DSP Alumni

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. At The Citadel he had two majors, German and Political Science with a concentration in American Government and Politics. He was a member of The Citadel Honors Program and was on a Citadel Scholars’ Scholarship and served as the Vice-Chair of Investigations for the Honor Court. Currently, he is working for Nelson Mullins, a law firm in Columbia, and plans to attend law school.

Adaya El-Sherif

Adaya El-Sherif was an Honors College student and majored 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 volunteered with a community service organization and participated in many athletic clubs on campus. As a member of the Distinguished Scholars Program and the Citadel Honors College, she diligently worked 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. 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. I graduated from The Citadel with a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Leadership. Over the course of my college career, 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 of 2025, I was honored to be nominated as a Newman Civic Fellowship for the 2024-2025 school year.  I also received the Lt. Col. Leigh Hochreich Memorial Fund Award and the Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists Silver Bowl Award at Convocation. I will attend The Citadel Graduate College on a full scholarship in the fall and am working in for The Citadel Admissions Office.

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 majored in Criminal Justice and had minors in Applied Statistics, English, and Psychology. She was the First Honor Graduate of the Class of 2026 and was proud to lead 2nd Battalion as the Battalion Commander during the 2025-2026 school year. She has commissioned in the U.S. Army and branched in Military Intelligence. Olivia thrives in academic research, and during her time at The Citadel conducted a research project 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.

Lucy McArthur

Lucy McArthur is from Somerset, Kentucky, and was an Intelligence and Security Studies and English double major. She was 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 was an Honor Representative as well as First Battalion’s Commander for the 2025/26 school year. She is passionate about reading and writing and empowering others. 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 spent 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 received a Rotary Global Scholars Grant and will attend graduate school at the University of Cambridge in the fall. Down the road, she plans to enter a career in foreign diplomacy and international relations.

Noah Miller

Noah is from Camden, SC, and majored in English and Political Science with a concentration in American Government. He plans on attending law school. At The Citadel, he served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Gold Star Journal, an Honor Representative, and Academic Officer for the S.C.C.C. Within the DSP, he focused on how The Citadel can improve its retention and academic advising model by creating additional positions in the Corps to increase engagement through High-Impact-Practices. In Spring 2024, he had the opportunity to study in London with the IEA, a free-market think tank. In Summer 2025, he interned with the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office in Columbia. He currently lives in Lexington, SC.

Luke Murphy

Luke Murphy majored in Exercise Science and Chemistry with a minor in Psychology. His passion for medicine really developed after going on a medical mission trip to Kenya, where he helped treat over 10,000 patients. That experience changed everything for him it reminded him of why he cares so much about people and why he wants to spend his life serving others through sports training and injury prevention. He will attend graduate school at Charleston Southern in the fall and will serve as the head sailing coach at Porter-Gaud.

Outside of academics, Luke stays active through fitness, loves being involved in research and leadership, and is always eager to help others. He is the son of a veteran who gave everything for this country, and that’s a big part of what drives him. The legacy of his father reminds him every day to stay focused, stay grounded, and do something meaningful with his life.

Doreen Ontiveros

Doreen Ontiveros was a triple major in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Modern Language with a concentration in Spanish. She was awarded the outstanding student award for all three majors. She was a part of The Citadel’s Honors Program and an active member of various extracurricular activities on campus, such Circle of Women (of which she was the President), Psych Club, and SALSA Club. Doreen has also been inducted into two honor societies, the Psi Chi National Honor Society for Psychology and Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. For her DSP project, Doreen focused on the effects of solitary confinement on mental health and recidivism. 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 was a Mechanical Engineering major from Summerville, South Carolina who graduated summa cum laude. She is currently working for Westinghouse, and 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. She has studied 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; he majored in Exercise Science and minored in Chemistry. After graduation, he is working at the State House and then 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 was 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 served as the Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets for the 2025-2026 school year and was a member of the Summerall Guards.

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 interned for Senator Tim Scott’s office after graduation and worked for the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He received an Anna Sobel Levy Fellowship for graduate study and will attend Reichman University’s International Institute for Counterterrorism.

Eoin Clarke

2LT Eoin Clarke is an active duty military intelligence officer in the Army.  He graduated from The Citadel in 2025 as a Political Science and Intelligence & Security Studies double major.  He was a member of India company.  He currently attends MIBOLC in FT Huachuca Arizona.

James Ives

James Ives is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force and currently serves as Deputy Flight Commander of the Financial Management Flight in the 633rd Comptroller Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA. He graduated summa cum laude and was a Finance major and a double minor in Mandarin and Applied Statistics. He was a member of the Honors Program and had a 3-year HSSP AFROTC scholarship. 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 Initiative (BRI) in East Africa. The research focused on the stated goals of BRI from President Xi of China versus actual outcomes using the portfolio of projects in Rwanda in Kenya, survey data on East African-China sentiment, and economic freedom analysis. At The Citadel, James was the Co-Portfolio Manager of The Student Managed Investment Fund and gave the commencement speech at graduation as 2025 Class President. He is working to apply for the USAF Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) and attend law school. 

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 at the Rhodes Engineering Research Center and MUSC’s Orthopedic Bioengineering Laboratory. These experiences provided the foundation for his paper on right heart failure which was published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease. Before medical school, he saw global medicine firsthand while volunteering in The Citadel’s free Kenyan medical camp. Commissioning in the United States Air Force, he now attends the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences, pursuing his MD. His free time is spent rock climbing, playing soccer, cooking, and reading books primarily from late 19th century Russia.

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. 

Grace Geiger (née Cooper)

Grace Elizabeth Geiger is currently training as USMC Second Lieutenant at The Basic School. Grace earned a B.A. at The Citadel in Criminal Justice with a Fine Arts Minor. During her time there she was selected to be the 2nd Battalion Sergeant Major and 5th Battalion Commander. As the recipient of the Olmsted Scholarship, she studied French in Nice, France during the summer of 2022. She also studied abroad in Cyprus, and the UK. In March of 2024, Grace went to Sanremo, Italy to participate in the Law of Armed Conflict Competition. At the annual Alpha Phi Sigma (Criminal Justice Honor Society) conference in Las Vegas in March 2022, she presented a crime map on mass shootings. At The Citadel, she earned Gold Stars every semester for 4 years and was selected for the President’s Award. She received an NROTC scholarship and the Robert Burnett Scholarship her sophomore year to pursue a career as a Marine Corps Officer.

Ashlyn Howard

Ashlyn Howard served six years in the US Army Reserve, including an overseas deployment. She graduated with summa cum laude as a Veteran student, earning a BSBA in Marketing & Business Development with a minor in English. Throughout her college career, she served as President of the Student Veterans Association and Vice President of Investor Relations for the Student Managed Investment Fund. Ashlyn also was a two-time finalist in the corps-wide Henry Dale Public Speaking Competition. In winter 2023, she studied international business in London, Paris, and the Hague. She currently resides in Boston, working in Marketing for Deloitte. 

Richard Milling

Richard “Hughes” Milling lives in Rock Hill, SC, and works with Nucor Towers & Structures as a structural engineer. This is a startup group with Nucor Steel that delivers critical infrastructure to renewable energy projects across the world. He is pursuing his masters degree in Structural Engineering from The Citadel, focusing in earthquake design for steel structures. 

Railija Neiders

Railija Neiders is from Seattle, WA, and has returned to her home state since graduation. She is working as an executive project manager for a multifamily real estate investment firm with operations in four states. When she is not working, Railija spends her time volunteering at an equestrian rescue center, playing with her dogs, Kodi and Moose, and running her family’s small farm.

While at The Citadel, she double majored in political science and business management as an honor student. She also competed as a Division 1 athlete for the Citadel rifle team for three years, led the Episcopalian fellowship, worked with the Student Investment Club, helped run the Real Estate Investment Club, and spent her evenings working as an English tutor in the Writing Center. 

Rohan Shah

Rohan Shah graduated in December 2023 with a degree in Finance and minors in Economics and Data Science . While at The Citadel, Rohan served as the Head of Training and Energy Sector Head for The Citadel’s Student Managed Investment Fund. Rohan was a member of The Citadel’s Division One Baseball team, where he played for 3 years. Additionally, Rohan was a part of several on-campus programs including the Business Scholars Program, Alpha Beta Psi, and Beta Gamma Sigma, while holding rank as a Squad Sergeant. As an undergrad, Rohan earned a 3.84 GPA and held internships in Wealth Management, Venture Capital, Commercial Real Estate Private Equity, and Commercial Banking, closing his last semester out by earning recognition as a Boeing Scholarship Recipient.

After graduation, Rohan joined Fifth Third Bank’s Commercial Banking Development Program in Nashville, TN and placed out as a Credit Analyst. He now works at Rabobank in Atlanta, GA, as a Consumer Food & Beverage Corporate Banking Analyst. During his spare time, Rohan serves on The Citadel’s Young Alumni Council as a representative for the 2024 class. He is currently helping run the Indian National Baseball Team and will serve as their 18u Head Coach and an outfielder on their men’s team.

Benjamin Stemmet

Ben Stemmet Graduated in 2024 with a degree in Finance and a minor in Economics. While at the Citadel, Ben served as the President and Portfolio Manager of The Citadel’s Student Managed Investment Fund. Ben was a member of the Citadel’s Varsity Wrestling team where he was a three-time Academic All-American. Ben was awarded The Citadel Brigadier Foundation President’s Award; awarded annually to a senior athlete who has contributed the most to The Citadel’s athletic programs and the Corps of Cadets. As an undergrad, Ben maintained a 4.0 GPA and held internships in Wealth Management, Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Investment Banking.

Upon graduation, Ben has worked as an Investment Banking Analyst for Guggenheim Partners and Houlihan Lokey in Atlanta, Georgia – focusing on Technology Mergers and Acquisitions advisory. Ben also Serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Charleston Wrestling Regional Training Center.

A native of Yorkville, Illinois, Ben enjoys Mixed Martial Arts and international travel, visiting 16 countries since graduation.

Joseph Whelan Stilwell

Joseph Stilwell is a proud Infantry officer in the United States Army with a first assignment at Fort Stewart, GA. Joseph graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors at The Citadel, where he served in a number of leadership positions in conjunction with his academic endeavors. He has an interest in attending law school either during or after his active duty service in the Army.

Blake Garwood

Since his graduation in May 2023, Blake has been with Oates Energy, a utility billing company in Jacksonville, Florida. He began his tenure working in the Technical Services Department and was quickly promoted to manager. Here he oversaw installations and repairs of water meter systems throughout the country. Following the company’s transition of ownership in late 2024, Blake was promoted to Chief of Staff. In this role, he works with the CEO to direct business operations and lead special projects. In his free time, Blake enjoys grilling, playing golf, and reading.

Austin Miles-Curtsinger

Austin Curtsinger is an officer Marine Corps. He recently served as a 6602 Aviation Supply Officer in Beaufort, SC. In April 2025 he became the Joint Strike Fighter Division Officer in Charge (JSD OIC), managing a warehouse of about 40 marines who ensure the F-35 squadrons and maintenance personnel get the parts they need in order to facilitate jets’ ability to fly missions. He will serve at this duty station for the next 3 years and is planning on doing a second 3-year contract. 

John Morris

John Morris lives in Lexington, SC, and is in his third and final year of law school at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. At the law school, he is a student ambassador for the admissions department and also serves as an Articles Editor for the South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business. He is also working as a law clerk at the law firm of Murphy & Grantland, P.A., which he will be joining as an associate attorney after he graduates and passes the bar exam. John and his wife have a daughter, a dog, and two cats. 

Elissa Reckdenwald

Elissa Reckdenwald is currently living in London working as an analyst for Kite Insights, a consultant agency that focuses on sustainability. She graduated with Merit from the University of Cambridge with an MPhil in Politics and International Studies in June 2024. Her dissertation is titled “The Politics of Criminalizing Famine under International Law.”

Trevor West

After graduating from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, as an Honors Student and Distinguished Scholar, Trevor West gained venture capital experience at Meeting Street Capital. He credits the partners, founders, and associates there with shaping the clarity of purpose he carries today. In conversations with the partners about his passion for operations and process improvement, Trevor decided to pursue Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). Guided by their advice, “don’t skip steps,” he left the Meeting Street Capital ecosystem to gain hands-on operating experience in blue-collar industries.

He joined AMERI-CANS, a veteran-owned portable sanitation company, drawn to its mission of employing veterans and financially supporting Gold Star Families. Trevor successfully launched and operated the South Carolina location, the company’s first branch outside of headquarters, and was later promoted to Director of Strategic Growth. In this new role, he has led company-wide process improvement, advised ownership on M&A, recruited and coached new Branch Operations Managers, and spearheaded branch expansion across the Eastern U.S.

In August 2025, Trevor began the Executive MBA program at UVA Darden’s DC Metro campus while continuing to serve AMERI-CANS. Upon graduation in 2027, he plans to conduct a self-funded search to acquire and operate a small business in Charleston, SC.

Trevor lives in West Ashley with his wife, Katarina, and their two dogs, Tig and Morse. He served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division as an Infantry Paratrooper. He is the founder of a local 12-member men’s group he has hosted weekly for the past three years and owns a real estate portfolio of residential multifamily and single-family properties.

Will Jensen

Will Jensen is the lead engineer of the Financial Domain at Fullbay. He leads a team of software engineers that focuses on developing systems such as invoicing, billing, book keeping, payment processing, and taxes within the Fullbay application. He and his wife live in Redmond, Washington, where they enjoy frequent outdoor adventures with their Golden Retriever, along with Global Travel, with recent highlights being Tahiti, Moorea, and Réveillon in Rio.

Martynas Tendzegolskis

Martynas Tendzegolskis is from Vilnius, Lithuania. He graduated from The Citadel with a bachelor’s in political science and minors in economics, mathematics, and statistics. He went on to serve in the Lithuanian military after graduation. He will be attending the SDA Bocconi business school in Milan, Italy, for a Master in Corporate Finance (MCF), after which he pursue a career in finance.