More than 550 cadets, active duty and veteran students now wear The Citadel class ring.
The Class of 2022 marched across Summerall Field, directly into Summerall Chapel, where the rings were presented October 1.
Local cadets who received their rings include:
Irmo
Zachary Taylor, Dakota Durham, Evan Fish
Columbia
James Jeffcoat, Reanna Wrecsics, Ralph Whalen
“The presentation of the rings represents our commitment to The Citadel and our accomplishments as a class,” said Cadet Kathryn Christmas, Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. “The Class of 2022 has been waiting patiently for this day. We will wear them proudly.”
One of the very first acts the cadets performed after receiving their rings was to salute The Citadel War Memorial – marching by in rows of four – as they left the Chapel.
After, the cadets sprinted back to their barracks before beginning their first weekend with a Band of Gold on their hands.
“Ring Presentation is something we have all dreamed about from our early days as knobs. Then, it seemed like an eternity away – yet here we are, getting to join the brother and sisterhood of those who wear the ring,” said Cadet Grayson Gasque, Deputy Regimental Commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. “For the Class of ’22, our rings symbolize the culmination of our efforts here at The Citadel and the efforts of those who helped us along the way. From this day forward, we have the privilege and responsibility of wearing the Band of Gold.”
The Citadel offers a classic military college education. About 2,400 members of the S.C. Corps of Cadets are not required to serve in the military, but about one-third of each class earn commissions to become officers in every branch of U.S. military service. The Citadel Graduate College, founded more than 50 years ago, offers dozens of graduate degree, graduate certificate and evening undergraduate programs in the evening or online.
