Citadel Distinguished Scholars

William Boyd

William Boyd majored in math and physics; he received the Math Department Outstanding Senior Award for the Class 2025. In the summer of 2024, he interned for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research through the Air Force Research Lab Scholars Program, where was awarded the AFRL Scholars Program’s Outstanding Scholar Award for his work on Optical Frequency Combs for Free Space Communications. His team won first place at the 2025 Military Operations Research Society Conference for their presentation on optimal distribution of unmanned assets in the Gulf of Aden to combat piracy. William received an Anna Sobel Levy Fellowship for graduate study and will attend Reichman University’s International Institute for Counterterrorism.

Eoin Clarke

Eoin Clarke was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he lived with his family until moving to New York, where he spent most of his youth. Clarke majored in Political Science, concentrating in International Relations and Military Affairs, and Intelligence and Security Studies. Clarke was also a Chinese minor and was fortunate to spend the summer between his Knob and sophomore year in Taiwan studying language and culture.  He is a 2nd LT in the Army as a Military Intelligence Officer.  While with the Distinguished Scholars Program, he wrote a paper entitled “What Wins Wars?,” which studied the first and second Iraq wars to determine the x-factor that caused such a great success in the former and resulted in a quagmire in the later.  He has entered the Army to pursue greater things and plans to pursue a master’s and eventually a PhD in Political Science or Intelligence and Security Studies.

James Ives

James Ives is a Finance major who earned triple minors in Mandarin, Data Science, and Applied Statistics. He was a member of the Honors College and had a 3-year AFROTC contract. James spent the summers of 2022 and 2023 studying Mandarin in Taiwan through ProjectGO. In December 2023, he helped co-lead a group of 6 cadets to Rwanda and Kenya for a service project building mountain bike trails while also continuing his research on China’s Belt and Road in East Africa. At the beginning of the summer of 2024, James traveled to England to help a member of Parliament with his reelection campaign and finished summer break by working a Finance internship in Charleston. James was the Co-Portfolio Manager of The Student Managed Investment Funding, actively overseeing a $2 million portfolio for The Citadel Foundation and Trust. After graduation, James commissioned as a finance officer in the United States Air Force.

Andrew Palmer

Andrew Palmer is a Lieutenant in the Air Force and currently serves as Gold Bar Recruiter at the 347th Recruiting Squadron in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He graduated as the First Honor Graduate and had triple-majors in Political Science, with a focus on International and Military Affairs, German, and History. He also minored in Economics. He received an Air Force ROTC four-year scholarship and a Citadel Scholars scholarship. He was in the Honors Program and was a Citadel Hurling Team member. Andrew spent the fall semester of 2022 in London working as an intern for the Margaret Thatcher Centre and worked in Parliament and for the Institute of Economic Affairs. During the 2023-2024 school year, Andrew organized a service project to Rwanda where he built four mountain bike trails in the countryside while also examining the genocide in the context of failed peacekeeping. In the summer of 2024, he continued his research into peacekeeping, traveling to Bosnia and the United Kingdom, where he looked at primary sources regarding British policy towards the Rwanda and Bosnia peacekeeping missions.  His DSP project focused on the lack of American interests in the Rwandan genocide, and he hopes to continue this project in grad school looking at a comparison between the conflicts in Rwanda and Bosnia. After his year as a recruiter, he will attend pilot training.

Gage Timberlake

Gage Timberlake is from Orlando, Florida, and majored in Criminal Justice. He commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the US Army National Guard and plans on attending law school. At The Citadel, he was editor for The Gold Star Journal; a cadet in Army ROTC; and a member of the Honors Program, the 1842 Scholars Cohort, and the Inn of Court. Gage enjoys playing the bass, doing rugby, and running in his free time. In the summer of 2023, Gage had an undergraduate student internship with the Office of the Florida State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit (Orlando DA). He was a member of the Honor Court and the Ranger Challenge team.

Frederick Vogel, Jr.

Frederick S. Vogel, Jr. came to The Citadel as an Eagle Scout from McLean, Virginia. He majored Electrical Engineering and minored in Chemistry. He was an active member of The Citadel’s Honors College, Tau Beta Pi, and Phi Kappa Phi. During the summer of 2023, Frederick volunteered at the South Carolina Brain Institute of Health, assisting doctors and nurses treating veterans with various forms of dementia.  As a member of several interdisciplinary teams, he has conducted research with the Rhodes Engineering Research Center and MUSC’s Orthopedic Bioengineering Laboratory. As a student in the Clemson-Citadel BS/MS program, Frederick has explored his interest in bioengineering through several graduate courses at Clemson’s MUSC campus. In the summer of 2024, he volunteered in The Citadel’s free Kenyan medical camp, which treated more than 10,000 patients. His free time is spent rock climbing, playing soccer, cooking, and reading books primarily from late 19th century Russia. In the summer of 2025, Frederick’s paper (of which he was the lead author) on right heart failure was published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease. After commissioning in the U.S. Air Force, he will attend the Uniformed Service University Medical School.

Sam Wilson

Sam E. Wilson was a Citadel Honors Program student double-majoring in English and History and minoring in International Criminal Justice. He is from a small town in Iowa called Carlisle and attended The Citadel on a U.S. Army scholarship. Upon graduation, he commissioned into the United States Army as an Infantry Officer. During his time at The Citadel, Sam earned the “Star of the West Award” for being the best-drilled cadet in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. In May of 2023, Sam participated in an exchange with the Royal Military Academy of the Netherlands, where he conducted field training with its cadets and met with US-NATO representatives. He was selected for a Killam Fellowship through Fulbright Canada, and in the fall of 2023, he studied at the Royal Military College of Canada. Sam served the South Carolina Corps of Cadets as the Regimental Commander for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Jacob Blaser

Jacob Blaser is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, but has lived all over the country and even overseas in Germany and Italy. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, reading, and exercising. He currently has two majors, German, and Political Science with a concentration in American Government and Politics. He is a member of The Citadel Honors Program and is on a Citadel Scholars’ Scholarship. Following graduation, he hopes to attend law school.

Adaya El-Sherif

Adaya El-Sherif is an Honors College student majoring in Criminal Justice with a double minor in Psychology and Law & Legal Studies. She is from Camden, South Carolina, and enjoys traveling. At The Citadel, she volunteers with a community service organization and participates in many athletic clubs on campus. As a member of the Distinguished Scholars Program and the Citadel Honors College, she diligently works to develop her understanding and intellectual background in criminal investigations and cognitive behavior. She finds joy in exploring many areas of interest and observing different cultures and traditions. During the summer of 2024, Adaya spent her time advancing her understanding of national strategies to combat crime in Washington, D.C. as an intern. During the summer of 2025, Adaya went to Dublin, Ireland, to study criminal procedure. After graduation, she plans to pursue a law degree and intends to continue developing professional field experience moving forward.

Katerina Govorova

My name is Katerina Govorova, and I am from Slovyansk, the Donetsk region in Ukraine. In Ukraine, I finished three years of college almost completing a Bachelor in Teacher of Labor Training and Computer Science degree. I played on the women’s soccer and futzal teams in Ukraine. This is my third year at The Citadel studying Exercise Science with a minor in Leadership. Over the last year, I was passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community. I had an internship and attended two Alternative Breaks with the Krause Center. During the spring, I was honored to be nominated as a Newman Civic Fellowship for the 2024-2025 school year.  

During my free time, I like to do outside activities, play sports, do community service, write, and read. I would describe myself as positive, hard-working, friendly, responsible, professional, passionate, and open-minded. 

Olivia Liquori

Olivia Liquori is a Criminal Justice major who additionally minors in Applied Statistics and Psychology. She is contracted with the Army, hoping to pursue Military Intelligence. She is currently undertaking a research project with Dr. Kristen Hefner on domestic violence studies, specifically observing what current social and community norms impact victim-survivors and how outreach service organizations combat these barriers. Her post-graduate goals include attending a Criminal Justice research-focused Master’s Program to continue her love of learning. She is proud to lead 2^nd Battalion as the Battalion Commander during the 2025-2026 school year.

Lucy McArthur

Lucy McArthur is from Somerset, Kentucky, and is an Intelligence and Security Studies and English double major. She is an avid member of The Citadel Honors Program, English Club, Citadel Inn of Court, Ethics Bowl Team, College of Charleston Orchestra, and tutors as a writing instructor at the Student Success Center. She was the 2024/25 Regimental Sergeant Major for the Corps of Cadets and will be an Honor Representative as well as First Battalion’s Commander for the 2025/26 school year. She is passionate about reading and writing and wishes to pursue international fellowships such as the Rotary, Fulbright, Boren, and Rhodes fellowships. In December of 2023, she attended a self-directed trip to Rwanda and Kenya to make diplomatic connections with the Rwandan Defense Force and begin research on the quality of women’s education. During the summer of 2024, she ventured to the UK on an undergraduate research grant to continue studies on the quality of women’s education across specific regions in Kenya and Rwanda and will spend the summer of 2025 in Kenya and Tanzania researching U.S.-based education curriculum implementation of NGOs for students in primary or secondary levels. She hopes to continue to graduate school and enter a career in foreign diplomacy and international relations.

Noah Miller

Noah is most satisfied when he is serving others, and he uses his cadet career to do just that. As an active member in Citadel BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry), he is discipled and disciples young men, teaching them how to seriously walk with Jesus Christ. As the Editor-in-chief for The Gold Star Journal, The Citadel’s premier publication, he helps promote students’ academic achievements. In the SCCC, he uses his position as the Regimental Academic Officer to make The Citadel academic experience one where all can succeed. In the DSP, he is focused on how The Citadel can improve its advising model for cadets and align it with The Citadel’s Quality Enhancement Plan for future cadets to succeed. He is honored to be in the DSP program and wishes to use his Political Science and English majors to pursue law school after graduation. Noah is from Camden, SC.

Luke Murphy

Hey, I’m Luke Murphy,  a senior at The Citadel majoring in Exercise Science and Chemistry with a minor in Psychology. I’ve got a 3.9 GPA and I’m currently working toward applying to medical school. My passion for medicine really took off after going on a medical mission trip to Kenya, where we helped treat over 10,000 patients. That experience changed everything for me it reminded me why I care so much about people and why I want to spend my life serving others through healthcare.

Outside of academics, I stay active with fitness, love being involved in research and leadership, and I’m always down to help my classmates however I can. I’m also the son of a veteran who gave everything for this country, and that’s a big part of what drives me. His legacy reminds me every day to stay focused, stay grounded, and do something meaningful with my life.

Doreen Ontiveros

Doreen Ontiveros is a triple major in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Modern Language with a concentration in Spanish. She is a part of The Citadel’s Honors Program and an active member of various extracurriculars on campus, such as President of the Circle of Women, Psych Club, and SALSA Club. Doreen has also been inducted into two honor societies, which are Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology and Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. For her project, Doreen focuses on the comparative analysis of criminal justice systems and how the United States compares to other countries around the world. In her free time, Doreen enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and exploring new cultures. After graduation, Doreen plans to pursue a career with a federal agency while also furthering her education in graduate school.

Meredith Reed

Meredith Reed is a Mechanical Engineering major from Summerville, South Carolina. Following graduation, she intends to pursue higher education in renewable energy systems and eventually work as a turbine design engineer. She has completed research on offshore wind design, research on AI applications in project management, and most recently, worked as an engineering tutor. Her project is a comparative analysis of the sustainable design choices made during nuclear reactor and wind turbine development. In her free time, she enjoys reading and hiking.

David Ropp

David Ropp is a Senior from Hartsville, South Carolina, majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in Chemistry. Upon graduation, he plans to attend medical school to become a Primary Care Physician, focusing on medical disparities in rural areas. In the summer of 2024, David had the opportunity to serve for a month in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, providing free medical care through the Citadel’s Medical Camp to over 11,000 people. On campus, he is a member of the Citadel’s Honor Program, Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honors Society, and the Commander of the 2026 Junior Sword Arch. David will serve as the Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets for the 2025-2026 school year.

Brendan Guinee

Brendan Guinee is a junior cadet from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in Intelligence and Security Studies. He will serve as the Academic NCO for India Company next year. He is a member of the Honors Program, the Crescent and Spear Intelligence Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Campus Ministry, and he has a four-year Citadel Scholars’ Scholarship; he also is a co-editor of The Citadel Intelligence Newsletter, The Bastion Bulletin, which is set to be published soon. This past semester, he spent his time in Washington D.C. as an intern with Congressman Joe Wilson’s office. While in Washington, he attended both House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Hearings, where he learned extensively about rising geopolitical threats and unconventional warfare, areas in which he plans to base his project. In his free time, he enjoys learning about history and politics, skiing, running, lifting weights, and rooting for Pittsburgh and Penn State sports teams.

Kaitlyn Hatchew

Kaitlyn Hatchew is a Citadel Honors Program student pursuing a major in Physics with minors in Aerospace Science and Philosophy. She is a Navy ROTC four-year scholarship recipient and a member of the Citadel’s Trident Society and Turbela Verborum: The Citadel’s English Club. At The Citadel, Kaitlyn edits for The Gold Star Journal, is the secretary for the Calliopean Literary Society, and the Treasurer for the Society of Physics Students. Last year, Kaitlyn had the opportunity to present her research on fractals and their application at the Southern Regional Honors Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. This year Kaitlyn is participating in the University Physics Challenge and the Army Star Challenge. Kaitlyn is a student pilot and enjoys giving back to the community by working with FEMA as an aerial photographer and leading search and rescue teams for the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force. Upon graduating from The Citadel, Kaitlyn hopes to pursue a career in Naval Aviation as well as advanced degrees in Physics and Philosophy.

William Mosley

William N. Mosley is from San Antonio, Texas, and is a Political Science and Intelligence and Security Studies double major, attending The Citadel on a US Army Scholarship; he plans to commission into the U.S. Army upon graduation. As a member of the Distinguished Scholar Program, he intends to study international politics and military affairs further to see how military action influences all aspects of society. Throughout the last year, he has studied Mandarin and Chinese culture in Taiwan and is spending the Fall of 2024 in Aberystwyth, Wales, to study international politics. He also serves as the co-founder and vice-president of the Citadel Model UN Club and Aberystwyth International Politics Society to promote academic excellence and intellectual curiosity amongst its members. In the future, he hopes to pursue community projects focused on veterans in eldercare, promote societal de-polarization through democratic discussion, and pursue excellence in all areas of life, no matter what. In his free time, he enjoys spending quality time with family, cooking, reading, working out, and enjoying the sun.

John Mullis

John Mullis is a junior in Mike Company from Greenville, South Carolina. He is a member of The Citadel Honors Program and is majoring in Exercise Science and Spanish. In his cadet career, he has earned and maintained a 4.0 GPA, joined the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma honors societies, and received gold stars and Dean’s list every semester. During his sophomore year, he enjoyed his experience as a Cadre Corporal, leading, instructing, and advising freshmen cadets to become disciplined and well-rounded individuals. In his free time, he enjoys doing Jiu-jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, lifting weights, and running. He is deeply passionate about traveling and wants to visit countries all over the world. The summer after his freshman year, he completed an internship with a Solar Company in Summerville and gained valuable experience in project management and logistics. Last summer, he traveled with the Citadel pre-health program to Kenya to help operate a UCESCO free medical camp in the slums of Nairobi, providing a variety of healthcare services to impoverished people. For his DSP project, he wants to study the impact of combat sports on the human brain, with the goal of developing methodologies to minimize brain damage in athletes. After graduation, he seeks to attend medical school and work toward his dream of owning his own medical practice.  

Connor Salch

Connor Salch is a Physics major from Aiken, South Carolina. Connor serves as a Team Leader for Palmetto Battery as well as a Physics tutor for The Citadel’s Student Success Center. He has also worked for The Citadel Success Institute summer program as a Math Lab Tutor. Connor is a member of the Honors Program and Society of Physics Students, as well as an officer for the Math Club. During his freshman year, Connor participated in research on relationships between numeric sequences, which is currently under peer review for publication. Following graduation, Connor plans to pursue Ph.D. Candidacy in Astrophysics and work as a researcher and teacher in his field.

Banks Scarpa

Banks Scarpa is a Biology major from Beaufort, South Carolina, driven by a deep passion for serving others—a passion that has shaped his goal of pursuing a career in medicine. In the summer of 2025, Banks had the incredible opportunity to join The Citadel’s Healthcare Study Abroad Program in Nairobi, Kenya, where he worked alongside local physicians to provide free medical care in underserved communities. This experience, supported by the Star of the West Scholarship, was life-changing and reinforced his commitment to healthcare.

Recently, Banks earned his Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, adding practical skills that enhance his medical training. He currently serves as Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honors Society, where he enjoys helping fellow pre-health students navigate their own journeys. In the Corps of Cadets, Banks will take on the role of Regimental Sergeant Major for the 2025-2026 school year.

A member of The Citadel Honors Program, Banks also gained valuable experience volunteering weekly in MUSC’s cardiothoracic surgery department, caring for patients alongside healthcare professionals. When he’s not studying or serving, Banks loves spending time on the water and is an avid runner. After graduation, he looks forward to attending medical school with the goal of becoming an emergency medicine physician.
  

Robert Torres III

Robert Torres III is from Lorain, Ohio. He is a double major in Political Science and Intelligence and Security studies with a minor in Spanish. He’s involved in several clubs around campus, such as the Intelligence Society and Rifle Legion, where he helps out with coaching new members how to spin a rifle and perform drill. He is also the President of the Model United Nations club that focuses on teaching cadets about international relations, diplomacy, and promoting global awareness. He has a four-year Army Scholarship with the Reserves and looks to be commissioned as an Intelligence Officer upon graduation. He is particularly interested in politics, both foreign and domestic, but mainly foreign, and in Latin America where he hope to focus his studies over the next couple of years. He is also extremely fond of international travel and has been to multiple European countries to compete in Model United Nations, including Belgium, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In his free time, he loves to go bowling with friends and is very active, attempting to learn and try new sports such as Volleyball and Pickleball. 
  

Quentin Walsh

Quentin is a sophomore in Oscar Company where he currently serves as a squad corporal. He is double majoring in Physics and English and is a member of the Distinguished Scholars Program, the Vice President of the Honors Program, President of Turbela Verborum: The Citadel’s English Club, President of The Calliopean Literary Society: The Citadel’s Debate Society, Secretary of The Society of Physics Student, Treasurer of the Chess Club, member of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society and editor for The Gold Star Journal. Quentin competes with The Citadel’s Ethics Bowl Team and the International Physics Competition Team. He serves as the captain of The Citadel’s Army Star Challenge team researching high energy density flywheel power systems to combat directed energy weapons in VTOLs for Army DEVCOM. Currently, he is researching ionic wind generation for the Southern Regional Honors Conference and hopes to publish on this topic in the coming year. Last year, he researched fractals and their applications for the Southern Regional Honors Conference and two of his submissions went on to be selected for publication in their literary journal, Sanctuary. This summer he will participate in an exchange with the Royal Dutch Military Academy and work on research on the social impact of Spomenik (Soviet era monuments in former Yugoslavia) as part of a larger project on the impact of public art. Quentin is contracted with Army ROTC and plans to commission in the Army upon graduation.
  

Caleb A. Wilson

Caleb A. Wilson is an Intelligence and Security Studies major with a concentration in Military Intelligence. He attends The Citadel on a U.S. Army Minuteman scholarship. Prior to matriculation, he served overseas with the 369th Special Troops Battalion “Harlem Hellfighters” as the senior intelligence analyst in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield). Upon graduation, he intends to commission into the New York Army National Guard and continue his service as a Military Intelligence officer. Caleb is committed to giving back to his community and dedicates his time to serving as an assistant Scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout troop in Charleston. In the summer of 2024, his volunteer service culminated in his role as program director at June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation, where he oversaw the operations of several camp-wide programs and provided guidance and leadership to a team of nearly 100 staff members serving more than 3,000 young people. During the Fall of 2024, Caleb participated in The Citadel in D.C. program and earned a prestigious internship with the Executive Office of the President as an intelligence analyst for The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
  

Aidan Yampey

Aidan Yampey is an Exercise Science major and Chemistry minor from Stuttgart, Germany, and enjoys learning everything he can about medicine. As part of his summer, he traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to help treat impoverished patients, which emboldened his love for both service and medicine. As a U.S. Army contract from a military family, he wants to go into orthopedic medicine taking care of veterans, as well as pursuing research into veteran health during his time here at The Citadel. He is an active member of Alpha Epsilon Delta and hopes to attend medical school at the Uniformed Services University after graduation.