Legacies, special recognition mark Citadel ceremonyBy Tenisha Waldo (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Photo GalleryCitadel Graduation U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham spoke during the 2008 undergraduate commencement exercises at The Citadel on Saturday.
List of Citadel Cadets, by Degree and Major - Word Document The Citadel's commencement ceremony Saturday embodied the school's cherished legacy of venerating the past, upholding tradition and breaking new ground. Citadel faculty and trustees celebrated the accomplishments of the 470 graduates of the Class of 2008, which included 448 cadets, 20 active duty students and two veteran students. Thousands of their families and friends packed McAlister Field House to cheer them on, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wished them well in his address. But all eyes weren't only on the Class of 2008. Members from the Class of 1944, known as the "class that never was," were honored for their bravery 64 years ago when the entire Corps of Cadets was called up during its junior year to fight in World War II. Although 34 members of the class died in the war, their sacrifices are acknowledged in a plaque on the front wall of the college's chapel. On behalf of the remaining members of the Class of 1944, A. Lee Chandler, a retired South Carolina Supreme Court chief justice, spoke in admiration of the fond experiences they shared while attending The Citadel. "Today," Chandler said, "... the Class of '44 is not 'the class that never was,' but in the hearts and minds and souls of our great Citadel family, we are the class that lives forever!" He also congratulated his friend and classmate, Col. Bob Adden, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree Saturday. Adden was one of about 152 from the class who returned to the military college and graduated, while others graduated elsewhere or took on jobs. Chandler also spoke about the school's tradition of letting alumni parents present diplomas to their graduating sons and daughters, who are known as legacy cadets. The members of the Class of 1944 didn't get to be legacy cadets themselves, but one class member, Richard H. Kellahan, did get to present his grandson, cadet Richard Conrad Kellahan, with his diploma, alongside the cadet's father, Kenneth Kellahan. The Kellahans represent three generations of Citadel graduates. Eighteen other graduates received their diplomas from their alumni parents and grandparents. For more than 40 years, alumni fathers and grandfathers have carried on the tradition. That changed Saturday when for the first time a mother made the presentation. Shirley Campbell Bryan handed her daughter, cadet Margaret Bryan of Swansboro, N.C., her diploma. Bryan's mom graduated from The Citadel's graduate school in 1976. Women weren't allowed to join the Corps of Cadets until 1995, but women were always allowed to attend the military college's graduate school, Citadel officials said. The mother-daughter pair had to get special permission from the school's Board of Visitors to partake as legacies in the commencement ceremony. Bryan said her mom has always inspired her to be unique. The cadet was one of 31 women in her graduating class, and the first legacy to receive her diploma from her mom. "It's nice to be different," she said. "People always remember you that way." Bryan majored in health, exercise and sport science and wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. She'll begin basic training with the Army in August. Reach Tenisha Waldo at twaldo@postandcourier.com or 937-5744. |
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Comments
This article has 9 comment(s)
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 4, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why would they want a traitor like Senator Lindsey Graham to speak is beyond me.
Posted by 5thGenerationLocal on May 5, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember when graduating from the Citadel meant something. It might as well just be an extension of CofC. There's no honor there anymore.
Posted by eyfigueroa on May 5, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
5thgeneration: why do you say that? my daughter almost chose to go there and I would have been very proud if she did. I hold the Citadel in very high esteem and consider it an extremely honorable school to attend.
Posted by hadenough on May 5, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fig
Maybe he is referring to the dismal percentage of grads that seek a commission compared to the folks that attend only to get the ring and a future in Charleston's Real Estate market.
Posted by 5thGenerationLocal on May 5, 2008 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW, sounds like someone else has seen what's going on out there. The school has taken just about everything from the Corps. The Mariah was sold many years ago to pay lawyers fees. The soccer and golf teams have been shut down to lower costs. The school is way too political anymore. They don't care about the Corps of Cadets.
And for the record, this has nothing to do with women being there.
Posted by eyfigueroa on May 5, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hadenuf & 5thgen: wow. i've never looked at it from that perspective. lol
my daughter wanted to be commissioned and has chosen USC and it's ROTC program.
if what you say is true then it is a sad time for the Citadel.
Posted by hadenough on May 5, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
eyfigueroa
Your daughter made a smart move going the USC ROTC route, I served with many Citadel Graduates in the Army, they were great guys but nowhere near the numbers that should be coming out of a place like the Citadel. I think that it has become a place for folks wanting to make connections for post college careers or a run for the state house.
Posted by kbantle3 on May 7, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Where are any of the facts or expectations coming from regarding how many cadets accept commissions?
Historically speaking, around 1/3 of all the corps has entered a branch of the military upon graduation (some even prior to, as is the case with a few current cadets called up to service). This percentage has been consistent over the years, but the trend is actually increasing. Last year the commissioning rate was 31% for cadets and 35% for the school overall. The goal is to increase it to at least 40% and everyone is working hard to make that happen.
Posted by hadenough on May 8, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kbantle
The topic arose because of the perception that everyone that attends the citadel is somehow serving their country this began as an offshoot of a previous article concerning Gen Rosa's payraise and one of the class of 2008 lecturing a poster on Honor at the citadel and implied that everyone who graduated was somehow serving their country and deserved and undue amount of respect, my comments were meant to show some of the uniformed on this forum that unless a citadel grad is in the distinct minority that receives a commission they shouldnt be viewed as anything more than a recent college grad, the original class of 2008 poster came off as someone who bathed in the adoration of the uninformed public who still associate the citadel with a service academy.