Corps of Cadets and Graduate College ceremonies to be held May 9
The Citadel will hold a commencement ceremony for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 9. Later that day, the ceremony for The Citadel Graduate College Class of 2026 will take place at 3:30 p.m. Both events will be held in McAlister Field House; more information can be found here.
The Citadel president Gen. Glenn M. Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79, will serve as speaker for the morning ceremony. Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, USN (Ret.), ’86, will speak during the afternoon ceremony. On Friday, Maj. Gen. Frank Bradfield III, USAF, ’92 will provide the address for The Citadel’s commissioning ceremony.
Learn more about the speakers below.
Gen. Glenn M. Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79
Retired United States Marine Corps General Glenn Michael Walters is a distinguished Citadel alumnus whose lifetime of service reflects the institution’s core values—honor, duty, respect. After earning his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 1979, General Walters began a career as a Marine officer and naval aviator. He was instrumental in developing systems for the AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter and served as the first commander of VMX-22, the squadron that fielded the MV-22 Osprey for operational testing. He deployed overseas on numerous occasions in the Pacific and Central Command theaters, including Korea, the Arabian Gulf and Afghanistan. In his final Marine Corps assignment, he served as the 34th assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.
Thirty-nine years after graduating from The Citadel, General Walters returned as the 20th president. During his tenure, the college navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and completed major campus improvements, including the construction of Bastin Hall and Capers Hall and laying the groundwork for a new School of Engineering facility, while balancing the budget and setting fundraising records. The Citadel also expanded academic programming, including plans for the Krause School of Leadership and Ethics as a sixth academic school, and continued to rise in national rankings.
Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, USN (Ret.), ’86
Stephen C. Evans is a retired rear admiral and a 1986 alumnus whose service to his country was distinguished by senior leadership and diplomatic roles that spanned the globe. Throughout his thirty-four years in the United States Navy, Admiral Evans led some of the Navy’s most complex operational and training commands. He commanded Carrier Strike Group 2, leading the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group in global operations and multinational exercises. He commanded the Naval Service Training Command, overseeing the training and professional development of approximately 98% of incoming Navy personnel, and he served as the deputy U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee and senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy, advising on strategy, alliance coordination and fleet modernization.
Following his retirement in 2020, Admiral Evans has continued to lead. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Flag Bridge Global Solutions and a corporate board member, applying expertise in cybersecurity, digital transformation and strategic leadership in the private sector. Admiral Evans is also a member of The Citadel Foundation Board of Directors and the chair of The Citadel School of Humanities and Social Sciences Advisory Board, where he provides strategic guidance and supports the development of principled leaders.
Maj. Gen. Frank Bradfield III, USAF, ’92
Maj. Gen. Frank Bradfield III is the Commander, 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. His command includes Air Force Reserve’s tactical air mobility operations and other vital mission sets to include distinguished visitor airlift, undergraduate pilot training, flight test operations, a helicopter formal training unit and a highly mobile civil engineering response force. With more than 12,000 Reserve Airmen and 59 unit-equipped aircraft, 22nd Air Force contributes daily to the Air Force’s worldwide operational mission. Reserve aircrews within 22nd Air Force accomplish a variety of C-130 Hercules missions, to include aerial spray, fire suppression, weather reconnaissance, tactical airlift and airdrop and aeromedical evacuation.
Maj. Gen. Bradfield is a Distinguished Naval Graduate from The Citadel where he received his commission as a Naval officer in 1992. Serving in the U.S. Navy for nearly 11 years, he had various U.S. and overseas assignments.
Maj. Gen. Bradfield III transitioned to the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a traditional reservist in 2003 where he became an A-10 pilot. He became an air reserve technician in 2005. Prior to his current position, the general served as the Deputy Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.
Meet the South Carolina Corps of Cadets leadership for 2026-27
Celebrating The Citadel Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni
The Citadel prepares for Recognition Day and Corps Day
