The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, is a state-supported, comprehensive college with 14 academic departments divided into five schools offering 20 majors and 23 minors. The Citadel is best known for its undergraduate Corps of Cadets military program for men and women, which combines academics, physical challenges and military discipline.[Quick Facts from the Citadel web site] In addition to the cadet program, civilian classes are offered through the Citadel's College of Graduate and Professional Studies with its evening undergraduate and graduate progams. The Citadel enrolls almost 2,000 undergraduate cadets in its residential military program and 1,200 civilian students in the evening programs. While both programs make use of the Citadel campus, cadets and civilian students do not share classes and only cadets live on campus.[CPGS Overview from the Citadel web site]
The Citadel was named a "Best Value in the South" and was ranked second out of 24 top public universities in the Southern region of the United States that offer up to a master’s degree by U.S. News & World Report.[America's Best Colleges 2006, U.S. News & World Report web site]
Newsweek magazine also included The Citadel in its 2006 list of “America's 25 Hot Schools” as the “Hottest Military School”.[America's 25 Hot Schools, Newsweek, 2006]
History
On
December 20, 1842, the South Carolina Legislature passed an act establishing the South Carolina Military Academy. The first twenty cadets reported to The Citadel, then located at Marion Square in downtown
Charleston, on
March 20,
1843. When South Carolina seceded from the Union in December 1860, Major Robert Anderson moved his garrison of U.S. troops to Fort Sumter and requested reinforcements from the federal government. On
January 9,
1861, Citadel cadets stationed on Morris Island fired on the U.S. steamer, the
Star of the West, preventing it from reaching Fort Sumter with troops and supplies. This was the first overt hostile act of the American Civil War.
On January 28, 1861, the Corps of Cadets of The Citadel Academy was part made of the military organization of the state, known as the Battalion of State Cadets. The Citadel continued to operate as a military academy, however classes were often disrupted when the governor called the cadets into military service. Mounting and manning heavy guns, guard duty and escorting prisoners were among the services performed by the cadets.
In December 1864, Governor Bonham ordered the Battalion of State Cadets to Tulifinny Creek to join a small Confederate force defending the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. On December 7 and 9, 1864, the cadets fought against Union forces, successfully defending the railroad line and forcing Union forces to withdraw. The cadets suffered eight casualties at Tulifinny Creek. The battalion was commended for its display of discipline and gallantry under fire and won the admiration of the troops who fought with them. On February 18, 1865, The Citadel ceased operation as a college when Union troops entered Charleston and occupied the site.
The flag of the Corps of Cadets includes eight battle streamers, representing these engagements, and one streamer representing the Confederate States Army.
Following the War, the Board of Visitors eventually regained possession of The Citadel and the South Carolina Legislature passed an act to reopen the college. The 1882 session began with an enrollment of 185 cadets.
The name of the college was officially changed in 1910 to "The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina". The word "Academy" had become synonymous with secondary schools and the public had the misconception that the South Carolina Military Academy was a preparatory school.
In the war with Spain in 1898, more Citadel alumni volunteered for service than were needed. In World War I, Citadel graduates were among the first contingents of American troops to fight with the English and French divisions. By that time, The Citadel had outgrown its campus on Marion Square, despite numerous building additions. In 1918, the City of Charleston gave the State of South Carolina one hundred seventy six acres on the banks of the Ashley River for a new campus. In 1922 the college moved to its current location.
Since that time, Citadel graduates have performed military service for their country in all major conflicts. These include World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Rankings
The Citadel remains a "Best Value in the South" and held steady in the second place among top public universities in the South offering up to master’s degrees by
U.S. News & World Report.
[America's Best Colleges 2006, U.S. News & World Report web site]
Civil and electrical engineering students are among the most highly-recruited students from The Citadel and its School of Engineering is ranked 32nd among top 50 undergraduate engineering programs in the United States.[Citadel Press Release]
Kiplinger's magazine, in its ranking of the "Best Values in Public Colleges" for 2006, made mention of The Citadel as a "great value" although the military nature of its program excludes it from consideration as a "traditional" four-year college in its rankings.[Lankford, Kimberly (2006). Best Values in Public Colleges. Kiplinger's.]
The Citadel ranks first nationally among its peers for the percentage of students who graduate on time and Citadel cadets are twice as likely as their peers in other colleges to graduate in four years, ranking first nationally among its peers in the percentage of students who graduate on time. The Citadel's top ranking comes from a comparison of all public colleges whose entering students have average SAT scores between 1000 and 1200. The Citadel's four-year graduation rate is 59.7 percent and its six-year rate is 71.9 percent.[Citadel Press Release]
Student life
Cadets at The Citadel are members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets, which numbers almost 2,000. While approximately 40 percent of the graduates become officers in the U.S. military after graduation, all cadets must participate in an ROTC program. As at the federal military academies, cadets must meet strict physical fitness standards for acceptance into the Corps of Cadets. On most days, cadets have physical fitness training and military instruction in addition to their regular college classes. Weekdays end with a formation and required evening study period. Because The Citadel emphasizes corps unity, cadets cannot be married and all must live on campus in the barracks with their assigned company. The Citadel emphasizes a strict indoctrination for first-year cadets who are called knobs. Despite the challenges, cadets value their first year for the lessons in teamwork, self-discipline and time management. The disciplined lifestyle that begins in the knob year binds cadets into a lifelong, close-knit camaraderie that is one of the strongest forces in their lives after graduation.
Included in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies student body are a number of active dutyMarine and Navy enlisted personnel attending The Citadel under the Seaman To Admiral program (STA-21)*
Athletics
A member of the
Southern Conference, The Citadel is a
NCAA Division I school. The college's mascot is the
Bulldog. Those cadets who participate in
NCAA fall athletics (football, cross country, womens soccer and volleyball) are required to report a month earlier prior to their freshman year for "athletic cadre," so that they can participate in their sport practices when normal cadre starts. During the athletic cadre, the military athletes are initiated into the Corps while completing first-week experiences, such as "Hell Week". Civilian students are also eligible to participate in the athletic program.
Minority and female students
After enrolling in
1966,
Charles Foster became the first
African-American cadet to graduate from the Citadel in
1970.
Admission of women
The Corps of Cadets at The Citadel was all-male until August 1996, although women had attended civilian graduate and undergraduate evening programs at the school for many years.
On January 20, 1994, Shannon Faulkner, by court order after a two-year legal fight, became the first female student to enroll in day classes at The Citadel. After additional legal battles, Faulkner won the right to enroll in the residential Corps of Cadets program. She joined an otherwise all-male Knob class on August 15, 1995. However, except for a few hours on the first day, she spent the entire first week in the infirmary before resigning, complaining of exhaustion. After her departure, the male cadets openly celebrated on the campus.[*]
In the fall of 1996, four more women enrolled at the Citadel. While two dropped out citing harresment, Nancy Mace, whose father was the Commandant of Cadets at the time, became the first female cadet to graduate from The Citadel on May 8, 1999. The first African-American women graduated on May 11, 2002. The Citadel, like the United States military, has adopted gender norming for physical fitness tests.
Campus
The Citadel sits on a 300
acre tract of land on the Ashley River. There are 27 buildings grouped around a ten acre grass parade ground. The buildings around the parade ground include ten classroom buildings, an administrative building, four barracks, a student activities building, infirmary, chapel, stadium, a field house, and library. Just off the main campus are the football stadium, baseball stadium, and alumni center.
College of Graduate and Professional Studies
The Citadel’s evening college serves the Lowcountry by offering nationally accredited bachelors, masters and specialist degrees scheduled around the student’s profession, family and lifestyle. CGPS offers 19 graduate programs with concentrations in education, psychology, computer science and business. The Masters of Business Administration program is the only nationally accredited MBA program in the
Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Enrollment is up 12 percent from fall semester 2000. CGPS also offers undergraduate evening programs in business and engineering. The Citadel is also the only college in South Carolina that offers an undergraduate civil and electrical engineering degree in an evening program.
Core Values
In its
Vision Statement, the Citadel Board of Visitors identifies the following as the school's "core values:"
Academics: We produce graduates who have insight into the issues, ideas and values that are important to society and possess the skills necessary to deal with them successfully.
Duty: We emphasize the importance of individual accountability and the moral obligation of responsibility for the welfare of others.
Honor: We adhere to a code which teaches that uncompromising personal integrity is the primary guide in all situations. "A cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those that do."
Morality: We operate a leadership laboratory which emphasizes a structured environment, acceptance of responsibility, self-confidence and service to others.
Discipline: We operate a leadership laboratory which emphasizes a structured environment, acceptance of responsibility, self-confidence and service to others.
Diversity: We promote diversity in all segments of our campus community and college life.
Enrollment
Eligibility is not restricted to South Carolina residents (although it is more difficult to gain an appointment for non-residents). The Citadel has graduated students from across the U.S. and from many other countries. South Carolina residents do receive a discount in tuition, as is common at most state-sponsored schools. Total first year expenses (tuition, fees, uniforms, housing, meals, etc.) for the 2006-2007 school year will be $18,458 for South Carolina residents and $28,777 for all others.
[Citadel press release (10 June 2006).]
Military service
All cadets are required to undergo four years of
ROTC training in one of the four branches of the armed services, but they are not required to enter military service after graduation. Civilian students may opt to attend. Currently, just over 40 percent of graduates go into military service and less than ten percent make the military a career. The others go on to graduate, law, or medical school programs or enter the civilian workforce. Over the years, 126 Citadel alumni have reached the top ranks in the military by becoming
flag officers (
generals,
rear admirals or
commodores)
Alumni of the Citadel have served their country in all wars involving the United States. Citadel alumni have been killed in action during the Civil War (67),
World War I (15),
World War II (280),
Korean War (32),
Vietnam War (68),
Lebanon (1),
Grenada (1), the
Gulf War (1), and the current
War on Terror (11).
*
Notable graduates
Military
- General William C. Westmoreland (class of 1935), USA (left the Citadel and graduated from West Point). Commanding General, Military Operations Vietnam, Chief of Staff US Army. Maintained lifelong membership in the Citadel Alumni Association.
- Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, Adjutant General of the New Jersey National Guard.
- Maj. Gen. Lewis G. Merritt, USMC (1917, deceased)- Pioneer in Marine Corps aviation; honored with the renaming of the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, SC, in his memory
- Lt. General Edwin A. Pollock (1921, deceased), USMC - Former Commander of the Pacific and Atlantic Fleet Marine Forces
- Major Thomas D. Howie (1929, deceased), USA - World War II hero; “The Major of St. Lo”; leader of the battalion that captured St. Lo (where he was killed)
- Lt. Gen. George M. Seignious II (1942), USA, Ret. - Former Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense; Director, Joint Staff, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Delegate-at-large to the SALT talks; Former President, Atlantic Council of the United States; Former Commandant of the Berlin American Zone
- Lt. Gen. Claudius E. Watts III (1958), USAF, Ret. - Fullbright Scholar; Former Comptroller of the USAF; retired President of The Citadel; Managing Director and Head of the Technology Buyout Group at The Carlyle Group
- Maj Samuel R. Bird, (1961) USA - Officer in Charge of President Kennedy's Funneral Honor Guard and the subject of a May 1989 Reader's Digest feature on leadership and strength of character.
- General William W. Hartzog (1963), USA, Ret.– Only active duty four star general in Citadel history. Former Commanding General, Army Training & Doctrine Command
- Lt. Gen. Frank B. (Ted) Campbell (1966), USAF, Ret. - Former Director, J-8, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, DC
- Lt. Gen. Frank C. Libutti (1966), USMC, Ret. - Former Commander, Marine Forces Pacific; Special Assistant for Homeland Security, New York, NY
- Michael (Mike) Bozeman, 1967. Brigadier General, USAR; Track Coach (1985-present), Director of Athletics (1998), and Commandant (1994-1996) at the Virginia Military Institute.
[Biography of Mike Bozeman from VMI web site]
- Lt. Gen. John B. Sams, Jr. (1967), USAF, Ret. - Former Commander of 15th AF, Travis AFB
- Lt. Gen.William M. Steele (1967), USA - Former Commanding General, USA/Pacific
- Lt. Gen. William P. Tangney (1967), USA- Deputy Commander, Joint Special Operations Command
- Lt. Gen. John Costello (1969), USA. Former Commanding General, US Army Space & Missile Defense Command
- BG Harry B. Axson, Jr. (1970), USA - Director of Military Personnel Management
- Maj. Gen. Kenneth R. Bowra (1970), USA - Asst. Chief of Staff for Operations, Regional Command North, The Netherlands
- BG William H. Brandenburg (1973), USA - Deputy Commanding General for Training & Readiness, I Corps & Fort Lewis
- Maj. Gen. Terry W. Juskowiak (1973), USA - Commanding General/Commandant, US Army Quartermaster Center and School
- Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, Jr. (1973), USAF, Current President of the Citadel and former Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy
- BG Robert M. Williams (1974), USA - Commanding General, Seventh Army Training Command
Business
- Charles E. Daniel (1918) & R. Hugh Daniel (1929) - Founders of Daniel International Construction Corporation. (at one time the largest construction company in the world); major Citadel benefactors for whom Daniel Library is named (deceased)
- Alvah H. Chapman, Jr (1942) - Former Chairman/CEO of Knight-Ridder, Inc. (largest newspaper chain in the world
- John B. Sias (1947) - Executive VP, The Chronicle Publishing Company, San Francisco, CA; former president of ABC Television Network
- Alonzo A. Burris, Jr (1950) - Chairman/CEO, Burris Chemicals Inc.
- Eugene V. Risher (1954) - Former UPI White House Correspondent & ABC-TV News Executive
- Dr. Brantley D. Thomas, Jr. (1955) - Senior VP, Westvaco Corporation, Charleston, SC
- Eugene C. Figg, Jr (1958, deceased)- President/CEO, Figg & Muller Engineers, Inc. (one of the world’s largest bridge designers), Tallahasse, FL
- James E. Moseley (1958)- Attorney; Past President, US Maritime Lawyers Association, Jacksonville, FL
- Dr. John M. Palms (1958) - Former President, University of South Carolina
- Julian G. Frasier III (1959) - President, Frasier Tire Company, Sumter, SC
- Dr. Harvey W. Schiller (1960) - Pres./CEO, Assante, US, New York, NY; former President, Turner Sports Inc., Turner Broadcasting, Atlanta, GA; former Executive Director, United States Olympic Committee
- Tandy C. Rice, Jr. (1961) - Past President, Country Music Association, and Music Industry Executive, Nashville, TN (one of the nations leading talent agencies for country & western performers)
- Allan C. Schreiber - Executive VP, Morton’s Restaurant Group, New Hyde Park, NY; former Executive VP, National Westminster Bank, New York, NY
- L. William Krause, Jr. (1963) - President, LWK Ventures, Los Altos Hills, CA; retired Chairman/CEO, 3Com Corporation
- A Stewart Hall, Jr. (1964)- President, Hughes Supply, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, FL
- H. Stephen McManus (1964) - Former President/Chief Operating Officer, Hardee's (system of 4,000 company & franchise restaurants in 40 states and 11 foreign countries)
- O. Perry Earle III (1965) - Retired Chairman/CEO, Regions Bank, Greenville,
- R. Kenneth Tonning (1966)- President/General Mgr., WTLV-TV/Gannett Broadcasting, Jacksonville, FL
- Robert S. Cauthen, Jr. (1968) - Chairman/CEO, New World Marketing, Inc., Houston, TX; former President/CEO, American General Life Insurance Co
- Charles T. Cole, Jr. (1968) - Executive VP & Regional President, Palmetto Region, Wachovia
- Frank J. DeMarco III (1968) - Retired President, Carolinas Division of Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation
- Richard L. Wackenhut (1969) - CEO, The Wackenhut Corporation
- John P. McAleer III (1972) - VP, APAC, Inc., Atlanta, GA; former President, TRS International Group (subsidiary of Fluor Daniel)
- Charles B. Coe (1973) - Retired President, BellSouth Telecommunications, Atlanta, GA
- Daniel J. Kohl (1978) - President/CEO, Sonus Corp., Atlanta, GA
- Anderson D. Warlick (1979)- President/Chief Operating Officer, Parkdale Mills, Gastonia, NC
Sports
- Paul L. Maguire (1960) - ESPN sports analyst; former professional football player (one of only 12 players to play from the inception of the American Football League until its merger with the NFL); member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- W. Calvin (Cal) McCombs (1967) - Former head football coach, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- John K. Small, Sr. (1970) - Former professional football player; linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons & the Detroit Lions; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- L. Ellis Johnson (1975) - Former head football coach, The Citadel
- Richard A. Johnson (1976) - Director of Athletics, Wofford College
- L. Frederick Jordan (1979) - Head baseball coach, The Citadel
- Lyvonia A. "Stump" Mitchell (1985) - Assistant football coach, Seattle Seahawks; former running back for the St. Louis & Phoenix Cardinals; former head football coach, Morgan State University; had his Citadel jersey #35 retired; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- Jeffrey C. Barkley (1982) - Former baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians; 2002 inductee of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- Gregory B. Davis (1987) - Former professional football player/place kicker for the Oakland Raiders; also played for the Atlanta Falcons; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- Gettys M. Glaze (1992) - Former baseball pitcher, Boston Red Sox organization; former Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- Lester J. Smith, Jr. (1992) - Safety for Montreal Alouettes, Canadian Football League; had his Citadel jersey #15 retired; member of The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame
- Travis R. Jervey (1995) - Professional football player. Special Teams, Atlanta Falcons; former member of the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers & earned All-Pro honors
- Dallas McPherson - Professional baseball player. 3rd Base, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Other
- Ernest Hollings, 1942. Governor and United States Senator from South Carolina.
- John C. West, 1942. Governor of South Carolina.
- Robert Poydasheff, 1954. Mayor of Columbus, Georgia.
- Charles P. Darby, Jr., 1955. Chairman, Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
- Arland D. Williams, Jr. (1957, deceased) - Died heroically following the Air Florida aircraft crash into the 14th Street Bridge and Potomac River in Washington, DC, in January 1982. Before he sank to his death in the icy water, he saved the lives of five others by passing to them the lifeline lowered for him by a rescue helicopter.
- Charles B. Hammond, 1958. President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; former chair of Ob-Gyn at Duke University Medical School.
- D. Patrick Conroy, 1967. Author whose works include The Great Santini, The Water Is Wide, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides and Beach Music.
- G. Richard Chamberlin, 1968. Georgia House of Representatives (1978-1983).
- James O. Rigney, Jr., 1974. Author (writing with pen names of Robert Jordan, Reagan O’Reilly, et. al.) whose works include The Wheel of Time series, The Fallon Blood and several Conan novels.
- Christopher U. Cates, 1978. Nationally renowned Cardiologist, Atlanta, GA.
- Lu Parker, Miss USA in 1994.
Fictional depictions
- Pat Conroy's 1980 novel The Lords of Discipline was based on Conroy's experience as a cadet at The Citadel during the 1960s. This book highlights the type hazing experienced by knobs at The Citadel. The Lords of Discipline was made into a movie starring David Keith and Robert Prosky in 1983.
- Sword Drill, a novel by David Epps (Citadel Class of 1980), presents a fictional version of the Citadel’s Junior Sword Drill program.*
- The Citadel was also used as the location for shooting the Columbo episode 'By Dawn's Early Light', guest starring Patrick McGoohan.
References
Charleston, South Carolina | Military Colleges | Sea-grant universities | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools | Southern Conference | Universities and colleges in South Carolina | United States military academies | United States senior military colleges