A Vision of Change

by Catherine Quarles

The Citadel’s emphasis on character development plays an important role in the education of its students and is why graduates are in high demand. On Leadership Day, one of the most important days of the cadet year, students engage in educational development outside the classroom through community service and dedicated leadership training. For the cadets of St. Alban’s Anglican Chapel, a campus ministry, servant leadership doesn’t happen just once a year—it’s a way of life.

In June, Rev. Rob Sturdy, ’03, led 10 cadets from St. Alban’s on a mission trip to Honduras. For six days, the group volunteered with the LAMB Institute, a ministry based in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, that works to make a better life for children facing poverty and abuse.

While the LAMB Institute sponsors many initiatives in Tegucigalpa, including a daycare, a bilingual school and a program that helps students access higher education, the cadets focused their efforts on the Children’s Home, an orphanage for children suffering from neglect. “The LAMB Institute is doing a lot for Honduras,” said Josh Sims, ’25, cadet chaplain for Second Battalion. “Even though we were just one small part, it felt as if we were part of something that is making a significant impact.”

During their stay, the cadets spent long days helping to construct a multi-use building for the orphanage. Housed by the LAMB Institute, the group traveled each day to lay the foundation for bathroom facilities. “They had dump trucks come in and pour gravel and dirt, and we had bags of cement, so we were mixing it all up,” said Sims. “We did it multiple times a day; it was hard, but it felt like we were doing something good.”

In addition to hauling gravel and mixing concrete, the group helped sand a deck attached to a bus that had been converted into a coffee shop and upgraded one of the living cabins with fresh paint and necessities such as toilet seats, mirrors and new bed sheets. Familiar with hard work, cadets lent a helping hand wherever they were needed. “The Citadel normalizes long hours, hardship and service,” said Sturdy. “It normalizes the idea that if other people aren’t willing to do something, our students should be willing to step up. I thought they really exemplified that belief.”

Sims, who has been on four previous mission trips to Guatemala, knew what to expect. A seasoned traveler, the business management major found a Citadel mission trip to be uniquely rewarding. “One thing I thought was really cool about our group is that we really wanted to get things done,” said Sims. “We were not goofing off—we were working hard and trying to make an impact.”

Although much of the cadets’ days were spent working to improve the on-site facilities, their most important work was spent making connections with the children. “Cadets had so many ways of showing the kids that they were important,” said Sturdy. “They learned their names and played games with them.”

After several days of strenuous labor in an unfamiliar country, Sims faced his greatest challenge yet—roller skating. Of the many activities cadets did with the children, including volleyball, soccer and face painting, skating proved to be the most difficult. “I wasn’t very good at it,” said Sims, who was happy to find that his background in gymnastics was the perfect way to break the ice. “As a joke, I decided to walk on my hands because it was easier for me than skating. I told them that I could teach them how to do it, too.

The next day, the children took him up on his offer. On a rare stretch of flat land among the rolling hills that surrounded the home, Sims began teaching the elementary and middle schoolers how to do handstand walks, front and back handsprings, and back tucks. Other members of the team joined in, including Sturdy, who took his own turn showing off his handstand. “Showing those kids—who are going to carry a lifelong wound from whatever their reason is for being there—that they matter is really what counted the most,” said Sturdy.

After a gratifying week of hard work and meaningful time with the children, the St. Alban’s cadets are eager to return next year. Sims is already planning to bring gymnastics equipment to help teach the kids new tricks. “It gave me perspective and showed me how much I have to be grateful for,” said Sims. “In the future, I want our group to do some community outreach here in Charleston.”

Sturdy believes mission work helps to develop cadets as global citizens. “The biggest impact is giving Citadel students a vision that they can make a difference with the vulnerable people in their own communities.”

The Places They’ll Go

by Catherine Quarles

Last year, nearly 1,000 cadets and students accepted their degrees during commencement ceremonies in May. While more than 30% of graduating cadets accepted commissions as officers into the armed services, many other cadets, evening and day students, veteran students, and graduate students entered the professional world ready to face any challenge. In this feature, we highlight just a few of our new graduates and the success they have found outside of Lesesne Gate. Off to great places, Citadel alumni are well on their way.

Henry Allen

Henry Allen, ’24, is marching to the beat of his own drum. The double major in political science and intelligence and security studies is now at Texas A&M, pursuing a master’s degree in international affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

As a cadet, Allen was a member of the Regimental Pipe Band, where he played bagpipes for three years before taking over as drum major. A talented musician, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native also plays the guitar, fiddle and banjo.

Allen’s experiences in the Honors Program helped prepare him for his future. “The director of the Honors Program, Dr. Deirdre Ragan, was extremely important to my career at The Citadel,” said Allen. “She encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, which is a significant reason why I became the senior class president and a member of regimental staff.”

Evans Banks

Evans Banks, ’24, has plenty of reasons to smile—the Morrisville, North Carolina, native is attending dental school. Banks, who majored in chemistry with a focus in biochemistry, is now a student at the Medical University of South Carolina’s James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine. “I am excited to continue my academic career at MUSC in its doctor of medical dentistry program,” said Banks. “I have been interested in a career in dentistry since high school and have worked hard to prepare for this opportunity.”

As a cadet, Banks volunteered every Thursday at North Charleston Dental Outreach, a clinic that offers dental treatment for patients whose access to dental care is restricted by their financial circumstances. “This experience taught me a lot about the dental needs of our community and has given me a new drive to one day operate or help a similar nonprofit organization as a dentist.”

Sadie Gomez

Sadie Gomez, ’24, of Covington, Louisiana, is reaching for the stars. Next May, the mathematics major will receive a second lieutenant commission in the U.S. Space Force, where she hopes to continue into space operations. “My dad really inspired me to pursue the military. He is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and has so much love and respect for service members,” said Gomez. “I just want to make him and my family proud.”

In the meantime, Gomez is pursuing a Master of Science in Leadership degree at The Citadel Graduate College. “My Air Force ROTC cadre, specifically Capt. Alford, supported me through my time as a cadet and pushed me to become a better leader,” she said.

“My dad really inspired me to pursue the military … I just want to make him and my family proud.”

Jake Heaton

“I wanted to go to The Citadel since I was a little kid watching cadets march into football games,” said Jake Heaton, ’24, a construction engineering major and second-generation alum.

Heaton got his professional start at the cadet career fair during his sophomore year. The Aiken, South Carolina, native was hired as a project management intern at Choate Construction, one of the largest general contractors in the Southeast. “I was lucky enough to be asked to come back the following summer as a preconstruction intern,” said Heaton. “This role was beneficial as I was able to use multiple software programs in the estimating process.” Upon graduation, Heaton was hired by Choate to work as a full-time construction engineer in the Charleston office.

“I wanted to come to The Citadel since I was a little kid.”

Ronnie Jacobs

Ronnie Jacobs, CGC ’24, is securing his future. Jacobs earned his Master of Education in Counselor Education degree from The Citadel Graduate College to level up in his career.

After earning dual degrees in psychology and sociology at Charleston Southern University, Jacobs began working for the Charleston County School District as a support services coach, funded by a five-year federal grant. “I knew that I was nearing the end of the grant and wanted to do something to secure my future career in education,” said Jacobs.

Now a secondary professional school counselor with Charleston County School District, Jacobs is ready to tackle new challenges. “I am excited to be working with young people,” said Jacobs, “to help prepare them for life after high school.”

Jacobs credits Associate Professor Guy Ilagan, Ph.D., with helping to prepare him for his career advancement. “His real-world experiences mixed with his passion to guide and mold future clinicians made his classes practical, applicable and deeply meaningful.”

Hughes Milling

Civil and Environmental Engineering major Hughes Milling, ’24, plans to stay busy as an alum. The Darlington, South Carolina, native is a structural engineer at Nucor Towers & Structures, a utility company dedicated to sustainably building electrical infrastructure. Come spring, Milling intends to return to The Citadel to pursue his master’s degree in civil engineering. “I am excited to work for Nucor because I will be able to design transmission systems for new energy projects,” said Milling. “As the United States updates its electrical infrastructure, I will be able to be part of the design process.”

Milling, a third-generation Citadel legacy, credits Associate Professor Timothy Wood, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Simon Ghanat, Ph.D., with helping him on his path to becoming an engineer. “Dr. Wood’s statics class really opened my eyes into structural engineering and led me to choose it as my career field,” said Milling. “Dr. Ghanat was my academic advisor and research mentor throughout my time at The Citadel. He guided me and helped me achieve several academic goals I set for myself.”

“As the United States updates its electrical infrastructure, I will be able to be part of the design process.”

Thomas Morrison

Thomas Morrison, CGC ’24, is building toward the future. The recent graduate is an engineer in the Charleston office of EM Structural Engineers, a structural engineering design company responsible for hundreds of projects across the United States. “I was drawn to engineering because it is a technology-oriented profession geared toward problem solving,” said Morrison.

After earning his associate’s degree in engineering design graphics from Trident Technical College in 2007, Morrison decided to pursue his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at The Citadel in the 2+2 program. “I hope to apply what I’ve learned in the preservation of historic structures.”

Houston Motz

Houston Motz, CGC ’24, is a lifelong learner. The 77-year-old secondary education major and Vietnam veteran came to The Citadel to complete an undergraduate degree he began in 1975. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Motz briefly attended Winthrop University before putting his education on hold to support his family. Despite the setback, Motz spent the years racking up graduate degrees at Winthrop, including an MBA in 1989, a master’s in liberal arts in 1996, and a master’s in history in 2010. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Motz decided it was time to finish what he started and returned to The Citadel to complete his bachelor’s degree.

Motz chose The Citadel for its values, high academic standards and veteran support. “I have always had a great admiration and appreciation for the moral compass, the core values and the leadership qualities that are taught and are at the center of The Citadel’s ethos,” said Motz. “I appreciate the support by The Citadel family for those who served.”

As an adjunct history instructor at Belmont Abbey College and York Technical College, Motz looks forward to passing his knowledge forward. “I hope to continue my part-time teaching with the new education tools given to me by The Citadel.”

Motz credits Program Coordinator and Associate Professor Christopher Dague, Ph.D., in helping him to gain those tools. “He has been a great mentor and a great source of inspiration.”

Ben Stemmet

Ben Stemmet, ’24, a finance major with a double minor in economics and data science, graduated in May ready to step into the business world. Stemmet has a three-year contract with Guggenheim Partners, a global investment and advisory firm with more than $310 billion in assets under management.

During his time at The Citadel, Stemmet, a native of Yorkville, Illinois, served as the portfolio manager for the student-managed investment fund and held several internships. A summer internship after his freshman year with a wealth management company in Mount Pleasant was followed by an internship with the venture capital firm Meeting Street Capital. During his junior year, he interned with the private equity firm Frontline Healthcare Partners, after which he interned with Bourne Partners, an investment bank based in Charlotte.

“I’ve had so many incredible opportunities from alumni connections,” said Stemmet, who was a member of the Distinguished Scholars program and a starter on the wrestling team. “They are really open to hardworking cadets, and they were more than happy to help me however they could or connect me with other alumni.”

Mary Coastal Watkins

Mary Coastal Watkins, ’24, is building bridges. A native of Goat Island, South Carolina, a sea island accessible only by boat with a fluctuating population of 35, Watkins understands the value of civil infrastructure. “I was quite literally in a boat every day of my life, rain or shine. It made me appreciate nature and different modes of transportation,” said Watkins. “I grew up fishing, catching rainwater, growing our own garden and living off the environment.”

Although the civil engineering major originally had plans to attend the United States Coast Guard Academy, The Citadel quickly became her home. “Once I met the professors and my cadet friends, I never turned back,” said Watkins. “The camaraderie at The Citadel is unmatched. All of the professors, cadets and opportunities have gotten me where I am today. The entire civil engineering department is focused on building you up for your future.”

Using her engineering education to provide vital support to a community much like her own, the recent graduate works as a field engineer in the Outer Banks of North Carolina helping to rebuild the Alligator River bridge. “I am so excited to travel to another remote island and help replace its 60-year-old bridge to the mainland,” said Watkins. “It has become expensive to maintain and costly for commuters. If it breaks, they would have to take a 99-mile detour.” Watkins, like many of her fellow alumni, is soaring to high heights and putting her Citadel education to good use.

“The camaraderie at The Citadel is unmatched. All of the professors, cadets and opportunities have gotten me where I am today.”

A Legacy Revisited

by Chelsea Harper

The Regimental Band and Pipes Return to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo with Special Guests

The journey to return the Regimental Band and Pipes to Scotland to perform in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was neither swift nor simple. Planning began in 2015, almost immediately after the band’s third appearance in Edinburgh, with the hope of returning in 2020. Although a global pandemic put that trip on hold, support for the endeavor was unwavering; seeing the iconic Citadel tartan back in Edinburgh was a long-held dream for many alumni, who had been waiting since the band’s 2015 appearance at the tattoo.

When plans for a return in 2024 were announced, many alumni embodied the true spirit of giving, offering their time, treasure and talent to ensure the band had the resources for a return to Scotland. For some alumni, the talent they contributed to the effort extended far beyond the ordinary.

Eight young alumni, back in their cadet uniforms, joined the 60 cadets who made the journey from The Citadel campus in Charleston to Edinburgh, Scotland. They were led by retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, director of the band, and Pipe Band Director Jim Dillahey, ’01. The reinstated cadets included Eve McCaffrey and Erick Mendoza, both from the Class of 2023, and six members of the Class of 2024—Joseph Cannavaro, Vincent Grna, Elizabeth Lockridge, Charles Sackett, Madeline Schmuck and Enmanuelle Sevilla.

For the 2023 graduates, returning to perform at the tattoo—the world’s most renowned military music festival —held a special significance. Both McCaffrey and Mendoza had been members of the band originally scheduled to perform in 2020, but when the event was canceled due to COVID-19, the news was hard to bear after all the preparation. For Mendoza, it was especially difficult.

“I chose to come to The Citadel because of the tattoo. I saw footage from The Citadel’s 2015 performance, and as someone who loves music and had been in a marching band for a long time, I thought that the opportunity to perform on an international stage was unique, and I didn’t think I’d be able to get that anywhere else,” said Mendoza. “In 2023, right before graduation, Col. Smith let us know that alumni would be invited to perform. I was ecstatic, and I was so determined to make this happen.”

Now a history teacher at Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville, South Carolina, Mendoza reflected on his experience in Edinburgh as he sat in his classroom. Around him were typical classroom items—pens and pencils, tokens of appreciation from his students, books and school policy signs, as well as a few unique reminders of his time at The Citadel, such as a Big Red flag and some of his cadet covers. Messages from his students filled the whiteboard, reflecting the deep respect they have for their teacher. After being away from The Citadel for more than a year, returning to cadet life felt strange but also rewarding.

“Putting on the uniform after not wearing it for a year probably seems odd to other graduates, but for me and the other members of the band, fulfilling this dream was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We were willing to do whatever it took. That said, I’m not going to lie, it was weird. It was weird waking up for formation, wearing duty, putting on my field jacket again, shining brass, all of the cadet rigmarole. It was not something I thought I’d ever have to do again, but I’m glad that I did,” said Mendoza.

For Madeline Schmuck, who graduated in May, it was not so long ago that she wore the uniform every day, so she found the experience of returning less foreign.

“There was a shift in priorities when we came back to campus. We were all there with one goal in mind—to prepare and perform for the tattoo,” Schmuck explained. “Getting the opportunity to stay in the barracks again did feel different, with the campus being relatively empty. However, there is a unique nostalgia around the barracks despite their age and changes made over time. For anyone who has ever stayed in them, coming back felt almost like coming home.”

The alumni’s dedication to performing in the tattoo included more than just uniforms and grooming regulations—it also meant a lot of practice and hard work.

For an entire month, members of The Citadel’s Regimental Band and Pipes performed at the tattoo, delivering nightly performances, with the exception of Sundays, to crowds of more than 8,000 people. The first week in Edinburgh was filled with relentless practice, rehearsals and even more fine-tuning. Aside from practices at Redford Barracks, where the cadets were housed in Edinburgh, additional practices took place at Edinburgh Castle. Many band members commented that being at the castle for the first time was a surreal moment.

Performing alongside world-class musicians naturally created some nervous anticipation, but the Regimental Band and Pipes overcame these challenges with determination. Charles Sackett, the band’s pipe major, hopes their participation in the tattoo highlights their capabilities and encourages other alumni to support their efforts.

“There was a lot of music to learn, including tunes we don’t normally play, but the band stepped the effort. By the time we arrived in Edinburgh, we were on par with the other bands. They say practice makes perfect, and after a few runs of the show, everybody found a way to make the drill go smoothly,” Sackett said. “At an event like the tattoo, I’d argue that if you aren’t stressed about the first show, you aren’t doing it right. The pipe band participated in four sections of the tattoo, giving us many opportunities to make mistakes. But, by the end of the first week, the nervousness faded, and the show became second nature.”

The band left the audience in awe with their striking execution, precise choreography and crisp full-dress uniforms. The enthusiastic audience made sure the band knew it, too, with thunderous applause and even stopping the band members outside of the tattoo to praise their performance.

“During our performance of Take Me Home, Country Roads, I would choose a different audience member each night to point to and sing to. That’s something they’re going to remember for a long time. And that’s what performing at the tattoo is all about—making memories for people who have paid for the tickets, the airfare, the hotels, everything. We wanted to make their tattoo experience unique, so they would walk away from the show and remember us,” said Mendoza.

For Elizabeth Lockridge, performing at the tattoo was a testament to what The Citadel can offer— even if it means embracing new challenges.

“The Citadel has so much more to offer than people may realize, and it’s important to put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone. Taking full advantage of The Citadel and the opportunities it offers beyond the classroom was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made, and it led me to have so many unique experiences and make so many amazing friends,” said Lockridge.

Now, back in the United States and out of the Corps of Cadets for a second time, life has returned to normal for these alumni. Mendoza has settled into his classroom for another academic year. Sackett has started a job as a process engineer at Sonoco in Hartsville, South Carolina. Schmuck is beginning a year-long fellowship at Mississippi State. Lockridge is starting her career as a project engineer.

“I’m extremely grateful for this amazing experience, especially for everyone involved in making this a possibility, as well as the alumni who supported the trip and dedicated themselves to the Regimental Band and Pipes,” said Schmuck. “After that first performance, realizing firsthand what an amazing opportunity this was to showcase our abilities, we were all more motivated to make every night better than the previous night. I feel fortunate to have had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

For every cadet and alum who traveled to Edinburgh, there is a shared sentiment—that it was an honor to represent The Citadel and perform with the Regimental Band and Pipes. As the only American military college band ever to have been invited, The Citadel proudly showcased the United States, contributing to the rich history of Edinburgh Castle with their performances. Each band member, including the eight alumni, put in the work to demonstrate their capabilities, furthering The Citadel’s legacy at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and beyond. While in Scotland, the band represented the institution, South Carolina and the United States with a high level of professionalism and composure that is characteristic of cadets and alumni. Cadets previously performed at the prestigious event in 1991, 2010 and 2015. Now, with the outstanding impression made in 2024, the band looks forward to another trip across the Atlantic in the coming years, perhaps with a new group of alumni along for the ride.

A Voice from the Corps

by Jennifer Wallace

When Melanie De Santiago Kinney arrived in South Carolina on a sweltering August Friday in 1997 to report to The Citadel, the spunky 5’5 18-year-old looked anything but the picture of a nervous, first-time college student. She didn’t arrive in an overstuffed station wagon, and there were no anxious parents hovering around her. Instead, Kinney, who was traveling alone, confidently stepped out onto an Amtrack platform in North Charleston, loaded down with everything needed to outfit a half-press. Bed linens; check. Twelve white cotton crew-neck t-shirts; check. Twelve pairs of white cotton underwear; check. Ten pairs of black crew-length socks; check. And so it went with all of the other specific quantities of the regulation items; check, check, check. Greeting her was a 1975 alumnus, Scott MacLeod, who took her to the Riverview Holiday Inn, just across the Ashley River from The Citadel, where she would stay the night. Kinney was one of 560 cadet recruits who would report on August 23 and one of 19 women in her class. Their arrival occurred early in the assimilation of women into the Corps of Cadets, and Kinney’s class was just the second class of women cadets who would go on to graduate. There was much work to be done, and Kinney rose to the challenge, taking on leadership roles and shattering glass ceilings. The Citadel provoked her, fostered her independent spirit and prepared her for an intriguing career in the world of intelligence.

Most people are surprised when Kinney tells them that she is a naturalized U.S. citizen. She was born in Ziegenhain, Germany, in 1979. When she was 5, her mother married an enlisted U.S. Army soldier named De Santiago. While the marriage was short lived, it was significant for Kinney, who became Melanie De Santiago until she changed her name as an adult and chose to go by Melanie Kinney. The marriage also meant that she began her formal education attending American Department of Defense schools, which helped to prepare her for the environment she later found at The Citadel.

As a child growing up in Germany in the age before social media, Kinney was curious and enjoyed learning. The exposure to two cultures broadened her perspective and fed her thirst for knowledge. While America gave her an education, Germany gave her a grandfather she admired. Albert Pfuhl, a local politician, took her to political meetings and debates, an unusual pastime for a child, but something Kinney enjoyed.

When she was 14, Kinney, who had spent 18 months in Ft. Hood, Texas, as a child, permanently moved to the United States. In 1997, she graduated from high school with honors in Denton, Texas. An Air Force ROTC student with an independent streak nurtured by solo transatlantic travel, Kinney’s plan was to attend The Citadel for a year, which she felt would make her a more competitive candidate to transfer to the Air Force Academy. So without ever having visited the college, or even South Carolina, Kinney committed to The Citadel, becoming one of the first women to attend the once all-male military college. “I can’t necessarily speak for the women now,” said Kinney, “but I think for us in the early years, there had to have been a tinge of rebellion to come here because you were challenging the status quo.”

Within a year of matriculating, Kinney’s plans to transfer to the Air Force Academy were all but forgotten, and instead she majored in German at The Citadel and received a three-year Air Force scholarship as a sophomore, making her the first female cadet to pursue an active-duty commission.

Of the 19 women who matriculated in 1997, eight graduated. “As a woman and especially in those early classes, for you to know that you belong here, you had to stake your claim,” she said. “No one was going to stake that for you, and I know definitely while all eight of us don’t necessarily keep in contact on a daily basis, or maybe even at all, we all have that ability to own the space we walk into. And it’s something that we had to learn as cadets because if we didn’t, we could easily have been outnumbered and pushed aside.”

Kinney was never pushed aside—she was busy making an impression. As a sophomore, she served as Romeo Company clerk in the fall semester and regimental clerk in the spring. She was the first woman to hold both of these positions. As a junior, she became the first woman to hold the rank of Fourth Battalion sergeant major. In 2000, she and classmate Dena Abrash became the first female company commanders.

“If I didn’t speak up, I wouldn’t have been able to advocate for my battalion or advocate for my company or advocate for myself or even for the other women. And that’s something you learn. I found my voice. You really find your voice very early at The Citadel,” said Kinney. “You learn to hold your ground because, if not, you just fade into the sea of gray with everybody else.”

“You really find your voice very early at The Citadel.”

Along with her voice, Kinney found that she had opportunities for personal growth and to make a difference. Very early on, she became comfortable briefing the president or the commandant or being part of a committee making decisions that are still binding today, like establishing policies and procedures for uniforms, conduct and inspections for women.

As Kinney was completing her education, she was also making plans for her future. She became interested in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and in the summer of her junior year, she went through a four-week shadow program at Mountain Home Air Force Base outside of Boise, Idaho. Not surprisingly, Kinney later learned that she had been selected, and after graduation, she set out for her first assignment in Misawa, Japan, for two years, followed by an assignment at the headquarters of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Kinney has led a vast and impressive—and mostly classified—career in intelligence since her graduation more than 20 years ago. In addition to working active duty in the Air Force for four years, she served as an operations officer and a staff officer with the U.S. Army in the United States and abroad.

Kinney also served as an intelligence oversight official with the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Oversight. She was a special agent with the FBI assigned to the New York field office for three years, and she served as an operations officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency in the United States and abroad. Kinney completed a total of four deployments as a civilian to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. In 2015, after a deployment with the Special Mission Unit, she was named the Department of Defense HUMINT (Human Intelligence) Collector of the Year. Kinney currently works for the Air Force.

While Citadel graduates have played a vital role in the intelligence field for decades, the intelligence and security studies major on campus was not established until 2017. Melissa Graves, Ph.D., who came to The Citadel in 2016 from the University of Mississippi, where she helped create its program, was instrumental in starting The Citadel’s program and now serves as department head.

“Intelligence offers policy makers a decision advantage when they’re making the political decisions that affect the country and the world, so intelligence is in service to policymakers,” said Graves. “Whether it’s the president or the secretary of defense or the secretary of state or somebody very high up in the military, or somebody who’s going to make these very critical decisions, we want them to have the best information that they can possibly have so that they make the best decisions.”

Since its inception on campus, intelligence and security studies has grown to become the largest major on campus. The program offers four concentrations for students interested in specializing beyond the general program—counterterrorism, business intelligence, Chinese area studies, and The Citadel’s most popular concentration, military intelligence. There is also a counterterrorism minor.

“One of the things that makes me so proud to work at The Citadel is hearing stories from people like Melanie and knowing that The Citadel really is producing so many people who are making a difference in the world and making it a better, safer place,” said Graves. “The fact that we were doing that before the intelligence major was set up, I think is noteworthy. And now we’ve formalized that with the major, and we hear from alumni quite frequently who went through The Citadel before our major existed but have found their way into the intelligence community anyway.”

Outside of her work with the Air Force, Kinney serves as a mentor to young women at Girl Security, a nonprofit organization that seeks to broaden the diversity of the national security work force. She and classmate Eileen Guerra Quinn are starting a networking program called The Citadel Women’s Mentoring Group to build relationships between alumnae and female cadets to create a robust professional network of Citadel women. Although Kinney did not fit the picture of the classic American student going off to college all those years ago, the picture she fits today is that of the American dream. In the land of promise, Kinney, like scores and scores of other Citadel alumni, is working behind the scenes to keep her adopted country safe, and in her spare time, she is helping to develop the next generation of women who will follow in her footsteps.