In 1995, Shannon Faulkner enrolled in, but then withdrew from, which formerly all-male military academy in South Carolina?

The long tradition of an all-male cadet corps at The Military College of South Carolina, better known as The Citadel, came to a dramatic head in 1995. That year, Shannon Faulkner won a grueling two-and-a-half-year legal battle to become the first woman admitted into the school's Corps of Cadets, breaking 152 years of history.

Faulkner had initially been accepted in 1993 after omitting her gender on the application, but her admission was rescinded once the school discovered she was female. The ensuing court case drew national attention, culminating in a federal judge ordering her admission. Her arrival on campus was met with intense media scrutiny and hostility from some male cadets, creating an incredibly stressful environment.

Overwhelmed by the pressure and isolation, Faulkner withdrew after less than a week. While her time on campus was short, her legal challenge was a landmark event that paved the way for future change. Just a year later, following a Supreme Court ruling against the similar Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel officially dropped its male-only admissions policy and admitted its first group of female cadets.