Nancy Mace

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Records

Nancy Mace's career is marked by a series of historic firsts. She was the first woman to graduate from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets in 1999, a feat that required overcoming decades of institutional resistance and personal hardship. She later became the first Republican woman elected to Congress from South Carolina, unseating an incumbent Democrat in a competitive district. Her legislative achievements include passing the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act and the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022. She has been recognized by fiscal conservative groups for her voting record and by her alma mater for her alumni leadership. Her willingness to challenge party orthodoxy on environmental and social issues has earned her a reputation as an independent voice in a polarized era.

AwardsMace has received several awards for her fiscal conservatism and public service. In 2019, she was named a Taxpayer Hero by the South Carolina Club for Growth. In 2021, she received the Defender of Economic Freedom Award from the Club for Growth. The Citadel named her Young Alumnus of the Year in 2014. She also earned the Mary Dean Brewer Woman of Distinction Award in 2017 and the Champion Award from Palmetto Goodwill for her work on education and job training.

Honours & Distinctions

First woman to graduate from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets

The Citadel·1999

Historic milestone as the first female graduate of the Corps of Cadets.

First Republican woman elected to Congress from South Carolina

U.S. House of Representatives·2020

First Republican woman to represent South Carolina in Congress.

Young Alumnus of the Year

The Citadel Alumni Association·2014

Recognized for professional achievement and service to the college.

Vice Chairman, Citadel School of Business Advisory Board

The Citadel

Leadership role advising the business school.

Records & Feats

First woman to graduate from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets

Historic First·1999

In 1999, Nancy Mace became the first female cadet to earn a degree from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets, a military college that had admitted women only since 1996.