Photos of graduation

Class of 2003 - a profile
Graduates have big plans for what lies after The Citadel

The roughly 370 cadets and six active-duty military students who make up the Class of 2003 came from 37 states and eight other countries. South Carolina is the most heavily represented state in the class with 131 students followed by Florida (21), Georgia (20) and North Carolina (16).

Candidates for graduation reflect The Citadel's strength in business as the top choice of majors. The top five majors in the Class of 2003 were 131 in business administration, 38 in criminal justice, 31 in political science, 27 in history, and 20 in engineering.

Demographically, the Corps of Cadets Class of 2003 includes about 11 women. Racially there are 30 African-Americans, 15 Hispanics, 11 international students and three Asians.

Roughly 114 members of the Class of 2003 -- about 40 percent -- received commission in the U.S. Armed Forces: Army – 41, Air Force – 42, Navy – 19 and Marines – 18.

The Citadel maintains a 60 percent graduation rate – a statistic that indicates what percentage of students earns their undergraduate degree four years after entering the institution. Despite the rigors of a military-style program, The Citadel’s four and five-year graduation rates have consistently been the highest among all state colleges and universities in South Carolina.

What will members of the Class of 2003 be doing after graduation? Here are a few responses to that question:

"After graduation I will marry my long time fiance...then I will go into the Army as a second lieutenant field artillery officer...Upon completion of my mandatory four years I will either stay in the Army becoming a career officer or, if oppurtunity permits, look into becoming some sort of federal agent working for either the CIA, FBI, and Secret Service or some other type of federal law enforcement. I plan on attending grad school in a couple years studying international relations or further extending my Criminal Justice degree, Human Resources, or Management."
Cadet Thomas "J.T." Marbury

"I'm a Naval midshipmen and I am going into Naval aviation when I graduate. I am working on a degree in history and I believe that what really defines the Class of 2003 is the number of positive changes we've accomplished and the many activities we have "re-instated." I think we have had the strongest senior class since my knob year in 1999 here on campus -- instituting junior blazers, paving the sophomore parking lot, and creating a much nicer food quality in the mess hall."
Nick Hall

"My after-graduation plans are to move to Dahlgren, Va., in June and begin work as an engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, a military research lab under the Department of the Navy. I will also be commissioned into the Army National Guard as a second lieutenant and will be a platoon leader in the 229th Engineer Battalion based out of Fredericksburg, Va. I also plan to work part-time on my master's in electrical engineering through Virginia Tech's distance learning program."
Joshua A. Wells

"After graduation, I will be entering the Ph.D. program in political science at the University of Missouri. After completion of the political science degree I hope to commission as a very well educated Air Warning and Control(AWACs) Officer in the United States Air Force. The most important thing I have learned since coming to The Citadel is to work as hard as I can until the job is finished. It doesn't necessarily, mean anything if you finish first or last. When you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and you can tell yourself, "I gave everything I had, and stayed the course."
Joshua Alexander Zammito

"After graduation I will be attending the University of Durham (Northern England) to work on a law degree emphasizing international trade laws and policies of the European Union. Upon completion of that degree I plan to begin practicing law in England while working on a master's degree specializing in iternational finance."
Joseph Rohe

"After graduation I am planning on teaching history and coaching on the high school level. I plan to coach wrestling and possibly assistant coach football. During this time I am going to pursue my masters degree and work to obtain national board teacher certification. I think The Citadel is one of the most unique institutions in the world. The bond and friendship you make, and take with you in life, is steadfast and unshakeable. I have learned more in my four years here about life's lessons, sacrifice, and perseverance than most people learn in a lifetime. I leave here taking all of this I have learned with me and leave a little bit of myself behind as well. Lastly, I leave here with my classmates whom I will cherish and the memories of what we all went through together to get that one thing that sets us apart from all others of society…The Ring!"
John R. Wolfe

"I am going to work as an engineer in Marietta, Ga. I will eventually pursue a master's degree in engineering, but after a couple of years experience in the field."
John F. Daly III

"I will be attending MUSC next year to join the Masters in Healthcare Administration program. This program is 18 months; and so, I will be graduating two years from May."
Vince Bartges

"After graduation I am going to do some Army reserve training during the summer. In August I will be moving to New Orleans to be a nanny, writer, and graduate student at the University of New Orleans. My experience at The Citadel has gotten better every year. I've learned many lessons in and outside of the classroom. I plan on using my people, leadership and time manangement skills for the rest of my life. I will always hold The Citadel in the highest regard. God bless the Class of 2003."
Angela Marie Gabella

"I am going to be leading backpacking, kayaking, and rock climbing trips at McCall RA Camp this summer. In the fall, I plan on working somewhere in Columbia and then in the spring I'm going to be attending Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where I'll get my Masters of Divinity. I am not positive right now what part of the ministry I am going to go into but I am probably going to go in the mission field somewhere."
Grayson Goodman

"I will be commissioned in the United States Marine Corps. I will attend the Basic School in Quantico, Va., and hope to become an infantry officer. I plan on attending graduate school in civil engineering through the Marine Corps. When I get out of the Marine Corps I plan on going into construction management."
Richard Neikirk

"I will be working for Congressman James Clyburn and (Charleston) Mayor Joe Riley's office and re-election campaign. I will be attending law school next August and my long range goal is to be mayor of Charleston."
Clay Middleton

"I will be working in Charleston over the summer to save some cash before I head to my Officers Basic Course (OBC) for the Army. I will be leaving for OBC on November 18 and heading for Ft. Gordon in Augusta, Ga. After completing OBC, I plan on returning to Charleston to apply for a job in hospital administration. I plan on attending graduate school at MUSC or The Citadel in the fall of 2004.
Robert M. Witherspoon IV

"After graduation, I plan on taking some time off and work and in January 2004 start grad school at N.C. State to study meteorology. After completion from there, I'm going into the Air Force for four years. My initial plan in the Air Force is to join the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, more commonly known as the Hurricane Hunters."
Brandon K. Cromer

"I plan to attend a post-baccalaurreate program for Medicine in the D.C. area, then apply to medical school in Bay Area, Calif."
Amanda Orson

"I am commissioning into the Air Force and will be a logistics officer. I am assigned to McGuire AFB in Wrightstown, N.J. for at least the next three years and plan to attend grad school within that time. I plan to stay in the Air Force. I am getting married next July."
Abraham David Gunn

"Being commisioned as US Navy Officer, selected Naval Aviator, going to NAS Pensacola to begin Navy flight school in June, aiming for Strike Fighters(F/A-18 Hornets). The Citadel was the best decision of my life. The tough times we have here will prepare us for the uncertain future. I am sure though that after what myself and my classmates have been through these last four years, the good and the bad, there is no challenge we can't beat and excel through. The bond that develops between each other carries over states, countries and oceans and is stronger than ever."
Peter Mallory

"My immediate plans are to attend law school this coming August at the University of South Carolina. After graduating with the law school's class of 2006, my plans are to enter the workforce and specialize in the areas of educational, commercial, and/or corporate law."
Brenton E. G. Brown

"I will begining the final portion of my law enforcement training on May 31. The training lasts nine weeks. Upon graduation, I will be working as a deputy with Charleston County Sheriff's Office."
Rita Avila

"I plan to attend MUSC..I then plan to continue in a surgical residency for the following six years and become a liscenced surgeon. I plan to practice in the Charleston area and do several medical mission trips over seas."
Luke Baxley

"I will working with the Charleston Riverdogs in the marketing and sales department."
Jason Fuller

"After graduation, my orders start for the Air Force on May 13. I am scheduled to start flight school on July 30, though I hope that date can get bumped up some. I will begin flight school at Vance Air Force Base where I want to get into the fighter pipeline, though in the end it is what the Air Force wants, and hopefully they need my as a fighter pilot, though I will be happy with whatever I get because it is my assigned duty."
Brandon Conwill

"I'm being commissioned as a second lieutenant. in the Air Force and will report to Shaw AFB, Sumter, S.C., on the 8th of June as a services officer. I am hoping to begin getting my masters after I've been in the Air Force after a half a year or so."
Rachel Rogers

"I plan on commissioning into the S.C. National Guard to fly Apache attack helicopters, my flight physical is still pending. Hopefully it will work out, as three other members from the Class of 03 will be flying for the same unit. Upon completion of flight school I hope to gain acceptance to law school at USC, Mercer, or Duke."
Daniel C. Brown

"After graduation, I will attend MUSC Dental School and hopefully become an oral surgeon. The Citadel provides all the ingredients that enable a cadet to learn and grow. However, I strongly believe that The Citadel experince is only as good as each cadet chooses to make it. In other words, 'you get out what you put in.' One of the greatest benefits I will take from this school is the friendships I have made over my four years."
Drane Oliphant

"I have accepted a job at Synnex Information Technologies, Inc. in Greenville, S.C. Synnex is the third largest distribution company for computer components and peripherals in the world. They have had 61 straight successful and profitable quarters in a row. I will work in internal sales in the government sector. (Basically I will sell to companies that sell to the government). I will get married on June 6, 2003 to Carrie Summers Powell at Summeral Chapel. I will move to Greer, S.C., and start work on May 12th."
Matt Fussell

"I will be commissioning into the Army...June 9 through July 19 I'll be stationed at Ft. Knox working at the Leadership Training Course and then will go to Ft. Eustis for the Officer Basic Course. After that I will be sent to my first unit in Germany for about two to three years."
Joshua Kerton

"I will be attending law school at Ohio Northern University this fall."
Douglas B. Miller

"I was awarded a Via Fellowship to Virginia Tech for the study of structural engineering from May 2003 to December 2004."
Michael R. Motley