Student Success Center

I wish we had a Student Success Center when I was a cadet! They have all kinds of services available to support your cadet's academic career. Take a minute to watch the video and meet its director, Colonel Robert Pickering, and learn about the services they offer.

We hope you will have a conversation about your cadet using the Academic Services provided for them. Does everyone need to use them? Not at all, but having a conversation that makes sure they know the service is there and not waiting until its too late in the semester is something everyone should know about. You can find out more at their webpage. Also, one of the main reasons for not using this resource that some cadets see it as a sign of weakness on their part as they want to do it all themselves. That is an admirable trait, but recognizing that you need help then asking for it is better. You have experiences in your life that you can share with them to understand that using the resources to mitigate risk is wise, not weak. If they are nervous about going over the first time, have them call me and I'll walk over with them!

Services for Students With Disabilities

Located across the hall is our Office of Services for Students with Disabilities and the office of its director, Shannon McKenzie. If your cadet has a disability, then they want to set up a meeting with Shannon to discuss what accommodations are available for them. They can do this before reporting via a phone call or email. Take a few minutes to watch Shannon's video below to see what her office provides.

As a father of a student who qualified for accommodations, I can tell you this program works and more importantly provides access to course material in a way they need it. As I mention in the video, many cadets come in wanting to start fresh in relation to accommodations thinking they can do it on their own. Again an admirable goal, but if they haven't studied at the college level or experienced the additional pressures of The Citadel lifestyle, they may not have all the information they need to make an informed decision. We recommend your cadet contact Shannon before they report and have a conversation with her to hear what her years of experience would recommend. As she said, the accommodations are flexible and confidential.

Finally, don't forget she also sets up temporary accommodations for cadets if they are injured and unable to fully participate in class. Remember your cadet has to request them, not you. Find out more by going to her webpage.

What's an Academic Calendar? Click on the Next Button to find out!