HONOR DUTY RESPECT - The Citadel

cadets in my squad and me. This all took place before mandatorybreakfast at 0715 and before my 0800 classes. Those days trulytested my resolve, but ultimately it never wavered, and I gained aseriousness of purpose I do not believe I could have achieved anyother way.That year, The Citadel also gave me a better understanding of myown capabilities. I had never been pushed to my limits before,so I had not known my own abilities and limitations. I think many,and maybe even most, young people were like me, untested anduntried, and thus had no idea just how capable they are. They arelike Theodore Roosevelt’s “cold and timid souls who know neithervictory nor defeat.” This, however, certainly could not be said of aknob at The Citadel.I will never forget Recognition Day, a day of intense physicalactivity and the culmination of freshman leadership development.Standing there that day, covered in dirt and sweat, held up bymy friends on either side, I knew what it was to know victorybecause I had achieved it after nine long months of challenges.In that moment, I understood myself and my own abilities betterthan I ever had before, and I knew I could accomplish anything Iset my mind to.Beyond the unique and unparalleled opportunity of knobyear, though, The Citadel has given me other great gifts. Likegenerations of cadets before me, I have made my life-long friendsat The Citadel, classmates who have stood by and encouragedme the past two years. I have also been privileged to workwith and learn from some of the greatest teaching talent inthe country. My professors are brilliant academics as well asencouraging mentors. They care about me as a person and arealways available to chat about everything from books to classesto life.As a member of the Honors Program, I get even more personalcontact with professors through the Oxford-style one-on-onetutorials we do as part of our honors classes. That personal connectionbetween me and every professor I have had while atThe Citadel has been an incredible gift, one which has genuinelyhelped to shape me academically.The Citadel has also given me opportunities to excel outside theclassroom. I have been involved in student government, writtenfor the school newspaper, sung in the Chapel Choir, played bagpipesin the Pipe Band and traveled all over the country to participatein academic conferences and debates. Next year I hope totravel to Louisville to present original research at the SouthernRegional Honors Conference, and I will also go to Washington,D.C., as part of a fellowship I’ve received through the Center forthe Study of the Presidency and Congress.I have not traveled just nationally, however.My academic pursuits have also taken me allover the world, from London to Paris to Veniceto Addis Ababa.My first time studying abroad as a cadet occurred the summer aftermy freshman year when I spent two months at Oxford. While there,I interacted with the top minds in British literature and made sometremendous connections. Academically, socially and personally, mytime at Oxford was an experience I will never forget.From there I backpacked through Europe for a couple ofweeks—seeing Munich, Vienna, Venice, Rome and Paris—before heading to Tours, France, where I lived for a month aspart of The Citadel’s Summer Study in France program. Livingwith a host family who spoke only French, I saw my languageskills grow exponentially in those weeks. I also saw mywaistline grow as I enjoyed the famous cuisine of France,home-cooked by my host mom, who made four-course dinnersevery night.Without The Citadel, I never would have had these experiences.Not only were my professors key in helping me learnabout opportunities, but they also helped me apply for thedifferent programs in which I participated. I was even awardedfunding to cover almost my entire summer through thegenerous support of the Star of the West Foundation, anorganization that provides grants of up to $7,500 to dozens ofcadets every summer to help fund study experiences abroad.28