The Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79, announced today that the spring semester will be his last at The Citadel as he prepares to retire at the end of June 2026. The Citadel Board of Visitors will immediately begin a search for the next Citadel President.
“Serving this institution has been a great honor,” said Walters in a message to the campus community. “We have had the privilege of watching ten extraordinary classes – from 2019 through 2029 – develop into principled leaders for our nation. Being part of their journey is something we will always treasure.”
Walters first came to The Citadel in the fall of 1975. The Arlington, Virginia, native and son of a CIA officer, was a member of Charlie Company. He graduated in 1979 and joined the Marine Corps. He served in positions of increasing responsibility, culminating as the Assistant Commandant of the US Marine Corps. In 2018, The Citadel Board of Visitors selected Walters as the 20th President, succeeding Lt. Gen. John Rosa, USAF (Ret.), ’73.
“Gen. Walters leaves a visible and long-lasting legacy for The Citadel,” said Board of Visitors Chairman Greg Delleney, ’74. “The entire Citadel campus, from north to south, has been significantly improved under his leadership and guidance, and these improvements will pay huge dividends for our academics and our core mission. I want to thank Gail and Glenn for their nearly 50 years of service to The Citadel and our nation and note his remarkable record of success during his eight years as our President.”
Under Walters, The Citadel has undergone significant infrastructure, academic and financial improvement. The college completed construction of Bastin Hall and Capers Hall, repairs to all the barracks, a new roof on McAllister Field House and a new turf at Johnson Hagood Stadium, and has broken ground on construction for the East Side Stands replacement, the Krause School of Leadership and Ethics, and – soon – the LeTellier Hall Engineering Building Replacement. These upcoming projects are fully funded and do not add debt to the college.
Among the greatest challenges of Walters’ tenure was the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. While many colleges and universities struggled, The Citadel persevered. After sending students home in the spring of 2020, The Citadel returned to in-person classes in the fall and did not fire or furlough employees. This past Matriculation Day, The Citadel’s class size fully rebounded to pre-COVID levels. All of this was done while also balancing the college’s budget for the first time in many years.
Academically the college has excelled even more. During his time as president, The Citadel’s rankings have continued to climb and is now recognized as the #1 Regional University in the South. The college’s Engineering program – of which he is a proud graduate – is currently a top 15 program nationally. During Walters’ tenure, The Citadel had its first Rhodes Scholar finalist this past year and continues to attract top faculty and excellent students. The college has also embarked under Walters on a record-setting Our Mighty Citadel fundraising campaign that has already seen the school raise $310 million – exceeding its goal of $300 million – with a full year left.
You can read Gen. Walters’ full retirement message to The Citadel Community here.
The Citadel’s Board of Visitors has established a search committee to begin vetting and selecting candidates to serve as The Citadel’s 21st president.