Gen. Frank McKenzie selected as 21st president of The Citadel

The Citadel Board of Visitors announced today that they have selected Gen. Frank McKenzie, USMC (Ret.), ’79, to serve as the 21st president of The Citadel.

Gen. McKenzie, one of the four finalists selected by the presidential search committee earlier this spring, is currently serving as the Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute and the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, also known as Cyber Florida.

“The Citadel is incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to bring Gen. McKenzie back to campus as the 21st President,” said Greg Delleney, ’74, chairman of the BOV. “We had an outstanding pool of candidates and an exceptionally strong shortlist of finalists making this decision extremely difficult. Having Gen. McKenzie, with his experience as a theater commander and an academic institution leader, agree to lead The Citadel is a reflection of the outstanding institution we currently have and our bright future.”

“I am honored and humbled to come home to The Citadel,” said McKenzie. “This is where it all began for me. I look forward to giving back some of the things that were given to me during my time as a cadet. Marilyn and I are excited and energized about the opportunities ahead.”

McKenzie also said, “I would also like to take a moment to recognize the remarkable things that my classmate and friend, Gen. Glenn Walters, has done for our college. He and Gail have given it their all. I also want to thank the Board of Visitors for their faith in me. It will not be misplaced. We’re excited about getting to work!”

The BOV voted on the morning of Saturday, March 21, just as the college marked its 183rd birthday with the annual Corps Day celebrations. The vote for McKenzie was unanimous.

A career infantry officer, McKenzie was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at The Citadel, where he majored in English. Over more than four decades of service, he held a wide range of command and staff positions, including serving as Commander of Marine Forces Central Command and Director of the Joint Staff. His final military position was as the Commander, United States Central Command where he was responsible for all US military operations in a vast area of the world covering the Middle East and South Asia.

McKenzie holds an advanced degree from The Citadel Graduate College and is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College as well as the School of Advanced Warfighting. He was a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow at the National Defense University.

Since retiring from active duty, McKenzie became the Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute in May 2022. In July 2022, he also became the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, also known as Cyber Florida.

The current president of The Citadel, Gen. Glenn M. Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79, will retire at the end of June 2026. He announced his retirement in December of last year, following nearly 50 years of service to his country and his alma mater. Under General Walters’s leadership, The Citadel has undergone significant infrastructure, academic and financial improvements. McKenzie will inherit a high-performing institution that is ranked as the #1 Regional University in the South by U.S. News & World Report. 

The new President is scheduled to begin his tenure at The Citadel on July 1, 2026.