The Wallace E. Kendall Scholarship

As the eldest of nine kids in a lower-middle class family, my parents were elated when I earned a full four-year academic scholarship to the University of Maryland. There was no money for college, and I had not applied for admission to any of the service academies. The plan was to graduate from high school a year early and become a Terp.

During Christmas break of our junior year in high school, several friends were going to a college fair in Washington, DC, and I tagged along because, well, a particular girl was going, and it was a chance to hang out with her. I discovered The Citadel at that college fair and decided to check it out on a pre-knob weekend in the spring. My grandparents paid for my bus ride from DC to Charleston. The ride was endless, but I fell in love with The Citadel. Parade. Pretty girls hanging around after parade. Cool uniforms. Dino’s. The beach house. I was sold! My classmate Tony Colon and I became lifelong friends that weekend.

After the trip, I told my parents, “I will find a way to go to The Citadel. Everyone is going to Maryland, and I want to do something different!” Mom was almost in tears. Dad just shook his head and mentioned that he knew a Citadel guy in Vietnam - Jack Greene, ’62.

I worked hard during that summer, applied to The Citadel that fall, received a partial scholarship, and started my journey with the Class of 1982. Between sophomore and junior year, while working construction, I was knocked off a wall while pouring concrete. The injury kept me from working for the remaining weeks of the summer, and I didn’t have sufficient funds to go back to The Citadel. My mom’s dad, Grandad Kendall, got word that I was considering leaving college, and he came to see me at our home.

A little background: Grandad Kendall was a WWII veteran who had fought in the Battle of Okinawa. He was the radar officer on a destroyer, the USS Hadley DD 774. During a 95-minute air sea battle at Okinawa, the Hadley shot down 23 kamikazes and endured five hits from planes and bombs, resulting in 151 wounded and 30 killed in action.

Grandad was a quiet, serious, and kind man. When he spoke, you listened, and it was clear, even to me, that Grandad was on a mission that day. He asked why I was considering not going back to The Citadel, and I explained that I did not have the money to return. He asked how much I needed, and I stammered, “Nine… nine hundred dollars...” It was a LOT of money.

Grandad reached into his pocket and pulled out the largest roll of bills that I had ever seen. He peeled off ten crisp $100 bills, handed them to me, and said, “Go back to school. And if you ever need help again and do not come to me, we will have words!” I gulped, “Yes, Sir!,” as I tried to hand back one of the bills, saying, “You gave me too many.” He said, “No, that’s for you. Go back to school.”

I still get choked up when I think about that moment. My brother Kit, Class of 1990, and I held Grandad in our arms at the moment that prostate cancer ended his life. You see, Grandad put Kit through our school, too.

Years after Grandad died, my wife, Dee and I started The Wallace E. Kendall scholarship in his honor and to continue his legacy of making it possible for kids like me and my brother Kit to attend The Citadel. Later still, we added a small legacy gift.

After I was very ill last winter, I decided it was past time to consolidate retirement funds, update my will and medical directives, etc. Grandad’s picture and WWII dog tags hang on the wall in my den and keep me in my place. Seeing that picture during the process of these updates reminded me that I want to continue his legacy in a bigger way when I am gone.

Dee and I have met and received letters from the cadets who have benefited from the scholarship. It is always a humbling experience. I may never be the man that Grandad was, but I will try.

Some kid out there needs your help to chase their dreams with the benefit of a Citadel education. Each of us has our own unique Citadel story, and each of us can help future cadets create their Citadel story.

P.S. Yes, the girl with whom I attended the college fair where I discovered The Citadel also walked through the ring with me and is my bride of 44+ years.