ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s TCHT Center is working to lift up stories and voices from historically underrepresented individuals and events so that all members of our community are able to see themselves in our institutional history.
Narrative Change Video
Supported by a grant from the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE), the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) worked with eight TCHT Campus Centers to produce videos showcasing the ways the TCHT Framework is being translated and implemented into practice across the the nation.
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s TCHT Center was honored to produce a 10-minute video featuring work being done to lift up the histories and voices from our past so that all members of our community see themselves in our collective history.
Featured in the video are: Kathryn Christmas, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Corps of Cadets Class of 2022; Dr. Shawn Edwards, Community Partner and former Chief Inclusive Excellence Officer at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ; Dr. Felice Knight, Assistant Professor of History, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ; Christian Mateo Mérida, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Graduate College Class of 2022; Robert Pickering, Chief Inclusive Excellence Officer, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ; Edward Scott, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Corps of Cadets Class of 2022; Tessa Updike, Archivist and Director of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s TCHT Center; Lisa Weber, Associate Director of Admissions, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ.
Charles Foster and The Black Experience
Charles D. Foster was the first African American student to join the Corps of Cadets. Mr. Foster matriculated in the fall of 1966 as a member of Golf Company. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1970 and entered the Army as a Second Lieutenant. After serving in the Army, Mr. Foster moved to Dallas, Texas, where he died in a tragic fire in 1986. ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Archives, in collaboration with multiple departments on campus, alumni, and the family of Charles Foster, is working to collect and share stories, memories, reflections, and images related to Mr. Foster and his experience integrating ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s Corps of Cadets.
First Cadets from Cuba, 1904
The first students to attend ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ from Cuba were recruited during the summer of 1904 by a faculty member sent to Cuba for that purpose. Eight cadets from Cuba matriculated to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ that fall. Due to a language barrier, these eight cadets were placed in a freshmen class by themselves, called the Cuban Section of the Fourth Class. By 1907, all of the Cuban cadets had left ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ. In 1908, the first Spanish language class was introduced to the curriculum.
First Cadets from China, 1911 and 1920s
Wu Ying was the first cadet of Chinese descent to attend ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ. Mr. Ying matriculated into the Corps in the fall of 1911, and stayed for one semester. The next cadets from China attended in the 1920s and 1930s, funded by the Boxer Rebellion Indemnity Scholarship Program. ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s first cadet graduate from China was Chia-Mei Hu, Class of 1928.
Beginnings of Coeducation
In 1992, three female veterans commenced action against ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, Johnson vs. Jones, seeking admission to day classes. That fall, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ terminated the policy of admitting any veteran student, male or female, to day classes, rendering their action moot.
In November of 1992, Shannon Richey Faulkner applied for admission to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s Corps of Cadets. Her provisional acceptance was revoked in February of 1993 after ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ learned of her gender. On March 2, 1993, Ms. Faulkner instituted an action claiming ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s failure to admit her to the Corps violated her Equal Protection Rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.