They came from all over the world.

Some crossed state lines. Others made their way across countries and oceans. A lucky few traveled less than a mile.

But on Saturday, not long after sunrise, all of those journeys led to the same place: inside the gates of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.

The incoming class of about 750 students officially reported to campus on Aug. 15 to begin a first year that combines academic coursework with military and physical training as they work to become members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets.

This year, however, Matriculation Day marked more than a beginning for the Class of 2030. It cemented the incoming class as a historic one.

Among them were 119 women, the largest class of female cadet-recruits in The Citadel’s history.
The Class of 2030 also includes a sizable number of legacy students — those with a parent, grandparent or other family member who attended The Citadel.

Nearly one in four members of the incoming class are legacy students.

While Matriculation Day was a day of firsts, for some, it was also a bit of a homecoming.

The Citadel President Gen. Frank McKenzie, USMC (Ret.), ’79, welcomed the incoming class and their families Saturday.

“What you’re going to get here is not only a world-class education that prepares you for the future, you’re going to get grounded in leadership,” McKenzie said. “You’re going to leave here knowing how to gather a group of people around you, how to talk about an idea, how to create something tangible from the idea and, with them, pursue that goal.”

“Our product,” McKenzie told parents of the incoming class, “is leadership.”

About the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2030

• Total matriculants: 749
  • Representing 38 states and six countries
• Female: 119
• In-state: 55.5%
• Out-of-state: 43.5%
• International: 8.1%
• Legacy: 24%
• ROTC scholarship recipients: 9.6%