Charles Rose is an Intelligence and Security Studies major. He was born in Angra do Heroísmo, a city on Terceira Island in Portugal. Rose serves as the Regimental Operations Officer. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career within the intelligence community.

Why did you choose The Citadel?

I chose The Citadel for a multitude of reasons. A major reason is the family that graduated before me. Going back to 1925 when my great-grandfather graduated, and now exactly 100 years later, I can carry on the legacy further with my own Class of ’25. Besides family, my own reason was simply to grow as a person by being challenged and held to a standard that I needed. The Citadel forced me to learn and adapt in ways that I had never had to do, and it was tough, however it did make me a different person than I was the day I walked into the gates.

What does receiving the senior ring symbolize for you, and how does it reflect your journey over the past four years?

To me, the ring is a symbol that I made it through four years of growth to join a rather exclusive group. Growing up, knowing how many people in my family wore the ring, I knew I wanted to join that club. I felt the same over the past three years, seeing upperclassmen and friends alike get their rings and waiting to join them with my own. I grew up around the ring, with various members of my family wearing it proudly to this day. I knew I wanted to join them, and by getting the Band of Gold, I officially made it into the group of people that I have looked up to for my entire life. I can wear my own ’25 ring just like my great-grandfather did 100 years ago, and it’s truly a special feeling joining that group.

How do you think the challenges and experiences at The Citadel have shaped the person you are today?

The challenges and experiences of The Citadel have definitely shaped me into a different person than who I was when I first entered. The opportunities that I have been given to grow as a person and as a leader have truly changed the way I perceive things and the way I function as a person. Being given the ability not just to lead, but to make mistakes as a leader and learn from them to grow. That opportunity has shaped me into a man who I hope is better than I was before.

Who has been the most influential person during your time at The Citadel, and how have they impacted your journey?

If there was to be anyone that has been influential to me during not just my time here at The Citadel, but even before, it would have to be Samuel Gibbons, Class of 2014. He was my teacher in high school for freshman year and then a mentor to me after that. He was always the epitome of a great man and a great person, being awarded the Society of the Cincinnati Medal during his time as a cadet. He gave me something to strive for, as I wanted to live up to his example, and I hope I have done so.

Is there a particular tradition or moment at The Citadel that stands out as your favorite?

The moment that stands out to me the most would be Challenge Morning, the morning of my sophomore year. I was a Battalion Clerk, so I was fortunate enough to be standing in the middle of the quad as everything happened — the speech, the cadre break, the bagpipes. It was the same scene that began my knob year, and then I was an upperclassman on the other side of it. It really just brought me full circle, looking back at everything that has happened and changed. Even getting to see it again this year as a senior assisting the operations of the event, seeing it again from such a different perspective each time is something that will forever stick with me.

If you could go back and give advice to your freshman self, what would you say and why?

One of the biggest pieces of advice that I wish I could have heard before Matriculation is that though the year may be difficult at times, just embrace it. During knob year, things are stressful and seem harder than they actually are, but I look back now knowing that you truly do only get to do it once, so do it to the best of your abilities and learn from your knob year, as it can truly change a person for the better.

About The Citadel Class of 2025’s ring stories

Members of The Citadel Class of 2025 receive their rings on Friday, Sept. 27. Before getting their rings, some seniors spoke about the event’s significance with Cadet Zoe Crecos, the Regimental Public Affairs Officer for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Crecos, who is from Palm Beach, Florida, is a Marketing and Business Development major with a minor in Data Science. When she graduates, she will be pursuing a career in Supply Chain at Boeing in Charleston, South Carolina.