“Lead through Languages”
Welcome to the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at The Citadel. Our passionate faculty is committed to enriching the lives of students by imparting a deep understanding of language and fostering a world of possibilities and connections. This is a fundamental and essential tool for leadership and success.
An adequate level of fluency in a foreign language is multi-folded in any career. Our global community has a constantly growing need for competent people able to express themselves in more than one language. This, of course, means brighter profiles at hiring times as well as greater financial earnings. As a result, Citadel students are declaring language majors and minors in record numbers.
Faculty in the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Our faculty in each respective section (Chinese, French, German and Spanish) earned a reputation for representing some of the Southeast’s elite, many of whom reached international prominence and distinction in their fields. Our dedicated professors cross-cultural comparisons which will enrich our students’ vision of the world. Their pedagogical expertise will enable cadets and graduate students alike to discover a new reality through linguistic differences. But our students remain the faculty’s first focal point.
The common goals of our professors and undergraduates are reflected in some of the following student accomplishments:
- eight Fulbright scholars;
- numerous acceptances—many with fellowships—into some of the country’s most prestigious graduate programs in languages, law, business and international studies;
- two national Phi Kappa Phi graduate fellowships;
- 17 national “Honor Chapter” awards for our chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society;
- nine student recipients of the national Gabriela Mistral Award, granted annually to an outstanding chapter member of Sigma Delta Pi.
Our students have access to a wealth of language-related opportunities to complement and enhance their studies.
The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers three Citadel summer study abroad programs and the Goethe-Institute for language immersion experiences in France, Germany, Mexico and Spain. The American Society of the French Legion of Honor provides scholarships to qualified French majors and minors participating in The Citadel’s Summer Program in France.
Additional summer scholarships are provided yearly by the German Studies Summer Stipend (established by The Citadel’s German faculty), the Deutscher brüderlicher Bund Sommer-Stipendium (German), the Olmsed Cadet Travel and Cultural Immersion Program (for sophomore and/or junior contract cadets), and Citadel Summer Stipends. A Department of Defense grant has made available study abroad scholarships study abroad scholarships for ROTC-contract cadets who study Chinese. Our undergraduates also have a distinguished record in their admission into such prestigious semester-long programs.
During the academic year and for college credit, qualifying Spanish majors and minors may take advantage of local internships to gain practical experience with the Spanish language. Past internships have included the Medical University of South Carolina, real estate companies, elementary schools and local television.
Majors and minors who demonstrate excellence in their studies may earn membership in one or more of our three honor societies. These societies are: Pi Delta Phi (French), Delta Phi Alpha (German) and Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish). ALL students may join our language clubs.
The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures also showcases our students’ editorial and creative writing skills. This is done through our national, refereed journal El Cid (Spanish) and our campus publication Le Gaulois Litteraire (French).
On behalf of the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, we gladly invite all Citadel students to embark on a linguistic and cultural adventure which will translate into a remarkable benefit for their future profession.
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Photo above: Demolition begins on The Citadel’s Capers Hall on June 8, 2021. Lauren Petracca/Staff As seen in The Post and Courier, by Thomas Novelly The Citadel started demolishing its
Provided by Women in Defense Palmetto Chapter (WID) Pictured above (left to right): Cadets Lillian Layden and Catherine Guenther, 2020 Women in Defense Palmetto Chapter Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math