“Challenging” was the word student leaders used when describing Culver to the 261 new students assembled in front of them for the Aug. 22 Matriculation Ceremony. But it is the challenge of Culver that sets it apart, new students were told, and facing that challenge is what will set each of them apart at the end of their four years.  

“With every challenge comes growth,” Regimental Commander Channing “Jack” Mitzell ’12 (Westfield, Ind.) told incoming students. “How each of you responds to everyday challenges will allow you to discover who you truly are. With every failure, there is a lesson to learn, and you will find that your character will become stronger as you continue to grow in this amazing community. I encourage you to keep an open mind, stay positive, and thoroughly enjoy the adventure you have before you. Because, at Culver, the days are long, but the years are short.” 

Senior Prefect Lindsay Haller’12 (Wilmette, Ill.) said Culver is unique because “leadership training is embraced and taught so that we are ready for the future.  . . . From your dorm counselors to your teachers, mentors, and coaches, you will not find a more supportive community to help you begin your first year at Culver. Never be afraid to reach out to these people, because they will be there as you wind your way down this new road.” 

Culver’s traditional Matriculation Ceremony is a prelude to the all-school Opening Convocation and the official beginning of the school year. Classes started Aug. 23 with 802 students, the highest enrollment since 1982, according to admissions officials.

Culver’s student body hails from 41 states and 32 countries. Drawing primarily from the Midwest, there are 249 students from Indiana, followed by 88 from Illinois, 37 from Michigan, and 32 from Ohio. There are 161 foreign students, with 52 from Mexico and 42 from China. Among the other countries represented are Korea, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Guatemala, and Germany. 

At the Matriculation Ceremony each of the 261 new students walked through the Logansport Gate and was welcomed by the Head of Schools John Buxton and his wife, Pam Buxton, CGA Dean Laura Weaser, CMA Commandant Col. Kelly Jordan, Haller, and Mitzell.

Incoming students are grouped by their CGA dorm or CMA unit, but each is introduced and welcomed individually as he or she crosses the first portal in their Culver journey. 

At the Opening Convocation, Buxton said matriculation “reminds us not only that group identity and teamwork are essential, but also that individualism is equally important at Culver. Becoming a part of the Culver community means becoming a part of something larger than oneself.” 

Passing through the Logansport Gate also represents how each boy and girl will end their Culver experience four years later by graduating through The Iron Gate or Graduation Arch, respectively.  

That morning the 147 new CMA cadets were bused to Logansport to see firsthand the site where nearly a century ago cadets helped to save residents from the flood of 1913. 

In March 1913, Logansport city officials called upon Culver to help rescue residents trapped by the flooded Wabash River. Culver sent some 40 cadets who were experienced in handling the summer Naval School’s four cutters, each boat about 25 feet long and weighing more than a ton. Over a 48-hour span the Culver cadets carried hundreds of people to safety who were stranded on rooftops and on second stories.   

A campus landmark, Logansport Gate was a gift in 1914 from the city of Logansport in gratitude for the rescue efforts provided by Culver cadets.

“Logansport Gate is a centerpiece of Culver history,” Commandant Jordan said. “It is the perfect example of serving others, of leadership, of partnering with the community, and working together for a common good.”

By: Doug Haberland
Culver Communications