Class of 2015: The Citadel as family tradition
One family’s legacy spans a century
Lt. Gen. Rosa, Hiram "Chip" Hutchison, III, Hiram "Bo" Hutchison, IV & Hiram "Hutch" Hutchison, Jr.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Not only do they share the same name, they also all wear the ring. A cadet named Hiram Hutchison has walked across The Citadel’s commencement 
stage to accept a diploma on four different occasions: 1915, 1957, 1986 and now 2015.
As is tradition at the college, Hiram “Bo” Hutchison, IV, a legacy member of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets, will receive his diploma from his father and grandfather. The Hutchison legacy at The Citadel will span 100 years with the youngest Hiram graduating a century after his great-grandfather, on May 9, 2015:
- Great-Grandfather, Hiram Hutchison, Sr. – Class of 1915 (deceased)
- Grandfather, Hiram “Hutch” Hutchison, Jr. – Class of 1957
- Father, Hiram “Chip” Hutchison, III – Class of 1986
- Son, Hiram “Bo” Hutchison, IV – Class of 2015
In fact, in the 20th century, there was not a male Hutchison that did not attend The Citadel. Hiram Hutchison, Sr.’s older brother, Eugene Hutchison,
graduated with the Class of 1905 and was the recipient of The Star of the West Award. Eugene’s two sons also attended The Citadel with Eugene, Jr., graduating in 1927 and Theodore graduating in 1928.
“My class ring does not have the traditional message inscribing my major of business administration. Instead I inscribed, Tradition Continues, 1915, 1957, 1986,” said Hiram
“Chip” Hutchison, III. “Now I have to go see if I can add the year 2015 on behalf of my son. I don’t think I could squeeze all seven of us on there.”
Like Hutchison, IV, The Citadel is a family tradition for 31 other legacy cadets in the Class of 2015 with predecessors dating back to the late 1800’s. They, too, will accept their diplomas from their alumni parents and grandparents who were in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Additionally, The Citadel Graduate College has seven legacy students who will be greeted by an alumni relative on stage.
The tradition of a parent or grandparent presenting diplomas to their descendants in the Corps began in 1962 and was later adopted by The Citadel Graduate College.
The custom makes graduation especially poignant for many cadets, students, and their families.
The Class of 2015 legacy graduates of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and CGC are:
|
Cadet |
Alumni |
Class |
Relationship |
|
Joshua Caleb Arp |
Mr. Larry Dean Arp, Jr. |
1988 |
Father |
|
Chance Randall Baker |
Mr. Thomas Randall Baker |
1982 |
Father |
|
William Lucas Ballam |
Mr. H. Clifton Northum |
1957 |
- |
|
Capers Gamewell Barr, V |
Mr. Capers Gamewell Barr, III |
1963 |
Grandfather |
|
Ryan Christopher Branch |
LTC Francis Austin Branch, USA, Ret. |
1986 |
Father |
|
Collin Nicholas Buehring |
Mr. William Alexander Hayes |
1985 |
- |
|
Samuel Glenn Cowart |
Mr. John Thomas (Jake) Gressette |
1950 |
Grandfather |
|
Patrick Colin Faherty |
Mr. Patrick Shawn Faherty |
1986 |
Father |
|
Nicholas Johann Fish |
Col Edward John Fish, Sr., USA, Ret. |
1985 |
Father |
|
Jonathan Ross French |
CDR Timothy Francis French, USN, Ret. |
1982 |
Father |
|
Justin Charles Gould |
Mr. Dan Noel Gould, Jr. |
1977 |
Father |
|
James Michael Hager |
Mr. William Winston Hager |
1983 |
Father |
|
Cody Jacob Hasty |
Mr. Donald David Hasty, II |
1986 |
Father |
|
Holly Amanda Horton |
Mr. Thomas Holbrook Horton |
1974 |
Father |
|
Samuel Lee Huntington |
Mr. Mark Samuel Huntington |
1984 |
Father |
|
Hiram Hutchison, IV |
Mr. Hiram Hutchison III |
1986 |
Father |
|
Mr. Hiram Hutchison, Jr. |
1957 |
Grandfather |
|
|
Thomas Caldwell Jordan |
COL Jefferson Dean Jordan, USANG |
1983 |
Father |
|
Robert Spencer Adden, Ph.D., Citadel Professor Emeritus |
1944 |
Grandfather |
|
|
Colt Browning Kirkpatrick |
Col Stephen Fred Kirkpatrick, USMC, Ret. |
1984 |
Father |
|
Margaret Virginia LaRiviere |
Maj. Gen. James Michael LaRiviere, USMC |
1979 |
Father |
|
Lee Wilson Limehouse |
Col. Harry B. Limehouse, USMC |
1960 |
Grandfather |
|
James Parker Maples |
Mr. Christopher Andrew Blanton |
1991 |
Stepfather |
|
Thomas Joseph Margle, IV |
Mr. Thomas Margle |
1983 |
Father |
|
Matthew Thomas Miller |
Mr. Raymond Gaston Johnson, Jr. |
1955 |
Grandfather |
|
Alan Manuel Parrado |
Dr. Carlos Manuel Parrado Marin |
1979 |
Father |
|
Cody Robert Pasqual |
Mr. Jeffrey Cooper Stevenson |
1991 |
Stepfather |
|
Christopher Andrew Rustin |
Mr. Dowse Daniel Rustin |
1962 |
Father |
|
Henry Diedrich Schweers, IV |
Harold William Askins, Jr., Ph.D., Citadel Professor Emeritus |
1961 |
Grandfather |
|
Samuel Edward Shelton |
Mr. Mark Edward Shelton |
1985 |
Father |
|
Kevin Sumner Stewart |
LTC Sur Eric Stewart, USA, Ret. |
1989 |
Father |
|
Michael Allen Strickland |
Mr. Stacey John Strickland |
1980 |
Father |
|
Elliott Davenport Thomas |
Mr. William Walsh Thomas, Jr. |
1978 |
Father |
|
Student |
Alumni |
Class |
Relationship |
|
Ashley Elizabeth Burke |
Dr. William Henry Burke |
1980 SCCC / 1984 CGC |
Father |
|
Rhonda Williams Burke |
1989 CGC |
Mother |
|
|
Jared Chrysostom |
Patricia Chrysostom |
1992 CGC |
Mother |
|
Christopher Brian Cook, Jr. |
Christopher Brian Cook, Sr. |
1987 SCCC |
Father |
|
Allison Lockwood |
James Jervey Lockwood |
1969 SCCC |
Father |
|
Melissa McCabe |
Robert Claude McCabe |
1972 SCCC |
Father |
|
Cynthia Norton |
Lt. Col. Peter A. Tortorici |
1996 SCCC / 2011 CGC |
Son |
|
Robert Schroer |
2nd Lt. Jacob Schroer |
2014 SCCC |
Brother |
