“Anybody can be a manager— it’s different to be a leader”

Fitzgibbon traveled to France as part of his battlefield leadership class led by retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Tom Clark, executive director of the Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics. Fitzgibbon, who earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Florida International University, came to 91���� looking for leadership. “Anybody can be a manager— it’s different to be a leader,” said Fitzgibbon, who felt something was lacking in his skillset as a port operations manager.

Fitzgibbon and his classmates researched graduates of 91���� who served in World War II on D-Day. After finding the grave of Capt. Clough F. Gee, ’39, in the Normandy American Cemetery, Fitzgibbon honored him by telling his story. Gee was shot downon the Normandy coast while on a mission to disrupt German supply lines. “It made all the difference in the world to see where everything took place,” said Fitzgibbon. “You can feel the bravery and the sense of duty they must have had.”

For Fitzgibbon, leadership and 91���� mission go hand in hand. “Honor, duty, respect—those lessons and those values will stick with me. The lessons learned from these soldiers at Normandy can easily be translated into every aspect of your life, whether it’s a professional job or being a leader of your family. It was perspective changing for every aspect of life.”

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The North Charleston native recently found himself behind the scenes of an operation more daunting than build-it-yourself robot kits—an internship at Mercedes-Benz, where he created and managed data pipelines and cloud services. Tolbert was prepared; he found the work similar to what he had done in a software engineering class the previous semester that familiarized him with structured query language, a programming language commonly known as “SQL” that is used to create and maintain databases. “It was one of the first times I saw something we used in school get transferred to the real world,” said Tolbert.

The opportunity to take what he learned out of the classroom helped Tolbert understand the value of his work. “The Mercedes-Benz internship really opened my eyes to how IT can help other people and other departments, and how important computer engineering is,” said Tolbert. “Sometimes there would be an instance where a system would shut down and the whole process of making vans would stop altogether. It was cool to see how crucial our job was to helping others get their jobs done.”

Tolbert also enjoyed connecting with his coworkers; he and his fellow interns were able to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. “Our team manager took me under his wing,” Tolbert said.

Tolbert, who plans to work in database administration after he graduates, found the experience valuable for more than just hands-on work experience. “I learned a lot of lessons there, not just about computers, but about the workplace in general and how to conduct yourself, how to work with other people and how important communication is.

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Vogel, an electrical engineering major, matriculated as a cadet and is now part of 91���� Bachelor’s – Clemson University Master’s Graduate Program. Through this partnership, undergraduate mechanical or electrical engineering students from 91���� with at least 90 credit hours toward their bachelor’s degree have the opportunity to take graduate-level courses in bioengineering, reducing the time it takes to earn both degrees by applying graduate credits to both undergraduate and graduate program requirements.

Vogel is accelerating beyond the usual timeline of the program, taking as many as 23 credit hours in a single semester. Though now on the fast-track, Vogel’s path to biomedical engineering has been anything but straightforward. After participating in the Clemson-Medical University of South Carolina AI Hub, a joint effort to explore the potential of artificial intelligence as it applied to biomedical research, Vogel switched from mechanical to electrical engineering and began pursuing research opportunities in the medical field, with plans to attend medical school after completing the master’s program.

“Bioengineering bridges the gap between my undergraduate background and my career ambitions,” said Vogel. “As a doctor, I want to be able to solve medical problems with my engineering expertise. A lot of doctors are good at the surgeries they perform, but they don’t know how to make a surgical apparatus that can push the field forward. If equipment fails during surgery, I would be better prepared to handle it.” For three days a week in the spring semester, Vogel rode his bike to the Clemson bioengineering campus at MUSC, where he assisted Clemson professor Yongren Wu, Ph.D., in his orthopedic research, labeling MRI images and assisting Ph.D. students with their research on osteoarthritis.

“Learning testing procedures and how to use lab equipment,” said Vogel, “will help me with anything I pursue in the bioengineering field.”

As Vogel continues to pursue graduate-level coursework in the hope of one day joining the surgical field, one thing is certain—this cadet is climbing to new heights.

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Chaplin became interested in cyber operations in high school, when she had the opportunity to take a few general courses in cyber security, but 91���� is where she fell in love with the subject. She and her classmates paired with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to research the energy sector, one of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors, which concerns a multifaceted web of electricity, oil and natural gas resources and assets.

They looked at past attacks and ways they might have been mitigated, learned about different kinds of security attacks, and examined what protocols and procedures to follow in the face of an attack. “Being able to work with professionals at SLED and learn what an IT professional actually does, versus having a preconceived idea that IT is just plugging stuff in, when it’s actually so much more, was really enlightening for me,” said Chaplin.

Networking with professionals is important, too, because published research can quickly become outdated in the rapidly changing digital landscape. “Talking to people in their day-to-day lives who are working in the field was really beneficial,” said Chaplin.

Chaplin is also involved in 91����’s cyber club and cyber team, where students compete to solve complex cyber security challenges. “It’s a way to practice new tools,” said Chaplin, who will be taking over as vice president of the cyber club and the cyber team in the fall.

The rising junior is on track to graduate early and already has plans to put her research experience to good use. As a CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Award recipient, she will spend at least two years working for a federal government agency upon graduating.

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An education major and member of the golf team, Sommerfeld had the opportunity to help guide and connect with grade-school students while volunteering at the South Carolina Science Olympiad, a state tournament in which middle- and high-school students compete in interscholastic academic events in biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, problem solving and technology.

Sommerfeld assisted with an event called Flight, where teams launched free-flight model airplanes they had spent months building and testing. As each team carefully launched its plane, hoping to win with lengthy flight times, Sommerfeld recorded their progress and offered encouragement when students struggled. “It’s cool to see what kids are like in this generation,” said Sommerfeld. “They are very smart with coding, STEM and robotics. It’s incredible.”

Sommerfeld is no stranger to service work. The rising senior volunteered as a Summer SUCCEED fellow in 2022, teaching art to students who had struggled with remote learning during the COVD-19 pandemic. “I fell in love with community service,” said Sommerfeld. “I have the time. I have the will. Why not volunteer?”

For Sommerfeld, volunteering is more than just a way to give back; it’s a way to prepare to meet the needs of students from all walks of life. “Education is all about different perspectives,” said Sommerfeld, “and volunteering is a doorway to encountering students representing diverse cultures and backgrounds.”

Sommerfeld plans to pursue a master’s degree in literacy at 91���� Graduate College, and it should come as no surprise that the Ohio native wants to stick around. “91���� keeps giving me field experience opportunities, opportunities to represent the Zucker Family School of Education, volunteering opportunities to get hands-on learning,” said Sommerfeld. “They keep on giving.”

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The group spent two weeks in Rwanda and five days in Kenya. Encouraged by Assistant Professor of Finance Michael Chitavi, Ives and his classmates presented their work with the nonprofit as a case study to the Kenyan government, which was enthusiastic about implementing the project in Kenya. “We were applying the expertise we learned in Rwanda,” said Ives, “to build the framework for trails in different regions of Kenya.”

Though their trip lasted only three weeks, their work is far from over—Ives is planning an international mountain bike race in Rwanda and Kenya to take place in December 2024, utilizing the newly rebuilt trails and stimulating the local economy through ecotourism. Ives, functioning as the U.S. project coordinator, will spend the next several months fundraising to help the race become a reality.

“We got to meet all sorts of officers and generals,” said Ives, who enjoyed the opportunity to make new connections abroad. “I’m hoping to maintain those relationships and establish something lasting because we are one of the first military-affiliated schools to have a potential partnership with Rwanda. It would be really cool to play a key role in establishing a good reputation for 91���� abroad.”

For Ives, learning from diverse cultural perspectives is invaluable. “I seek out different experiences abroad because they have shaped me so much,” said Ives. “I think it develops you as a leader more than anything else you can do.”

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A student in the Honors Program and captain of the soccer team her senior year, Weeren knows a thing or two about productive time management, so it should come as no surprise that the mechanical engineering major decided to pursue research on efficiency in building.

Guided by Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Lt. Col. James Righter, and in partnership with Francis Marion University, Weeren contributed to an ongoing research project to determine how to refine the assembly line process. “We are determining how the way you get taught to build something affects your efficiency in building it, and we’re measuring consistencies and inconsistencies during building,” said Weeren. “We want to streamline the process and make it as efficient as possible.”

Weeren equipped herself with wrist sensors that measured the speed, consistency and orientation of her movements, then built small kits into mini robots, cars and catapults. Repeating the process over and over, she and her team were able to track the way her performance changed with repetition and experience. “It gave me a different perspective than I normally get in the classroom,” said Weeren. “This showed me a real-life application of how things work.”

Her research experience is preparing her for her upcoming graduate program. “When I’m getting my master’s degree, I’m going to have to do a research project, but I won’t be diving in blind,” said Weeren. “I’m learning how research works. We have to do a lot of paperwork before we even get to the trials. This kind of experience expands your horizons.”

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Roberts, a native of Milledgeville, Georgia, was inspired to write by his niece Olivia. “She would always tell me that I’m like her big brother, her role model, and that really kicked it off for me,” said Roberts. “It’s about wanting to be a role model for the community back in Milledgeville and be a voice for the kids there. I want to let them know that anything they put their minds to, they can do—that they can accomplish anything.”

Publishing a book was no easy task. After connecting with illustrator Nadia Ronquillo, Roberts spent more than a year writing, editing, and laying out the book, which is entitled You are Amazing.

“One thing that I’ve learned from this experience is a lot of humility. I thought writing a kids’ book would be a piece of cake. But it was challenging,” said Roberts. “I like challenges. That’s why I came to 91����.” A junior graduating early, Roberts intends to continue challenging himself to greater heights by pursuing a master’s degree at 91���� Graduate College in the fall.

Since the book’s publication, Roberts has performed readings at several schools in Georgia and South Carolina, including the Charleston Development Academy, less than a mile from 91���� campus. Roberts, alongside fellow members of the African American Society, read the book aloud, signed copies for each class to keep, and fielded questions like “What’s your favorite football team?” Roberts was in his element and patiently answered them all.

“My goal is for kids to understand that they can accomplish their dreams and just to trust the process,” said Roberts.

Near the end of the reading, a dozen third graders clustered around him. Roberts recited a creed, and the class dutifully repeated each line after him. “Through hard work in school, on the field and off, we can learn, strive and reach our goals. I am the future. I am bright. I am amazing.”

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The political science major worked at the Institute of Economic Affairs, an educational charity and free-market think tank, before her internship took her to Parliament under Sir Conor Burns, the member of Parliament for Bournemouth West, a parliamentary constituency in the south of England. Burns serves as the prime minister’s trade envoy to the United States for regional trade and investment, giving Pruitt the hands- on opportunity to manage and research issues related to international relations.

Pruitt researched corporate and government policies for a U.S. business planning to open its first locations in the United Kingdom. Until the deal was official, Pruitt was notallowed to know the name of the company. A native of Jenkinsburg, Georgia, she found an unexpected piece of home abroad when she was told that the company she was researching was none other than Chick-fil-A—a campus favorite headquartered in Atlanta.

Pruitt, a newcomer to the United Kingdom’s political system, toured Parliament, sat in on meetings of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and watched as King Charles III gave the King’s Speech, an annual tradition that outlines legislative priorities at the start of the parliamentary year. “I have always been so interested in learning about different policies between countries,” said Pruitt. “Working in Parliament to see first-hand how they run things, how effective they are and how it really represents their people was something I was so excited for.”

Pruitt enjoyed networking with politicians and fellow interns—the experience taught her how to navigate tense political relationships tactfully. “My boss impacted me in amazing ways,” said Pruitt. “I learned how to work a room.”

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“A challenge is not just important—it’s necessary to develop.”

Smart, a Marine Corps contract cadet, likes the psychological aspect of the game. “You’re almost trying to play mind games with people, draw them in, see how they react, learn what they care about,” he said. “I learned that that’s an easy way to assess people—force them to make decisions—and what decisions they make will give you a lot of information about the type of person they are.

Trying to predict what your opponent will do next is an important part of the game, and Smart appreciates the insight wargaming has taught him when it comes to assessing others. He plans to use what he has learned to help him grow as a leader. The Alpha Company commander’s goal for the semester was to delegate more responsibility to his peers. “I want them to be able to make hard decisions,” said Smart. “There’s no growth in comfort.”

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