "Chip" Nimmich, Jr., USN (Ret.).

The President's List is one of the most distinguished cadet awards presented by The Citadel. 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.

More than 560 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets accepted diplomas during The Citadel's commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 8 in McAlister Field House. In addition to graduating, about 27% of the class accepted commissions as U.S. military officers in all branches of service. Graduates accepted their diploma from President of The Citadel Gen. Glenn W. Walters, USMC (Ret.), Class of 1979. As once of his last official acts, the outgoing Commandant of Cadets, CAPT. Eugene Paluso, USN (Ret.), '89, served as the 2021 commencement speaker for both morning and afternoon ceremonies. The top academic programs for the Class of 2021 included business administration, criminal justice, intelligence and cyber security, mechanical engineering, civil engineering and political science.

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

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.

The Annual Henry Dale Smith Corps-Wide Speaking Competition delights and inspires its audience each year, as cadets take the stage to deliver their messages and earn prizes. But it is the communications skills the participants gain, the ability to evoke emotion and influence an audience, that may be the biggest prizes. "This competition asks cadets to speak to an audience about their passions, values, and the stories that brought them to The Citadel," said Sean Fourney, Ph.D., director of the Patricia McCarver Public Speaking Lab which orchestrates the contest. "While each speech is unique, it is the meaning that comes from it that the audience identifies with and craves. The most successful speakers learn how to beguile their audiences." The contest, in its 11th year, consists of three rounds with the speakers eventually narrowed down to a group of finalists for the last event. It is open to all cadets. The winner receives the Henry Dale Smith Public Speaking Award, the title of Best Public Speaker in the Corps, and a $500 prize. 1st Place, $500 "Basically I was asking everyone else why they were failing me when I should have been asking why am I failing myself." Cadet Adam Walker, winner of the 2021 Henry Dale Smith Corps-wide Speaking Contest Watch Walker's speech at this link: https://mediasite.citadel.edu/Mediasite/Play/500a53d464074635984496ccc5ebfe681d?catalog=0dfd21aa99e54ab6891a37c9b809828221

The Annual Henry Dale Smith Corps-Wide Speaking Competition delights and inspires its audience each year, as cadets take the stage to deliver their messages and earn prizes. But it is the communications skills the participants gain, the ability to evoke emotion and influence an audience, that may be the biggest prizes. "This competition asks cadets to speak to an audience about their passions, values, and the stories that brought them to The Citadel," said Sean Fourney, Ph.D., director of the Patricia McCarver Public Speaking Lab which orchestrates the contest. "While each speech is unique, it is the meaning that comes from it that the audience identifies with and craves. The most successful speakers learn how to beguile their audiences." The contest, in its 11th year, consists of three rounds with the speakers eventually narrowed down to a group of finalists for the last event. It is open to all cadets. The winner receives the Henry Dale Smith Public Speaking Award, the title of Best Public Speaker in the Corps, and a $500 prize. 2nd Place, $200 "I'm not talking about the facial masks we've grown to know and love. I'm talking about something a little more personal: I'm talking about the social masks that autistic people have to wear everyday of their lives" Cadet Shiloh Smiles, 2nd Place, 2021 Henry Dale Smith Corps-wide Speaking Contest Cadet Shiloh Smiles, Class of 2022 "The Mask I Wear" Majors: Cyber Operations; Computer Science Hometown: Gardenia, Georgia Citadel CyberCorps Scholar contracted with Department of Defense The Citadel Department of Defense Cyber Institute cadet Cybersecurity cadet tutor; Cadet Ambassador

The President's List is one of the most distinguished cadet awards presented by The Citadel. 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 2020 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.

In early November, each of the 9 teams were given five minutes to present their business ideas to a panel of business experts. After the teams pitched their ideas, the judges were given ten minutes to ask questions. The final business ideas include: desining and building an off-road BAJA vehicle, a 3D printing filament recycler that can also convert used bottles into filament, a one-handed Xbox conroller, a solar-powered dehumidifier, and an app that allows you to schedule hair stylists to visit you at home much like Uber Eats. The Baker Business Bowl is a program aimed at helping budding entrepreneurs who have an idea for a new product or service, and the desire to turn that idea into a business. The competition is open to cadets, evening undergraduate students and graduate students. The final round of the Baker Business Bowl VI will be in April 2021.