Council News

2025 Harrington Award Goes to Cadet Andrew Palmer

At an award ceremony last week, Cadet Andrew Palmer was presented with the 2025 Harrington Award, this Council's highest form of recognition. WACC President Mike Bowler, Treasurer Tom Ruppel, and WACC member Caroline Thibault made the presentation with a small group of board members looking on. 

Colonel Harrington passed away in February 2025, but the award continues to honor his legacy of service to our country, to The Citadel, and to our community. For more about the history of the award, and to see past recipients, click here.

Each year, the Council requests The Citadel to identify a Cadet who has distinguished him or herself in international studies as worthy of the Harrington Award. Dr. Jack Porter, chair of the Department of Political Science, directed the selection this year. Cadet Palmer's record speaks for itself.

As Battalion Commander of the SC Corps of Cadets, Cadet Palmer is responsible for the training and welfare of over 500 cadets and is the second highest-ranking senior at The Citadel. He was one of a select few nationally to receive a 4-year Air Force ROTC scholarship and one of only 10 Cadets in the Distinguished Scholars Program. Cadet Palmer also interned for a U.S. Congressman in Washington, DC; served as personal aide to a member of the British Parliament in London; and interned at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London. Cadet Palmer’s ROTC affiliation led him to programs with NATO in Brussels, to Cyprus, and to U.S. bases in South Korea. He led a group of cadets in a service program in Rwanda and Kenya and served as assistant editor of The Citadel’s undergraduate academic journal. Finally, he was assistant team captain of the Citadel’s hurling team. 

Cadet Palmer will be on a year-long ROTC recruiting assignment in Milwaukee to be followed by Air Force pilot training in Columbus, Mississippi.