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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Sha Peterson

Aired May 11, 2002 - 17:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: And now to the passing of a milestone in South Carolina. The state-run military college, the Citadel, today graduated its first black female cadet, seven in all. Their graduation comes 32 years after the first African-American male graduated from the school. The Citadel has come a long way since 1996 when the once all-male college was forced to admit female cadets.

And six years later, the school now boasts a population of nearly 100 female students. And joining us today is one of today's graduates, Sha Peterson. First of all, Sha, congratulations.

SHA PETERSON, CITADEL GRADUATE: Thank you.

MESERVE: It's a tough environment there at the Citadel. Why did you choose to go to school there?

PETERSON: Well, I wanted the discipline. And I was definitely looking for a challenge.

MESERVE: And was it a challenge?

PETERSON: Yes, it was. Very much so.

MESERVE: In what respect? Being a woman? Being African- American? Being both?

PETERSON: Well, first and foremost, being a cadet. That's automatically a challenge. That's the first thing that you encounter. Because I mean, when we all report, we're cadets. And then later it's the gender issue or something like that. So just being a cadet is challenging.

MESERVE: Now, Shannon Faulkner, we all remember, fought to enroll in the Citadel but dropped out after a week, as I recall, because she found it so tough. How do you reflect back on what she did and did not do?

PETERSON: Well, you know, I was just talking to someone about that. First of all, some of us are disappointed that she didn't finish, but we're very glad that she actually opened the door for those of us who actually made it through now.

MESERVE: And are you very aware that you have opened a door yourself? PETERSON: Well, I guess, in some ways. I didn't really think about it too much. But I hope I am. Hopefully, I'm encouraging some other minority students, women, whoever, you know, to come to the Citadel.

MESERVE: Now, Shannon Faulkner was alone, the only woman who tried to enter the corps of cadets. There were seven of you who were African-American women in this graduating class. Was there strength in numbers here? Did you support and help one another?

PETERSON: Of course we did. Most of us who came in were athletes. I myself am not an athlete, but they came in before the rest of us came in, and they automatically found each other. And then once all of us reported, we just found each other and said, hey, I'm over in this company, if you need me. And there's definitely strength in numbers.

MESERVE: Would you advise other African-American women to go to school there?

PETERSON: Of course. I would. It's definitely rewarding experience. It would probably be the best experience of your life. It's a great way to close a chapter in your life, being there, pursuing higher education and lead to another career.

MESERVE: And Sha, what's next for you? What do you do now?

PETERSON: Well, I'm going to be commissioned in the United States Air Force. In a month, I go to field training. Actually, next Thursday. So that's what's next for me. Very excited about that.

MESERVE: OK, Sha Peterson, congratulations on your graduation today.

PETERSON: Thank you.

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