Cadets in the community: leading the way and giving back

Cadets shoveling oyster shells at U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Hundreds of cadets spend their Wednesday doing community service across the Lowcountry

Leadership Day only happens once a year, but the impact of that one day is far reaching.

Activities for Leadership Day are divided by class. Freshmen visit local elementary schools, sophomores choose from a variety of service projects, juniors take part in an on-campus Ethics Enrichment Experience and seniors visit local businesses and organizations to learn from Lowcountry leaders.

When the Corps volunteers, it does so in a big way. Sophomore cadets went out into the community, from Wadmalaw Island to McClellanville and as far inland as Harleyville.

From corner to corner, cadets covered the tri-county area.

  • Medal of Honor recipient James McCloughan speaking at the sophomore sendoff
  • Lowcountry Food Bank
  • St. Thomas & St. Dennis Church
  • Habitat for Humanity in Huger
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife
  • Bicycles for Humanity
  • Crate of bikes at Bicycles for Humanity
  • Johnson Family Farms
  • Project Street Outreach
  • Homeless to Hope Warehouse
  • Lowcountry Orphan Relief
  • East Cooper Meals on Wheels
  • General Walters at SCDNR
  • Gen. Glenn Walters, president of The Citadel, during sophomore sendoff

This year, for the first time ever, a group made up entirely of Citadel veteran students also participated in Leadership Day.

While the sophomores and veterans were taking part in the service learning opportunities, Citadel freshmen were in ten Charleston County schools, helping to raise the young students’ awareness of heroism and service to others.

While the freshmen and sophomores were earning some hands-on experience, the juniors and seniors spent the day learning directly from the experts.

  • Senior cadets at Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters listening to Kelly Holland, from Hustle Smoothie Bar
  • Senior cadets in the Holliday Alumni Center, speaking with multiple leaders from the Lowcountry

Hosts for this year’s senior seminars include:

  • Barnwell Whaley Law Firm
  • Boeing
  • Charleston County Government
  • Charleston County School District
  • Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
  • Charleston International Airport
  • Charleston Police Department
  • Dixon Hughes Goodman
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Gibbes Museum of Art
  • Life Cycle Engineering
  • Medical University of South Carolina
  • South Carolina Historical Society
  • T. Y. Lin International Engineering
  • Water Mission
  • Wells Fargo

On average, more than 8,000 hours of service to the Lowcountry are provided by the cadets each Leadership Day. During the 2018-19 academic year, Citadel cadets volunteered nearly 36,000 hours of service, according to The Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics, which sponsors Leadership Day.