For a second consecutive year, civil engineering cadets and student at The Citadel earned national recognition as a finalist for the 2016 Robert Ridgway Student Chapter Award. The awards are presented annually by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The Ridgway Award recognizes student chapters for their outstanding organization, service, involvement and professionalism. 

“This is quite an accomplishment as this distinction was earned by only five out of 339 ASCE Student Chapters across the U.S. and 12 countries,” said Leslie Payne, director of student member programs stated. “ASCE’s national committee on student activities selects winning colleges/universities through a rigorous review process based on an annual report prepared by student officers.”  

The award was based on criteria from 2015 when The Citadel chapter had 106 active members, held 13 professional meetings, delivered six presentations and participated in major events including the Workshop for Student Leaders, held in Miami, and the Carolinas Conference, held in Atlanta. (In 2016 the chapter scored numerous first place positions in the ASCE conference's concrete canoe competitions. See photo.) The Citadel Chapter also demonstrated leadership that year by hosting National Engineer’s Week events on campus in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as a professional activities event featuring more than 30 companies at a career fair for engineering cadets and students.  

A major multi-disciplinary service learning project was headed by the chapter in the Charleston area for a church needing engineering design work and repairs. The Citadel chapter also participated in several other community service projects and in seven monthly ASCE-SC Eastern Branch meetings with local engineers.

The initiatives led by the civil engineering cadets and students, as well as their involvement in collaborative professional activities provided them with many opportunities to learn outside of the classroom.  They have acquired hands-on design and project management experience due to their involvement in their chapter membership and engagement and they have also witnessed how their professional skills can be used for the benefit of their community.  

The Citadel Chapter had 106 active members in 2015, held 13 professional meetings, delivered six presentations and participated in major events including the Workshop for Student Leaders, held in Miami, and the Carolinas Conference, held in Atlanta. The Citadel Chapter also demonstrated leadership by hosting National Engineer’s Week events on campus in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as a professional activities event featuring more than 30 companies at a career fair for engineering cadets and students.