The Citadel: “Where we are and where we are going”

November 7, 2006: Today, Rotarians got a special treat from one of our own members who also happens to be the President of the Citadel where our meetings are hosted each week. In fact, Lieutenant General John Rosa joked that when the President speaks, we get a new sound system. (Applause…)

Lt. Gen. Rosa came to the Citadel from the Air Force Academy, where he said he and his wife had a ‘tough three years’ while trying to get that school on the right path. He likened the two schools to one another in their prestigious natures and changing faces (co-education, diversity), and said he was “proud” to be at the Citadel. After all, he was a 1973 graduate of the Citadel, so he has a vested interest in making it a better place.

He touted the schools most recent achievements, including its 2007 rankings by U.S. News and World Report as #2 Best Value in the South, and #7 Best Overall School. Rosa was also proud of the school’s 4-year graduation rate of 55%, and the low fees relative to other schools in South Carolina (below SC average), despite the fact that the state only provides 18% of the school’s funding. General Rosa also touched on the “areas of emphasis” he feels are critical to developing well-rounded students. These areas include a four-year leadership program, instilling values and respect, and student accountability. These areas are intended to mold what the school expects of its students because, as Rosa pointed out, the values and accountability are oftentimes not there when they arrive.

In addition to academics and student character, another important area of the General’s focus is, of course, sports, and Rosa was quick to point out the improvements to the stadium, which will eventually have a facade similar to that of the Holliday Center directly across the street. The football team will also hopefully enjoy some stability with its newest coach, Kevin Higgins, who has also been a guest of our Club.

Because the Citadel is the Military College of South Carolina, one would assume that most of its graduates will naturally go into some sort of military duty. This has actually not been the case in recent times. For the academic year 2005-2006, only 36% of graduates entered the military upon graduation (which General Rosa identified as “artificially low”). He attributed this to the many opportunities that students have upon graduation. Although these percentages are down from when Rosa himself was at the Citadel, he claims that the school has the largest Army contract in the past 10 years.

General Rosa concluded his presentation with a tribute to the Alumni who have lost their lives in the name of duty, including a few recent (2005/2006) graduates. He asked us to support the school this weekend during Homecoming, which also falls on Veterans Day. The school plans to honor all WWII Veterans this weekend, and at last count estimated that 75 WWII Veterans would be in attendance.

If you are interested in showing your support for the Citadel and the Bulldogs, the game against Virginia Military Institute (VMI) begins at 2:00 at Johnson Hagood Stadium. For more information on other Homecoming activities, please visit www.citadel.edu/homecoming06_sked

Reported by Amy Riley, Keyway Committee