Elijah Bass, ’25, is leading from the front and inspiring others as he steps on stage with a purpose—and a message to share.
An active-duty Marine and psychology major, Bass took a course with Sean Fourney, Ph.D., director of the Patricia P. McArver Public Speaking Lab, to help prepare for the inaugural Lowcountry Speaking Invitational, where students shared personal speeches on stage.
The class focused not only on workshopping speeches and preparing students for competition, but also on the fundamentals of event planning—from building relationships with local businesses and sponsors to advertising the event. Bass and his fellow students went to Ashley Hall, a private girls’ school, to encourage young students to become involved in public speaking. “We played games to help them gain confidence,” said Bass. When it comes to public speaking, confidence is the name of the game. “It’s stressful, but once you do it, once you’re on stage telling your story, you feel that people know you better, and you just become so much more confident,” said Bass. “Who you are—and what you are capable of—shines with the lights on the stage.”
Bass’ own speech is based on his experience as The Citadel’s first active-duty football player. Bass walked onto the team after a lengthy break from the sport, having last played in the seventh grade. His speech, “Zero and Eleven,” refers to the Bulldogs’ 2023 season record. For Bass, failure is only the beginning of the journey. “Your record doesn’t define who you are; it primes you,” said Bass. “There are so many things that we’ve all failed at. But when you walk into the environment after a loss, you don’t recognize the failure. What you see is growth. Smooth seas never made for experienced sailors.”