He said he is pulling for the young women, together with many other people. The women are the first to enroll since the school changed its male-only admissions policy, and some people did not expect them to last this long. Their predecessor, Shannon Faulkner, was allowed into The Citadel last year under a court order, but she dropped out within a few days, before wearing a Citadel uniform or being sworn in as a cadet. Mace, Messer, Lovetinska and Mentavlos, all of whom were sworn in on Monday, could be seen on campus Friday, marching around with their male counterparts. They appeared to be resilient, even after Hell Night - an intimidating initiation that is supposed to convey to the knobs the seriousness of their undertaking.
Many cadets apparently have second thoughts after Hell Night, and some drop out quickly thereafter.
But women and men are hanging tough, and their persistence is amounting to one of the lowest dropout rates The Citadel has seen in years. Only five freshmen have dropped out. Lovetinska, a tall, strong-looking Czech national with reddish hair, has been noticed for her apparent stoicism and strength. Mace also appeared to be strong, particularly after the physical fitness tests on Wednesday. Indeed, on more than one occasion, the cadre, the group of upperclassmen responsible for the military and psychological training of the knobs, has shown encouragement and support for them.