Dear Parents,

     The purpose of this letter is to begin a practice that I hope will better inform you about what is happening at The Citadel. My intention is to write you at the end of each semester with news about events in the preceding months. In that way you should get a more comprehensive view of your cadet's life here.

     The topic of discussion all last week was the Summerall Guards' disbanding, so I should address that first so you have the facts straight. I want to make sure that you have an accurate account of what has transpired, so I am enclosing two press releases that clearly depict the situation as it evolved. We are now working with the 1999 Bond Volunteers about how the Summerall Guards will continue. I want to emphasize that The Citadel Series has not been changed and that the high step will continue. The only modifications are no shako popping, no cheerio hand position, and no dipping and ducking by the front and rear guides. These movements had become distractions rather than enhancements to the series. I should add that Bond Volunteers must pass a strenuous physical fitness test (minimum of 61 pushups, 61 sit-ups in two minutes, and a 14:30 two mile run). During their drilling they also must go through strenuous physical requirements, quite enough to discourage less motivated cadets. Our direction is that the training emphasize drill excellence rather than physical endurance so that the mission of the Summerall Guards--precision drill--is not blurred.

     You should know that The Citadel helps its graduates succeed in finding places to serve in society. The class of 1997 is now almost completely employed. Fifty percent have secured employment in the private sector, 34% are on active military duty, 10% are attending graduate school, and 2% are involved in mission work or travel. Our graduation rates are superb as well. The Citadel's most recent six-year overall graduation rate is 77%, more than 20% higher than any other four-year, state supported institution in South Carolina.

     Academic life is thriving. The Citadel chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, was presented the national honor chapter award for the fifth consecutive year. Only about 15 chapters nationwide of the existing 475 receive this prestigious distinction.

     Cadet Michael Cribb wrote a chapter tracing the genealogical history of the Cribb family which was published in Rebecca Hughes Dunahoe's House of Hughes and Dunahoe and Their Many Relatives. Cadet Dallas Boyd was awarded the Harry Dent Scholarship for writing the best essay on American government. Ten cadets gave presentations at the South Carolina Writing Center Association's 10th Annual Conference. Cadet Kevin Hazzard completed the fall semester at the College Internationale de Cannes in France, and this spring Keith Bantle is studying in Australia; Eddie Castanuela, in France; Jonathon McGlohorn, in Spain; and Coburn Hartsell and Roger Simmons, in the Czech Republic.

     Cadets Arthur Baker and Dean Sproles presented their research results in the Medical University's Annual Research Day. Cadet Sproles, whose research involved a study of the molecules that play a part in generating skin cancer, won second place in the undergraduate division.

     The Citadel's forensics team, the Polytechnic Literary Society, won three trophies at the 57th Annual Mountain Forensics Tournament in October. Team Captain Chris Shropa placed sixth in Persuasive Speaking; Courtney Walsh, fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking; and James Danford, second in Informative Speaking.

     Electrical engineering cadets Nicholas Gigis, Chen-Liang Pi, Michael Mahan, and Ryan Price were initiated into Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society. Cadets Thomas Bell, Jason Blackwell, Adam Greenfield, Courtney Jones, Samuel Lee, Anthony LePore, Richard Musto, Bart Parson, John Roe, Vincent Taylor, and Marcus Wright were inducted into the Phi Pi chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international education society that selects members for their high academic and leadership achievements.

     Michael Adorjan, Nathan Krick, Chris Pateras, and Neil Peterson just returned from Toronto where they represented The Citadel in the Model United Nations (MUN) conference. MUN increases awareness of global issues and provides students from all over the world the opportunity to debate. In a similar type of conference William Allen, Jeffrey Buffa, Daniel Kuelker, Edward Murray, Jeremy Putman, and Daniel Silvera will be traveling to Washington, D.C. for the annual Model NATO conference which gives students the opportunity to study NATO, its role and its activities, while visiting embassies of NATO countries.

     Cadet Brian Dorsey presented a paper, "Italian Organized Crime in the New York Metropolitan Area," at the annual meetings of the Southern Criminal Justice Association in Richmond, Virginia. The Citadel's South Carolina Student Legislature student association traveled to Columbia to meet and compete with other student legislatures, and even proposed a bill to the General Committee while there.

     The Citadel Inn of Court mock trial team just returned from the Southeast Regional Tournament. Sixteen cadets, fielding two teams, successfully competed in the trials and may be going on to the national tournament. Cadet Tony Shaw was recognized as one of the top ten attorneys and Cadet Micah Heavener as one of the top ten witnesses.

     Gold Stars were recently awarded to 161 students for their academic performance last semester (achieving a 3.70 or higher) and 476 cadets made Dean's List (3.2 or higher). For the first time in the history of The Citadel, two students, Cadet Todd Garrett and Cadet Brett Strand, went to the Rhodes Scholar state finals and Cadet Garrett went on to compete in the national finals.

     Cadets are making an impact in the Charleston community as well. Twice a week Corps volunteers go to Toole Military Magnet Middle School where they serve as models for the younger cadets and assist in drill and ceremony instruction. The Writing Center hosted a cadet-run resume workshop for the jobless at the SC Employment Commission. And 24 cadets from the business department participated in a program in which they conducted lessons about a free market economy in two different inner city elementary schools. The program will continue this spring. In the Psychology department The Citadel's Psi Chi National Honor Society chapter continued its assistance to Crisis Ministries this year, taking a regular slot in the schedule of volunteer groups who prepare and serve lunch for approximately 200 of Charleston's homeless every day. In the Physics department Cadet Gregory Sutton participated as a mentor in the KidSat Project (Buist Academy's space shuttle imaging program) and Cadet Sammie Sanders tutored students at Burke High School in the Project Challenge program.

     At the World Cup of Golf, The Citadel Marching Band gave an impressive performance, and the Pipe Band recently performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for the first time. In December, the Corps presented their annual Christmas Candlelight service in December to the Charleston community in the crowd-packed Summerall Chapel. Nancy Lefter directed the Cadet Christmas Choir and Major Herbert Day conducted The Citadel Brass Ensemble in the Christmas celebration that featured a mixture of traditional and international carols. Solos were performed by Cadet Scott Davies on the violin and Cadet Morgan Lynn on the flute. Cadets James Byass-Rascoe, Mark Chandler, John Hardin, David Kinard, Ryan Norfleet, David Norris, John Pratt, John Schloss, Christopher Turner, Andrew White, and Scott Wizeman all sang solos.

     As the year came to a close, faculty, staff, and students campus-wide drew names from The Citadel's Angel Tree, providing so many gifts for the Charleston Department of Social Services that Director Lawrence Cannon wrote, "Do you realize that The Citadel provided gifts for almost half of our entire foster care caseload? That is incredible and you are the key persons that we have to thank for that. Your generous contributions afforded so many children with a bright and happy Christmas. I hope you all get a sense of self-satisfaction from being one of the most significant contributors for foster children."

     The faculty as usual have all been busy. The Arland D. Williams Endowed Professorship of Heroism was awarded to Major Julie Lipovsky for furthering the concepts of heroism. There are many books being written: Colonel Philip Leon is writing a book on West Point, Major Margaret Lally is writing a book on D.H. Lawrence, and Major James Hutchisson is writing a book on DuBose Heyward. Lieutenant Colonel Dorothy Moore's book Women Entrepreneurs: Moving Beyond the Glass Ceiling has received international recognition, and Captain Jeffrey Pilcher's book Food and the Making of Mexican Identity will be out this spring. Later this month Mathematics and Computer Science will be kicking off their annual high school mathematics competition and in March the Department of Political Science will be hosting their 11th Symposium on Southern Politics.

     Our Fine Arts series, sponsored by the Department of Cadet Activities, has enjoyed great success. Three performances, the Aurora Brass Quintet, the Brosseau Danceworks, and the Heritage of American Brass Band, were hosted on campus last semester. Soprano Yvette McDaniel will appear on February 24, and the National Players will perform "Of Mice and Men" on April 14. I invite you to come enjoy them with your cadet if possible.

     Athletically, we're doing well. Cadet Carlos Frank was named first team All-American in football by the Sports Network. In the final game of the season, quarterback Stanley Myers passed the last touchdown of the game to tight-end George Hampton in a thrilling win over VMI. This is the first winning season for football since 1994, and we look forward to future winning seasons with the addition of seventeen new players who recently signed scholarships, nine of whom are from South Carolina.

     Basketball's chances of a winning season are good with a second place ranking in the Southern Conference Southern Division. Senior Matt Newman became the first player in Citadel basketball history to amass 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 100 blocked shots. As the buzzer sounded on January 12th, basketball player Virgil Stevens landed a twelve-foot shot in an exciting 64-63 victory over the College of Charleston at McAlister Field House securing the first home win against our cross-town rivals in nine years. Cadet Brian Rogers was named a pre-season All-American by Baseball America magazine. If baseball and basketball go on to win their seasons, we will have the first winning season in the three sports in nine years. Cadet Mandy Garcia, our first female-athlete, represented the college well on the cross country team and is now running indoor track. Our wrestling team hosted the fourth Annual All-Academy Wrestling Championship on campus with Cadet Tony Nguyen taking second place in his weight class and the team winning fourth overall.

     With approximately one in every three athletes making the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (3.0 for the semester or 2.75 cumulative average), our athletes are winning in the classroom as well as on the playing ground.

     There have been some generous contributions recently made to The Citadel that will aid our cadets. Colonel Thomas C. Vandiver, '29, donated the funds to establish the technologically up-to-date William F. Prioleau Reading Room in the Daniel Library. Mr. and Mrs. Edward K. Cleveland of Oregon gave a $540,000 endowment in honor of their son Lieutenant Colonel Edward Cleveland, '56, to provide promising cadets special educational opportunities, and Dr. George D. Johnson, '29, of Spartanburg left $288,000 to The Citadel in his will. You probably know that our alumni and friends have been most generous in their support of our academic and athletic programs through their continuing annual gifts to The Citadel Development Foundation and Brigadier Foundation respectively. I want to encourage you to support the programs too. If you are so inclined, please contact Colonel Kim Flint who is in charge of development and he will be happy to help you help us. Colonel Flint's number is (843) 953-5297.

     Alumni and parents are also getting involved with recruiting through The Citadel Volunteers and recruiting efforts to secure quality students have been rewarded. Last year, for example, there were 76 applicants for The Citadel Scholars program (a full scholarship awarded to 18 students based on scholarship and leadership ability). This year while our standards remain the same, the number of applicants has soared, and we expect 120 applicants to compete for this distinction. Anyone interested in becoming a Citadel Volunteer is urged to contact Scott Yielding in admissions at (800) 868-1842 or by e-mail, YieldingS@Citadel.edu.

     The Corps of Cadets at The Citadel is a fine group of young men and women. I know that as parents you are even prouder than I am of these exceptional cadets. I thank you for entrusting them to us and pledge that we will do everything possible to help them succeed, both here at The Citadel and after they graduate. As I said at the beginning, I intend to keep you informed about their progress. Norwood joins me in warmest regards to you all. Please keep everyone here at The Citadel in your prayers.

Sincerely, John S. Grinalds Major General, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) President, The Citadel

Enclosures:
     January 30 Press Release
     February 4 Press Release
     Gold Star List