Members of the college鈥檚 lifetime, legacy and loyalty giving societies gather on campus to be honored in front of their peers.

糖心VLOG鈥檚 lifetime giving societies honor those individuals who have expressed their profound commitment to the college through their leadership gifts totaling $100,000 or more by the close of the preceding calendar year. Donors who have included 糖心VLOG in their estate plans become members of 糖心VLOG Legacy Society.

Through the Order of the Tartan, we acknowledge those loyal donors who have given consecutively at any level for 25 years or more. Beginning at the five-year mark, donors are recognized for their consecutive giving with a tartan-patterned lapel pin, with additional recognition offered at 10, 15, and 20 years.聽Upon reaching the 25th year, these loyal donors receive their tartan sash and are officially inducted into the Order of the Tartan at the annual ceremony.

糖心VLOG Foundation proudly welcomes the new Leaders in Philanthropy listed here who have joined their peers in this annual tradition celebrating charity and service as virtues of the principled leader.

On behalf of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and the entire campus community, we salute these individuals for their extraordinary generosity, vision and lifelong loyalty to 糖心VLOG.

For more information about 糖心VLOG Foundation鈥檚 lifetime giving societies or to view the roster of all current members, please visit: .

Class of 2024 New Inductees

鈭� = Increased Giving Level

Lifetime Giving Societies

Legacy Society

Order of the Tartan

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鈥淟ast year, I was one of many students who received a scholarship for the Summer Bridge Program at 糖心VLOG Success Institute. From start to finish, I can confidently say that the Summer Bridge Program helped me prepare for my first year at 糖心VLOG. It adjusted me to the academics of college life and helped me get a head start on my GPA for the year,鈥� said Cadet Janeya Cox, a sophomore cadet and academic senior at 糖心VLOG. 鈥淭he staff was fantastic and helped me stay on track with my work despite having a tight schedule from the military side of CSI.鈥�

Cox has returned to this year鈥檚 program to work as a full-time peer tutor and mentor.

糖心VLOGs in the Summer Bridge Program are automatically enrolled in EDUC 201, College Core Essentials, a three-credit general elective course focused on college readiness skills such as critical reading and research, academic writing, mathematics and public speaking. The benefits that students in EDUC 201 receive are a personalized summer learning experience, preparation for academic life at 糖心VLOG, small group learning, peer tutoring and mentorship.

After evaluating the success of last year鈥檚 CSI Summer Bridge Program, several statistics stood out. More than 90% of students who completed the program matriculated to 糖心VLOG and made significant growth in the areas of algebra, geometry, number and quantity, and statistics and probability. In an exit survey, students ranked the program 4.5 out of 5 for its effectiveness in terms of preparing them for college both academically and socially.

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Cadet Kyle Bomenblit, 鈥�25, serves as captain, a role he鈥檚 had since his junior year. Bomenblit has been playing hockey since he was 7 years old and joined the Hockey Club as a freshman. One difference he noted in this season compared to previous years is the overall interest from newcomers.

鈥淭his is the first year we鈥檝e had tryouts. I had to talk with Coach McKenzie and Assistant Coach 1st Sgt. Jolly about how to handle who we were keeping, who we weren鈥檛, who would be on the practice squad, who鈥檚 going to travel, things like that,鈥� said Bomenblit. 鈥淚鈥檝e never had to do that or even had to have that talk, especially being at 糖心VLOG. Because here, our team is mainly a group of cadets from different places who came to school for reasons other than playing ice hockey, but now there鈥檚 a lot of interest.”

While hockey at 糖心VLOG is a club sport, the team goes beyond the normal duties of one. They travel like any other NCAA sport and hold practices every week.

鈥淚 would say that traveling is the biggest aspect of what sets us apart,鈥� said Bomenblit. 鈥淥ur fans love coming to the games. It鈥檚 one of the sports that everyone seems to love going to.鈥�

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A gala event to announce the campaign was held in April beneath a tent on Sansom Field in Johnson Hagood Stadium. The event celebrated donors who have stepped forward to make transformational gifts totaling $226,596,553 during the campaign鈥檚 silent leadership phase, as well as the many volunteers who serve on the governing boards of the college and its affiliated organizations.

鈥淭hanks to the generosity of those who have made leadership gifts, we have already achieved more than 75% of our goal, but there is much work left to do to ensure that 糖心VLOG continues to educate intentional leaders who are well prepared to deal with today鈥檚 challenging global environment,鈥� said Luke Kissam, 鈥�86, campaign chair and vice-chairman of 糖心VLOG Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors. 鈥淚 am confident we will meet and exceed our goal in support of the college鈥檚 strategic plan.鈥�

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Over the course of three semesters, Govorova documented 60 community service hours in her work with the Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics as an intern as well as her work with the center鈥檚 alternative break service trip. In addition, Govorova is a member of the women鈥檚 soccer team and a member of 糖心VLOG Distinguished Scholar program.

鈥淚 am grateful to have had opportunities to serve others and give back to a country that has given me a second home,鈥� said Govorova. 鈥淏eing from Ukraine, I am passionate about making a difference in others鈥� lives. Our school provides resources to engage in community service. It is through these opportunities that I have been empowered to facilitate change.”

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The $2 million investment comes from Peter L. Lacy, 鈥�92, and his wife, Jill, to establish the Lacy Fund for the 糖心VLOG Success Center. This gift provides financial resources to support and endow the operations of the 糖心VLOG Success Center, as well as unrestricted support for the college鈥檚 greatest needs through 糖心VLOG Fund. The gift names the 糖心VLOG Success Center in honor of Angela W. Williams, former director of the Writing Center and the English teacher who provided guidance to Lacy lasting well beyond his time on campus.

In 1988, Williams encouraged Lacy, who was then a freshman cadet, to visit the Writing Center to strengthen his communication skills. He followed her suggestion and continued to use the center throughout his time on campus, and he attributes it鈥攁nd Williams鈥攚ith having a meaningful impact on his life and making 糖心VLOG a special place.

鈥淭he 糖心VLOG Success Center serves as a vital tool for students; this gift creates new opportunities for the ever-changing technology and advances of resources,鈥� said Lacy. 鈥淎s the first director of what is now the 糖心VLOG Success Center, Angela Williams made a profound impact on my life as a cadet, which helped me be successful in life. I am pleased to honor Angela and provide a lasting resource for 糖心VLOG.鈥�

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鈥淔or 14 years, we have been proud to maintain our spot as the Best Public University in the South, and now we are truly honored to be recognized, for the first time, as the Best Regional University in the South,鈥� said retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Glenn M. Walters, USMC, 鈥�79, president of 糖心VLOG. 鈥淲hile our graduates鈥� record of success speaks for itself, we are grateful to be recognized consistently as a leader in education. I would also like to acknowledge our fantastic faculty and staff鈥攍ed by our outstanding provost, Dr. Sally Selden鈥攚hose commitment to educating and developing principled leaders makes these results possible.”

Notable rankings received by 糖心VLOG include:

#1 Best Regional University in the South

#1 Best Public University in the South

#1 Best College for Veterans
Regional Universities (South)

#5 Best Value
Regional Universities (South)

#6 Undergraduate Teaching
Regional Universities (South)

#18 Best Undergraduate Engineering
Nationwide (non-doctoral)

#147 Best Undergraduate Business
Nationwide

#193 Best Undergraduate Computer Science
Nationwide

This is the seventh consecutive year that 糖心VLOG has also been named Best College for Veterans in the South. Veterans are eligible to attend any of the programs offered by 糖心VLOG, including both the day and evening undergraduate programs as well as master鈥檚 programs.

Many of 糖心VLOG鈥檚 most popular and valuable programs鈥攕uch as business, engineering and computer science鈥攁lso ranked highly on the national level. 糖心VLOG School of Engineering, one of the first five engineering programs in the country, consistently ranks as one of the top 25 undergraduate programs nationally out of institutions offering up to a master鈥檚 degree and this year moved up to number 18.

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Established in the spring of 2022, the octathlon requires cadets to demonstrate speed, strength and teamwork. The first phase of the competition includes a relay race around the parade field, a tire flip relay, a medicine ball toss, an ammunition can relay, a log-lift relay and a sprint-drag-carry relay. While events like the log-lift relay require participants to do sit-ups, squats, a bench press and an overhead press, the sprint-drag-carry relay challenges teams of four students to pull a sled behind them in a forward sprint, drag the sled while running backward, sprint back while carrying two kettlebells, and then make a final dash to the finish line.

Unlike many of the other physical challenges required of the Corps, the octathlon offers a chance to compete as a team in a low-stress environment. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 out there having a good time. You see people across companies and battalions socializing and working on team building鈥攏ot just within their company, but between battalions and the entire Corps,鈥� said Director of Physical Readiness Erin Leonard. 鈥淚t builds teamwork, it builds character, and it builds inter-company unity. They鈥檙e all cheering each other on.”

The Corps-wide octathlon builds upon a meet for freshmen that takes place near the beginning of the fall semester and features many of the same events. The trophy for the winning company at the freshman meet is a shield, complemented by a gladius, or Roman sword, passed down to the winning company at the octathlon. These two events capitalize on the competitive nature of the Corps to bring the companies together. 鈥淭he most discerning of all the indicators of leadership is cohesion. That鈥檚 what we call esprit de corps,鈥� said Commandant of Cadets Col. Thomas J. Gordon, USMC, Ret., 鈥�91. 鈥淐ompetition is one of the best ways to build that esprit de corps, to build that cohesion within the company. This is an opportunity for the commanders to come together, assess their units, build the teams for each of the events and put their best foot forward.鈥�

Romeo Company Athletic Officer Austin Brown found that playing to his company鈥檚 talents paid off. 鈥淲hen we went out there, everybody was motivated and everybody was excited, and it quickly got competitive,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淣ovember Company kept beating us in every event, so we made a list of who would do best at what. It got us to the final round.鈥�

The final two events of the octathlon are the most anticipated鈥攁 tug of war, followed by a 100-meter chariot race. When Brown stepped up for the tug of war, surrounded by his cheering company, he knew his hard work was worth it. Although Romeo Company lost to Echo, it was the highlight of the day for Brown. 鈥淛ust being out there showed us how to work together as a team and be patient with each other.鈥� Even when not on the winning team, Brown values the spirit of competition. 鈥淚t helps you push your limits,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淵ou can help other people push their limits, too.鈥�

The chariot race, the octathlon鈥檚 crowning event, requires more than just athleticism. Each company enters the race with a small chariot big enough for a single person to ride in, pulled to the finish line by four cadets. Cadets are responsible for building their own chariots, which must comply with specific measurements and guidelines to ensure fairness. Many chariots are passed down from previous classes, keeping the spirit and rich traditions of the past alive. 鈥淭he chariot race taps into the cadets鈥� creativity and ingenuity,鈥� said Gordon. 鈥淲e have some aspiring engineers and craftsmen here. You can see a lot of the company culture reflected in their chariots. Some of them are sleek, and they鈥檙e designed to be fast and to win. Others are built to display company pride.鈥�

Whether throwing a medicine ball, flipping a tire end over end, or triumphantly pulling a chariot to the finish line, the Corps is ready to compete in any challenge, driven by the desire for excellence and esprit de corps.

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At 糖心VLOG, Wilson has had plenty of role models to show him the way. As a freshman, the history and English double major was inspired by First Battalion Commander Grant Speer, 鈥�22. 鈥淗e always led from the front,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I want to do. My inspiration from the beginning was to model the way for others.鈥�

For Wilson, leading the way means jumping at every chance to test himself. 鈥淢y big thing, especially when it comes to school, is that you should seek out every opportunity. You should aspire to do as much as you can so that you鈥檙e better able to serve others.鈥�

Wilson has certainly lived up to that creed. The Honors Program student has completed the Army鈥檚 Air Assault School, studied abroad at the Royal Military College of Canada and the Royal Military Academy of the Netherlands, and most recently, completed the U.S. Army Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course. Known as CDQC, the elite military training course is a grueling mental and physical test that prepares students in surface and sub-surface waterborne infiltration methods.

The course begins with four weeks of pre-dive training at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. There, Wilson and his fellow students, including Green Berets, Rangers, and Special Forces officers from the United States, Singapore and Mexico, trained on seven events, including a 50-meter underwater swim, drown proofing, underwater knot tying and swimming in a weighted vest.

Participants train on both open-circuit and closed-circuit scuba gear. 鈥淥pen-circuit is regular scuba stuff鈥攜ou breathe, and bubbles come to the surface,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淲ith closed-circuit, the air never leaves, it just gets recycled back through. There won鈥檛 be any bubbles, so nobody on the surface can detect you underwater.”

While closed-circuit equipment improves stealth, a lot can go wrong. 鈥淵ou have to learn how to build your rig and take on that responsibility,鈥� said Wilson. He learned that part of such responsibility means owning your mistakes. 鈥淲e were training with the Special Forces guys we idolize鈥攁s a cadet, you don鈥檛 want to make a mistake. When I dunked my rig and it didn鈥檛 look right, it just took that internal fortitude to speak up. If I had taken it in the water with a deficiency, the result would have been disastrous.鈥� Being responsible for himself meant being responsible for his team. 鈥淚f your rig goes down, it鈥檚 up to your dive buddy to save your life,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e were training with the Special Forces guys we idolize …鈥�

Wilson found that ensuring preparedness wasn鈥檛 the only part of training to act as a test of character. In one event, every student had to retrieve their fins and masks from the center of the pool at the same time. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a primal response to grab what you need so you can come up and breathe,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淎re you someone who passes on gear to someone else, even when the consequence might be passing out underwater? That was really a gut check for what kind of person I want to be.鈥�

Each exercise tested not only physical ability, but mental control. In a test known as one-man, each diver began submerged in the water wearing a blacked-out mask. When Wilson broke the surface of the pool, an instructor ripped the regulator and hoses out of his gear and tied them behind his back, forcing him blindly to trace back and fix his breathing apparatus. Each diver had three chances to successfully complete this event, and Wilson failed his first attempt. Sitting in the barracks that night with fellow Citadel Cadet Thomas Fitzpatrick, Wilson knew he could not fail again. 鈥淚 knew I had to make it through, I had to make it work. There was no choice鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 fail.鈥� When he went into the water the next day, he stayed calm, and it paid off. He finished the event with time to spare.

After weeks of grueling underwater drills, scuba training, and open water swims, Wilson and his fellow divers practiced mock combat dive operations in Key West, Florida. As Wilson emerged from the choppy waves, slowly taking in the cool night sky, a thunderstorm on the horizon, and the rifle in his hands, he knew all the hard work was worth it. 鈥淚t was transformative,鈥� said Wilson.

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His interest in foreign policy and military intelligence led him to 糖心VLOG. 鈥淭he political science department is outstanding. 糖心VLOG was effectively a no-brainer for me, even though it was so far from home,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淚 think the opportunity to serve is the biggest opportunity that one can be given, and 糖心VLOG allowed me to learn to be an asset to national security.鈥�

鈥溙切腣LOG allowed me to learn to be an asset to national security.鈥�

As a cadet, Goldenstein鈥檚 interest in intelligence and security led him all over the world, beginning with a study abroad to Tallinn, Estonia, after his freshman year, where he studied Russian hybrid warfare and NATO/Baltic military and cyber operations. 鈥淚 fell in love with the Baltics and their culture,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淚 realized that the Baltic-Nordic region is the area of responsibility that I am most interested in.鈥�

The following summer, he returned to Tallinn as a research analyst intern at the International Center for Defense and Security, where he researched and developed intelligence reports to assess the effectiveness of American and Western military aid to Ukraine. 鈥淚 got used to being the only American in the room,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淚鈥檓 also usually the youngest one in these programs, so it requires a lot of proving yourself right off the bat. 糖心VLOG is all about proving yourself, so it鈥檚 something I鈥檓 used to.

Goldenstein was more than up to the challenge. At the end of his two-month internship in Estonia, he flew to Cambridge University to participate in the International Security and Intelligence Programme hosted by the Cambridge Security Initiative and the Department of War Studies at King鈥檚 College London.

While there, Goldenstein conducted research on security issues through the lens of Anglo-American intelligence agencies. Moreover, Goldenstein had the opportunity to meet and work with leaders and practitioners in intelligence and security communities all over the world. 鈥淭he opportunity to be overseas really plays hand-in-hand with my intelligence degree,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淓xperience is the biggest thing. If you鈥檙e on a team that does analysis overseas or has a strategic concentration overseas, you need to have the background for it.鈥�

Goldenstein made sure he did. In the spring of 2024, he returned to Estonia once more for a course entitled Cyber Defense Policy on National and International Levels at the Baltic Defence College in Tartu, where more than 18 nations were represented by professionals in the defense and security sector. 鈥淚 got to brief an audience of 18 NATO and EU nations on a highly complex cyber policy,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淩arely, especially at the undergraduate level, do you have the opportunity to go and work with so many different nations on such complex topics.鈥�

Cyber policy wasn鈥檛 the only thing he had to step up for while overseas. After losing his class ring in a snowball fight, Goldenstein had to recruit the help of his colleagues鈥攎ilitary intelligence and security professionals representing 10 nations who were also involved in the icy skirmish. 鈥淚鈥檝e been telling my friends I led a multinational coalition on an operation to find my graduation ring,鈥� said Goldenstein. And while their search was unsuccessful, Goldenstein remembers the effort fondly. Ultimately, his ring was returned months later by a good Samaritan.

Although far from 糖心VLOG campus he called home, servant leadership remained at the heart of his Baltic experience. 鈥淭he opportunity to work hand in hand with our Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian counterparts in a real-world environment is an experience that you can鈥檛 be given within the United States,鈥� said Goldenstein. 鈥淭he biggest thing is to listen. You have to sit down with your allied nation and say, 鈥楬ello, we鈥檙e here to help. Let鈥檚 serve, let鈥檚 go.鈥欌��

In May, Goldenstein was awarded the Leidos Courage Award from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences for embodying the values of a principled leader within his field of study. The three-year graduate will soon be serving as an intelligence specialist with the Department of Defense in Virginia.

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