Strategic Plan 2025-2030

TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY AT WINTER CAA BOARD SESSION

PURPOSE

The Citadel’s mission is to educate and develop students to become principled leaders in all walks of life by instilling the core values of The Citadel in a disciplined and intellectually challenging environment. The 2026 Citadel Strategic Plan outlines the priorities of the college Administration to achieve this mission. To this end, the Citadel Alumni Association (CAA) offers graduates the opportunity to support future generations of graduates.

The mission of the Association is to provide a private, self-sustaining, non-profit organization to support, advance and promote the ideals and purposes of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, the Corps of Cadets, and the Alumni; to foster, perpetuate and preserve the history, memories, values and traditions of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, the Corps of Cadets and the Alumni; and to sell, award and determine the right to wear the ring of The Citadel, which ring and the trademark thereto are owned by the Association.

This CAA Strategic Plan offers a path toward the fulfillment of the CAA mission. This updated version continues focus on 1) supporting Alumni and 2) harnessing the Alumni to advance the goals and output of the college consistent with the strategic plan of the college. Each initiative is assigned to a specific CAA committee for detailed analysis and implementation options.1 The Long-Range Planning Committee will work with all committees to measure progress on these initiatives.

FOCUS ON AND SUPPORT CURRENT AND FUTURE ALUMNI

1. Increase CAA Membership & Participation

  1. Further increase participation of female, African-American and other minority, recent graduate and Graduate school alumni in CAA leadership (board and committee membership) to reflect the demographics of the college and the CAA.
  2. Encourage alumni and the individual Citadel clubs to support the Citadel and CAA Strategic plans.
  3. Continue to improve communications with the Corps of Cadets focusing on the Jr & Sr Classes.
  4. Develop communication channels dedicated to non-cadet undergraduates and graduate students.
  5. Continue to communicate effectively with The Citadel Alumni Network.
  6. Develop and promote ways to increase alumni participation in local Citadel Clubs and events. Assist clubs in tracking membership and participation metrics.
  7. Promote opportunities for Alumni to provide professional mentoring for each other.
  8. Maintain good CAA governance and continuity of focus.

Implementation

  1. Executive Committee and BoD appoint board members to increase female and minority representation. On track.
  2. Membership Committee re-analyze membership data to develop options to gain more non-CAA affiliated graduates. RNI: Update the BoD by May 2026.
  3. Membership Committee develop options to increase incentives for rising seniors to purchase CAA Life Membership prior to graduation. RNI: Update the BoD by May 2026.
  4. Awards Committee: Investigate and consider options for Gold Star club award criteria to influence club support for the CAA strategic plan. RNI: Update the BoD by May 2026.
  5. Technology Committee continue its effort to integrate College, CAA and Citadel Clubs separate data bases into a centralized CRM (Customer Relationship Management) leveraging the existing CAA platform technology, with additional cyber security defenses, to manage all interactions with alumni, centralizing data to a single source of truth for alumni information, automating processes, reducing overall costs, improving club level communications, and providing insights to build better relationships, increase loyalty, and drive financial support. On track: Update the board by May 2026.

2. Maintain & Strengthen the CAA Strong Balance Sheet

  1. Monitor investments & regularly review investment strategies.
  2. Maximize facility rentals.
  3. Continue to maintain & improve the CAA Facilities.

Implementation

On track. Financial Committee continue to advise the BoD on costs and revenue.

3. Foster, Perpetuate, and Preserve the History, Memories, Values and Traditions of The Citadel

  1. Expand and improve CAA historic and ring exhibits.
  2. Explore options to identify and recognize a most distinguished alumnus.

Implementation

Alumni Exhibits and Facility Ops Committees continue work on Holliday Center exhibits and explore most distinguished alumnus options. On track: Update to the BoD by May 2026.

HARNESS ALUMNI TO ADVANCE THE GOALS AND OUTPUT OF THE COLLEGE

4. Support the Education and Development of Principled Leaders at All Student Levels

  1. Synchronize CAA priorities and activities with Citadel leadership, Citadel Foundation, and Brigadier Foundation.
  2. Annual Financial Support & CAA Scholarship Funding; permanently endow CAA sponsored scholarships; identify initiatives to address the rising cost of a Citadel education.
  3. Increase the contribution of The Citadel Alumni Recruiters.
  4. Build upon The Citadel Alumni Network within corporations & companies with a regional presence to assist in The Citadel’s mission.

Implementation

  1. Executive Committee approach College Administration, The Citadel Foundation, and Brigadier Foundation to align strategic goals and priorities. Identify initiatives to address the rising cost of higher education and increase cooperation among these bodies to maintain access to a Citadel education for qualified candidates. Determine the average net cost per student to better understand the affordability issue. RNI: Update the BoD by May 2026.
  2. Financial Committee work with The Citadel Foundation to align/endow CAA Scholarship efforts. In work: Update the BoD by September 2026.
  3. Executive Committee and Cadet Recruitment Committee work with College Administration to improve Alumni participation in the recruiting process. In work: Update the BoD by May 2026.

5. Enhance the Learning Environment Through Academic Programs of Distinction and Student Success Services

  1. Provide internships & mentoring supported by The Citadel’s Alumni Network.
  2. Enhanced coordination with The Citadel’s Career Center to encourage greater alumni participation at job fairs, provide networking support for cadets seeking jobs after graduation as well as later in their careers.
  3. Assist the college to access Alumni speakers for classes and other academic, military, and professional venues.

Implementation

  1. CAA President designate new Network Committee Chair. In work: Update the BoD by 28 February 2026.
  2. Network Committee chair develop committee campaign plan based on experience of previous Network Committee initiatives. RNI: Update the BoD by September 2026.

6. Support the 2026 Citadel Strategic Plan to Enhance the Region’s Social, Educational and Economic Development Through Meaningful Community and Corporate Collaborations

Implementation

  1. CAA EXCOM establish a committee to: Identify and establish relationships with current student mentoring programs to complement and further assist in this initiative. RNI: EXCOM update the CAA Board by September 2026.
  2. Network Committee explore options to promote professional mentoring among alumni. RNI: Update the BoD by September 2026.

1 Implementation status is classified as:

  • RNI: Requires new initiation
  • In Work: Initiated (little progress or within 3 months or less of having begun)
  • On Track: Positive progress and currently assessed with quarterly updates