Within the gates of a military academy in Taiwan, Cadet Anthony DiSalvo, ’28, experienced a side of military education few undergraduate students ever see.
The Lexington, South Carolina, cadet spent the spring semester studying abroad, immersing himself in Taiwanese culture while conducting independent research on military leadership, training and academy life. The experience combined several of his academic interests, including Mandarin, security studies and military service.
The opportunity grew from his long-standing interest in Chinese language and culture. A three-year Army ROTC scholarship recipient majoring in intelligence and security studies and political science, DiSalvo has studied Chinese since childhood. At The Citadel, that interest evolved into an opportunity to live and learn overseas.
While in Taiwan, DiSalvo did far more than attend classes. Through conversations with cadets, formal interviews, weekly journals and virtual meetings with faculty advisor Michael Sun, Ph.D., he studied how future military officers think about leadership, training and service.
The experience also exposed him to a military culture very different from the one he knows at The Citadel.
“Every part of this has been completely foreign to me,” DiSalvo said. “How they think, how they train, even how they communicate.”
To help bridge language barriers, DiSalvo used artificial intelligence translation tools during interviews and conversations, allowing participants to communicate comfortably in their preferred language.
Along the way, he gained a deeper appreciation not only for Taiwan’s military academy system but also for its people, culture and hospitality.
While strengthening his language skills and conducting research, DiSalvo also developed a broader perspective on leadership and service, lessons he plans to carry with him as a future Army officer.