Matt Hubbell, ’88
Keeping Ties with Class and Corps
"I stay involved with The Citadel just because I care. It is a large part of who I am today and I feel I owe a lot to the school." So explains Matthew R. Hubbell, a 1988 graduate of The Citadel who repays this perceived debt to his alma mater by generously devoting his time and talents to the Class of 1988 and the current Corps of Cadets.
A prominent Charleston-based attorney specializing in federal and state white-collar criminal cases, Matt credits his legal success, in large measure, to his time as a cadet and the people he encountered, stating that "all my professional life flowed from the ties I formed at The Citadel." As a student on the mock trial team, Matt found a mentor in Bart Daniel, Class of ’77, who later hired Matt straight out of law school to serve as assistant U.S. District Attorney for South Carolina. Following his mentor’s example, Matt hopes to pass along his own good fortune. He frequently participates in The Citadel’s mock trial and moot court programs, offering himself as a mentor to the current cadets.
An English major as an undergraduate, Matt holds the professors in his department in high esteem, particularly the late Lt. Col. Bland Mathis. He credits the faculty with instilling in him an enduring love of literature, especially the works of Shakespeare and Yeats. Recently, Matt was honored to join the ranks of the faculty as an adjunct professor, sharing his expertise on campus by teaching a legal writing class.
As an undergraduate, Matt was most impressed by the numerous opportunities that abound for all those willing to put forth the effort. Through his sustained efforts, he was named a Citadel Scholar, earning himself a full scholarship for his remaining years. According to Matt, "The Citadel is the closest thing to a pure meritocracy that I have ever encountered. If you are willing to work hard and put forth your best effort, good things begin to happen."
To underscore this point, Matt relates the story of how he and his childhood friend Scott Bisciotti, inspired and intrigued by Pat Conroy’s Lords of Discipline, drove from Ohio to Charleston and enrolled together as cadets at age 18. Eventually, Matt became commander of the 4th Battalion, and his classmate Scott, commander of the 3rd. Recalling this accomplishment with sincere pride and a playful grin, Matt asks, "Who would imagine that two Ohio Yankees, with no prior affiliation to the school, could come to lead half The Citadel?"
Deeply impressed by the extent to which The Citadel counts personal merit above all other considerations, Matt is proud to remain active as an alumnus and a frequent presence on campus. His Citadel Scholar award, administered by the Citadel Foundation, ultimately inspired him to devote his efforts to fundraising on the college’s behalf. Serving as Class Chairman, he coordinates the annual fundraising efforts for the class of 1988, in the hopes that future generations of deserving cadets will be given the opportunity to prove their own merit, and thus earn scholarships of their own.
As for the future? Matt hopes to remain active in the affairs of the Citadel for as long as he can. Meanwhile, on weekends, Matt can frequently be seen on Summerall Field, tossing a ball around with his 2-year-old son. While not applying any pressure, Matt is proud to note a reverential gleam in the boy’s eyes during the occasional dress parade. And in the path his father shows him, following without fear, another Hubbell may yet prove worthy of the Corps.
Article and photo © Alumni News of the Citadel, 2003. Reprinted from the spring issue by permission.