https://www.facebook.

com/groups/1603061459717879/
https://foundation.citadel.edu/1979giving
January 8, 2018

Dear ’79 Classmates,
On behalf of the entire Class Reunion Committee, we hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday
Season and are enjoying the New Year. Now that we’ve wrapped up the first year of our
reunion campaign, it’s a perfect time to review progress, look at the path ahead for success and
to reflect a bit on our opportunities and blessings.

First, our alma mater is doing great things. Consider some of The Citadel’s recent accolades:
• U.S. News and World Report, in the south: No. 1 Public University, seventh consecutive
year (2012-2018)
• No. 1 Best Public College for Veterans in the south and 2nd overall in the south
• No. 4 College in the south offering up to a master's degree (public and private)
• No. 13 Undergraduate Engineering Program (at schools without a doctoral program)
• Voted the No. 1 “Best Value College” in South Carolina by Forbes’ magazine’s 2016
rankings
• Highest medical school acceptance rate in SC: 82% on first try; 87% on second; and
100% on Third
• Second highest median income earnings in the state. Behind only to MUSC. $20,000
above national average
We should all be proud of these impressive accomplishments under General Rosa’s leadership.

For a quick review, our class committed to an effort to raise $1.079M in cash for two projects.
The first project will pay for construction of a quadrangle and water fountain at the heart of the
impressive new academic building to replace Capers Hall. The Capers Hall project received
initial approval from the South Carolina State Legislature and construction is scheduled to
commence in 2019, the year of our 40th reunion. Find more info on the Capers Hall
replacement project at http://campaign.citadel.edu/priorities/facilities-capital-projects.

The second element of our cash contribution will permanently endow the Class of 1979
Leadership Day. This event takes place during a weekday each October and the entire Corps of
Cadets participates. Colonel Tom Clark, USMC (Retired), the Executive Director of the Krause
Center for Leadership and Ethics, hosted several ‘79 Class Reunion Campaign Committee
members at the 2017 event. We participated in the full range of activities throughout the
Lowcountry and interacted extensively with cadets and faculty. From our personal experiences,
we all came away convinced that this is truly world-class training and sets The Citadel far apart
from other academic institutions. Put simply, this is a fabulous aspect of The Citadel experience
that we all would have greatly benefited from. Please go to
http://www.citadel.edu/root/krausecenter-leadership-day to get more detail on what our class
is funding. There will also be opportunities for other ’79 classmates to attend the 2018 event.
More info to follow.

We are making great progress as we enter the new year.
• Our cash goal of $1.079M is off to a good start. With the entire committee and other
generous donations, we’ve already raised nearly $150,000 in cash and pledges. That
puts us at nearly 30 percent of the goal for our first project, the Capers Hall
quadrangle/fountain and almost 15 percent toward our total cash goal that also endows
The Class of 1979 Leadership Day.
• Our overall goal of $4.3M is also off to a great start. Remember, this number includes
the project cash contributions above plus other pledges of stock, insurance, trusts,
estate gifts, etc. Due to some extremely generous participation, our class is already
approaching 2.5 million dollars in commitments to this effort! Many thanks to our
classmates that are answering our call! It would be great if we could get 79 new
commitments for legacy or estate donations of any amount to build on this great
momentum. Please let us know if you’d like more info on how to accomplish this in
your estate planning.

With two years remaining in our campaign, we’d like to ask everyone to support our campaign
in some way, at any level. There are many ways to give, such as monthly credit card or bank
withdrawals, but whatever amount is significant to you, please join us in funding these great
causes.

As we’ve said in previous communications, The Class of 1979 is special and unique in many
ways. We’ve collectively accomplished great things and the bond we all share is simply
unparalleled. Our generosity through giving to The Citadel should reflect this greatness. We’ve
got two years remaining and we ask that each and every one of us dig deep and give/pledge
what you can. More participation will help spread the opportunity more widely.

Finally, as we reflect upon these things, it’s important to remember that in our journeys
together we’ve lost some brothers, others are struggling as we speak and others still going full
steam ahead. The thing that binds us all is that we wear the ring and our commitment to each
other is truly unwavering and unconditional. Our arms remain open because we are all
honored to know each other as classmates.

With warmest and enduring regards,

Tom Hendricks Greg Horton
Chairman Vice Chairman