Ty Yount was a middle school student in Morganton, North Carolina, when the Gulf War played out on the evening news and inspired in him a need to serve. He was a well-rounded student—an athlete, a member of the band and an Eagle Scout. In 1993, in the days before the internet explosion, it was from a bookshelf in his guidance counselor’s office that he discovered The Citadel.

For the first time ever, The Citadel Career Center was awarded a grant to help more cadets and students achieve their professional goals. The $30,000 grant – provided by Boeing – went a long way for eight cadets and students who interned at various organizations in Charleston over the summer and fall. Grant money also went to several faculty and student projects, such as the Supply Chain Management and Port Club and Citadel STEM project.

When Andrew Lempp was 10, he tagged along with his father and his 16-year-old brother on a visit from their Jamestown, North Carolina, home to The Citadel. His brother quickly decided he wanted no part of the military college, but Lempp, who dreamed of going into the military or law enforcement, was intrigued.

“Discipline is earned through the challenges we face here.”

Brent Daniels was a freshman playing intramural football on Summerall Field when the football team, returning from practice, stopped to watch. Later that night, the Atlanta native got a visit from two seniors. The next day he found himself talking to the coaching staff and joining the varsity team. He played his sophomore and junior years.  As a senior, he gave up football to serve as the vice chairman of the honor court.

“I knew it was gonna be tough, and I knew it was gonna be a challenge. And I think that’s part of what drew me. It’s unique. Not everybody can do it.”

Ricardo Quintero is a veteran and an undergraduate student at The Citadel majoring in Computer Science with minors in Cyber Security and Spanish. In addition to being a full-time student, he is a volunteer diver at the South Carolina Aquarium and does Spanish tutoring. Quintero served for seven years in the Coast Guard and, after graduating, expects to accept a commission into the Air Force to pursue a career as a fighter pilot.

The Military College of South Carolina presented a posthumous degree and class ring to the family of Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, a member of the Class of 2008.

Samuel Erickson is a veteran and an undergraduate student at The Citadel majoring in Intelligence and Security Studies and focusing on Chinese language studies. He served for six years in the military before attending a college in Chicago, eventually enrolling into The Citadel. After graduating, Erickson plans continue serving his country and work at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Aurel Edyvean is a veteran day student at The Citadel studying Political Science with a concentration in International Politics and Military Affairs. He is the current president of the Student Veterans Association at The Citadel. Edyvean still serves in the U.S. Navy Reserves and plans to pursue a career in either government work or law school after graduation.