Institute Report - June 2010

Volume XXXVII, Number 8 June 2010

Please see page 4

Nearly 100 Cadets Commission in May CeremoniesBy GeorGe ABry

Volunteering to serve in the armed forces while the country is at war is “an awesome responsibility,” said Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, during VMI’s joint commissioning ceremony held May 15 in Cameron Hall. “It is also very humbling,” Chiarelli said. “Today’s officers have more responsibility than ever before.” After his talk, Chiarelli administered the oath of office to the 42 cadets commissioning into the Army. Lt. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr., director for operations, J-3, joint staff of the U.S. Marine Corps, administered the oath to the 23 cadets commissioning into the Marine Corps. Paxton spoke of five characteristics that are critical to Marine Corps service: candor, confidence, compassion, courage, and commitment. “Regardless of your branch of service, remember, it’s one team, one fight,” Paxton said. “As a leader, you don’t say ‘go do,’ you say ‘follow me.’” Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander,

Cadets commissioning into the Marine Corps take the oath of office during the joint commissioning ceremony in Cameron Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

U.S. 6th Fleet, administered the oath of office to 12 cadets commissioning into the Navy, while Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, chief of staff of the U.S.

Air Force, administered the oath to 15 cadets joining the Air Force. Traditional pin-on ceremonies followed. Cadets joining the Army gathered in front of Marshall Hall, while cadets commissioning in the Navy and Marine Corps met in front of Jackson Arch. New Air Force second lieutenants gathered in Memorial Garden. “It is a great feeling; I never once thought that I would be where I am today, and have accomplished the things that I have accomplished,” said Air Force 2nd Lt. Carter Kunz, who said he has long wanted to serve. “After 9/11 it was pretty much a done deal in my mind,” Kunz said. Kunz, a self-described “prankster” in high school, served as cadet in charge of the Air Force ROTC department’s Field Training Prep program, which prepares Air Force cadets for their summer “boot camp.” Kunz is heading to Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, N.M.,

Soon-to-be Army 2nd Lt. Matthew Graham takes the oath of office May 15 in front of Marshall Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

, The InsTITuTe RePoRT, June 2010

Office of Communications and Marketing Col. Stewart MacInnis – Director

Sherri Tombarge – EditorBurton Floyd – Publications Coordinator

Contributors: Wendy Lovell, George Abry,Scott Belliveau, and Kevin Remington

Printing – McClung Printing,Waynesboro, Va. Eight issues are printed during the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or address changes should be directed to: Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Communications and Marketing, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304, Telephone 540-464-7207, Fax 540-464-7443

Institute ReportTAPSMr. Ronald E. Chandler

Mr. Ronald E. Chandler, 55, died May 14 after a brief illness. Mr. Chandler joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering as a lab mechanic in November 2004. He brought experience gained from a 30-year career as a state-certified maintenance mechanic to bear on a number of engineering projects, working closely with cadets and faculty members. Mr. Chandler is survived by his mother, Mary Edith (Milstead) Chandler of Swoop; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Jerred B. Chandler and his wife Ashley P. of Wise and Tracy H. Chandler of Radford; two brothers, Gary M. Chandler of Swoope and Nolen “Butch” Chandler of Staunton; and two granddaughters, Madison E. and Emma K. Chandler; his fiancée, Julie A. Thomas, and a number of nieces and nephews also survive.

VMI to Honor Memory of Col. William Stockwell VMI will honor the memory of the late Col. William J. Stockwell with several initiatives that will take shape during the coming academic year. Stockwell was acting deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty at the time of his death last year. He began work at VMI in 1975 as an instructor in the physical education department and rose to full professor of physical education, remaining with the department until his promotion to associate dean in 1994. He also served as acting dean of the faculty for the 2000-01 academic year. The Stockwell Cup will be presented for the first time in November to the company that wins Rat Challenge. The physical education department will finalize criteria over the summer for the award, which will be on permanent display in Lejeune Hall with the winning company and year engraved annually. The winning company will be

awarded a streamer for its guidon. “The Stockwell Cup represents Bill’s devotion to the Rat Challenge program begun by his mentor, Clark King, and joins the Commandant’s Cup (athlet ics), Garnet t Andrews Cup (military), Company Cup (academics), and the Superintendent’s Cup (overall excellence),” said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent. A scholarship and reflection area in Memorial Gardens will also be established. The William J. Stockwell Scholarship will be presented annually to a cadet enrolled in VMI’s minor in exercise science. The cadet may use the funds to support an internship or a certification course in pursuit of professional options in the field of exercise science. The first award will be made during the coming academic year. “The Stockwell Scholarship combines Bill’s physical education background with his pursuit of

excellence in the academic realm,” noted Peay. A quiet area for personal reflection in Memorial Gardens was inspired by Stockwell and will be dedicated to the memory of all who have died while in active service to the Institute. Concept drawings are in progress for the area, a simple design with benches and a privacy hedge, that will be available for faculty, staff, cadets and visitors. This project, too, will be completed during the 2010-11 academic year. “The Memorial Gardens Reflection Area will be unique in that it will serve to memorialize those who died in service while at VMI, as the wall plaques memorialize those alumni who died in service to our country,” said Peay. A 1974 graduate of Springfield College, Stockwell earned his doctorate in health education from the University of Virginia in 1984. In 1986 he received VMI’s Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Teaching Award.

Institute Honors Retiring Faculty

Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 awards a medal to Col. William D. Badgett, professor in the Department of English and Fine Arts, at a parade April 21 honoring retiring faculty. Also honored were (from left) Col. Harold H. Worrell, professor of military science, Army ROTC; Col. Michael J. Tierney, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science; Col. John H. Page, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Col. Thomas B. Moncure, inspector general; and Col. Thomas C. Lominac, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. A reception in Lejeune Hall preceded the parade. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

The InsTITuTe RePoRT, June 2010,

Foundation’s Barracks ProgramEducates and Encourages

By Scott BelliveAu ’83, vMi FoundAtion

Brian Crockett (second from left), chief executive officer of the VMI Foundation, presents a check for $34,312 to the officers of the Class of 2012 at a Barracks Program dinner March 10. The Foundation’s John J. Wranek III ’85 (far left) assisted in the presentation, as did VMI Foundation trustee retired Gen. David M. Maddox ’60, the keynote speaker. The check represents $2,012 that will go directly to the class’s fund for its Ring Figure and $100 to be deducted from the cost of the class ring for each member of the Class of 2012. – Photo courtesy of the VMI Foundation.

One of the boasts that members of the VMI community can make with little fear of contradiction is that VMI alumni are among the most supportive in the nation. Consistently, VMI alumni participate in the ongoing effort to provide private support to the Institute at an impressive rate. In budget year 2009, 38 percent of living alumni made a gift of some kind to VMI. That rate is well above the average rate for public institutions, roughly 10 percent, and it rivals – and often beats – the levels that many private institutions enjoy. This loyalty, this willingness to help, has been of immense importance to VMI. It is the foundation of VMI’s success in the past few decades. Furthermore, as private support makes up a large portion of VMI’s annual budget and, in light of state budget constraints, the need for it will only increase, it is imperative that VMI alumni maintain this level of participation. One way of ensuring a healthy level of alumni participation is to create an awareness of the importance of private support and an appreciation of the tradition of alumni support at VMI within the Corps of Cadets. If these young men and women – the Institute’s future alumni – understand that private support is playing an important role in their lives and in the lives of their Brother Rats, they could be more receptive to appeals to support VMI earlier than usual. For these reasons, the VMI Foundation has put increasing emphasis on its Barracks Program, an effort to engage cadets throughout their four years in Barracks. The program was developed because, in the not-so-distant past, the first time cadets had any direct contact with the VMI Foundation in particular and the notion of fundraising at VMI in general was immediately before finals, a time when most cadets are not thinking of anything but graduation. Furthermore, the staff of the VMI Foundation realized that, over four years, cadets often hear erroneous stories about the work of the VMI alumni agencies or pick up bits and pieces of information that, when

combined, form a picture of the VMI Foundation, the VMI Keydet Club, and the VMI Alumni Association that is utterly at odds with the facts. The Barracks Program is meant to educate cadets as to the importance of private support to VMI and to ensure that all cadets appreciate the role of the Foundation in support of them and VMI. It does this through a specially tiered process beginning with the 4th Class’s Breakout and ending with the issuing of the Pull Forward Challenge to the rising 1st Class. For example, this past spring, the VMI Foundation held two events on Post. The first was a dinner for the Class of 2010 on March 4. At this dinner, a trustee of the VMI Foundation, Danny Chu ’83, presented some facts about private support at VMI, asking cadets if they could answer a few questions such as “How many cadets have received some form of financial assistance from the Foundation this year?” and “What percentage of cadets receive some form of financial aid?” The answers are 787 and 81 percent. On March 10, retired U.S. Army Gen. David M. Maddox ’60, another Foundation trustee, addressed the Class of 2012 at a dinner in Crozet Hall. Here he, too, educated cadets on the critical importance of private support to VMI. At both events and throughout the Barracks Program, the message is a simple one: cadets are told of the history of private support at VMI and the tradition of alumni generosity to VMI – a tradition that began before the Civil War. They are urged to consider the value of the support they have received and to consider doing the same for those who follow them into Barracks. The Barracks Program begins in the early days of the new academic year with a full series of events aimed at educating and encouraging the Corps of Cadets to emulate alumni in their support of the Institute’s pursuit of excellence. For more information on the program, contact John J. Wranek III ’85, assistant director of alumni and reunion giving, at the offices of the VMI Foundation.


Air Force Lt. Sal Sferrazza ’07 administers the oath of office to Cadet Mitch Gardner. – Photo courtesy of Mitch Gardner ’10.

Dyke Sferazza ‘Biggest Influence’ on Newly Commissioned LieutenantBy GeorGe ABry

Ever since he was a Rat, new Army 2nd Lt. Mitch Gardner dreamed of being a company commander. So he spent three years on Charlie Company cadre, where he served as clerk and first sergeant before rising to the rank of company commander. “This year was a dream come true,” Gardner said. If it hadn’t been for a certain set of circumstances, Gardner’s dream might not have happened. Gardner first came to VMI on a full academic scholarship, studying history to become a teacher. In his third year, Gardner switched his academic major from history to economics and business and forfeited his scholarship in favor of an Army ROTC scholarship. Why? Gardner said there were several reasons he chose to commission in the Army. “I wanted to serve a country I owe a lot to, and I wanted to do something more with my life than just sit behind a desk,” Gardner said. “However, the biggest influence on my decision to commission was my dyke.” When Gardner was a Rat, Lt. Sal Sferrazza

where he will serve as a special operations civil engineer. Ensign Rory Alfree, a native of Wilmington, Del., said a visit to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., one summer during high school convinced him set him to set his sights on the Navy. Alfree said he first heard of VMI while reading the book The Lords of Discipline, a Pat Conroy novel whose main character, a basketball player, attends a fictional military college based on The Citadel and plays against VMI. While studying civil engineering at VMI, Alfree also served as vice president for defense on the Honor Court, acting as liaison between the defense and prosecution. Serving on the Honor Court bolstered his communication skills and professionalism, Alfree said. Alfree will remain stationed with the VMI Naval ROTC department until he receives his training orders. He will enter the Navy explosive ordinance disposal community, traveling first to Panama City, Fla., for nine weeks of Navy Dive School training before heading to Eglin Air Force

Base for 42 weeks of EOD training. “The thing I will miss the most are the people,” Alfree said. “I have had a lot of good and tough times with my Brother Rats, and I would not trade that for anything.” New Marine Corps 2nd Lt. David Lochart said he was drawn to VMI because of the “the structure, discipline, and camaraderie that the Institute advertises.” Although Lochart had flirted with the idea of enlisting right out of high school, his guidance counselor suggested VMI. “I fell in love with the way so many different people could come together, and through hard work and determination accomplish a common goal,” Lochart said. “This is what drew me to VMI and ultimately the military.” Lochart served as a cadre member during the Rat Line. This summer he will report to The Basic School in Quantico, Va., to begin training. Also heading to Quantico will be Marine 2nd Lt. William Shannon. “The highlight of my cadetship was the relationships I’ve developed with other cadets, particularly my roommates, my rats, and the

other members of the Honor Court,” Shannon said. “If you work hard at VMI and stay focused, you don’t have time to moan and complain about how hard the place is.” Among the Army’s newly commissioned cadets was John “Jack” Curtis Jr., whose father was a 1979 VMI graduate. Curtis attended VMI on a full football scholarship and didn’t decide to commission in the Army until the second semester of his 1st Class year. “For the first three years of my cadetship, I focused on academics and football, and with my election to the Honor Court at the end of my 3rd class year, I gained new responsibilities,” said Curtis, who served as honor court vice president for education, a position that allowed him to develop an education plan for the Rat Honor System. Curtis will attend the Army’s Warrior Forge Leader Development and Assessment Course this summer before learning his branch assignment in September. “The past four years have not been easy, but I would not trade them for anything,” Curtis said.

Cadets Commission in May CeremoniesContinued from page 1

’07 was regimental commander, honor court vice president, and a veteran of a combat tour in Afghanistan. “The man was literally a Barracks legend,” Gardner said. Today Sferrazza is a U.S. Air Force combat rescue officer who recently completed a four-month tour in Iraq. Despite the urgency and secrecy that surrounds many of his missions,

Sferrazza returned to Lexington just in time to commission Gardner. “I found out he was a local Long Island boy, so I scooped him up,” Sferrazza said, recalling the early days of their Dyke-Rat relationship. “At first, I didn’t tell him I was going to pick him as my Rat, I wanted to feel him out, make sure he was a quality kid. But now I’m super proud of him.” Along the way, Sferrazza has shown Gardner the proper way to conduct himself, both professionally and personally. “He has been the biggest influence over the last four years,” Gardner said. “And there was never a doubt in my mind that I would ask him to give me the oath of office.”

From here, Gardner will travel first to Fort Leonard in Wood, Mo., for a four-month Basic Officer Leadership Course. From there, he will report to Fort Stewart, Ga., where he will serve with the 92nd Engineering Battalion. “The unit isn’t glamorous, but I’m hoping to have the opportunity to go to Ranger and Sapper, and maybe Special Forces,” Gardner said.


J. Robert Crumpler ’07 has joined the Keydet Club staff as an assistant vice president, development. Being a part of the Keydet Club team was a goal and professional ambition of Crumpler, and for most of budget year 2010 he served as a development associate for the Keydet Club while completing his second year as the director of new cadet recruiting for the VMI Alumni Association. Prior to joining the Alumni Association in 2008, and following his graduation from VMI, Robert worked for the VMI admissions office as an admissions counselor. There he was tasked with traveling to out-of-state recruiting events and working with students throughout the admissions process. In his new position, Crumpler will focus on involving young alumni, communicating the Keydet Club mission to current cadets and cadet-athletes, assisting with event planning, and serving as the Keydet Club liaison for the baseball and basketball programs. Crumpler was a dean’s list student at VMI and graduated with a bachelor

of arts degree in history. He was a four-year member of the VMI baseball team and was an All-Conference honoree his 1st Class year. He served as team captain for his 2nd and 1st class years. “He’s a bright, energetic and personable young man, and the Keydet Club is proud to have him and his lovely wife Erica, on our team,” said Greg Cavallaro ’84, Keydet Club chief executie officer. “By virtue of his age, he fills a big void in the Keydet Club. Robert has all of the tools – VMI institutional understanding, athletic knowledge, energy, passion, and interpersonal and communication skills – that make him a perfect fit and a great addition to the staff. “His presence,” added Cavallaro, “will allow Donnie

Ross ’74, Coach Doug Bartlett, and I to really focus on those areas of VMI athletic fundraising that will ensure our continued, successful support of VMI athletics. His presence has already been well received by alumni, parents, coaches, cadet-athletes, and prospective cadets. I see the potential and promise for a very bright future for him in the VMI Keydet Club.”

Grace Named Inspector GeneralBy col. StewArt MAcinniS

Retiring StaffTwo longtime members of VMI’s staff retired this academic year, Linda Covington (left) and Stevie L. Zollman. Covington began working for VMI in 1967 as a part-time clerk typist in Preston Library. She eventually earned her master’s degree in library science and became technical services librarian in July 1996. She retired June 1 with 43 years of service. Zollman began work for VMI as a carpenter helper in 1971 and worked in other positions before moving to the physical plant in 1982. He retired as an HVAC technician on April 1 with 38 years of service. – VMI Photos by Kevin Remington.

Crumpler Joins Keydet ClubBy Sue wood, vMi Keydet cluB

J. Robert Crumpler ’07

Col. William Grace, former professor of naval science, has been named the Institute’s new inspector general. During June, Grace is working with Col. Tom Moncure ’72, current inspector general; he will assume the duties of the position July 1 when Moncure retires. Reporting directly to the superintendent, the inspector general is charged with inquiring into and reporting on matters pertaining to mission performance, efficiency, discipline, morale, effectiveness, and esprit de corps of the VMI community. The inspector general is the Institute’s focal point for receiving complaints, investigating matters as required by the superintendent, and making recommendations consistent with findings. Additionally, Grace will serve as the Title IX coordinator, ensuring compliance with appropriate regulatory guidance and providing oversight to VMI’s grievance procedure. He will outline training requirements in the areas of discrimination and gender relations. He will also serve as the superintendent’s liaison to the Parent’s Council. “Colonel Grace brings a deep understanding of the military, which is critical considering the military nature of VMI, as well as a deep and direct

knowledge of the Institute,” said Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, superintendent. “I have every confidence that his knowledge, insight, and personality will serve VMI well and will allow him to build upon the success Colonel Moncure brought to the position.” Grace is a 1981 graduate of Texas A&M University. An aviator, Grace’s military assignments have included flying for Marine Helicopter Squadron 1, where he flew White House missions worldwide. Grace has over 5,900 hours of flight experience and several medals, including the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal Gold Star in lieu of fourth award and the Presidential Service Badge. He served as the professor of naval science at VMI from 2004 until his retirement from the Marine Corps with 26 years’ service in 2008. Moncure was named VMI’s first inspector general in 2007. He served as professor of aerospace studies at the Institute from 1998 until his retirement from the Air Force in 2002. From 2002 to his appointment as inspector general, Moncure served as the Institute’s deputy commandant for cadet government.


Scholarships Give Soccer Player Great OpportunitiesBy wendy lovell

Even though Ensign Alexi Staton ’10 is the daughter of Navy Reserve Cmdr. Shawn Oliver ’85 and the niece of Adam Volant ’88, executive vice president of the VMI Alumni Association, she didn’t think about attending the Virginia Military Institute until she receive a recruiting letter from women’s soccer Coach Bryan Williams. “I wasn’t thinking about VMI at all,” said the recent graduate. “Once I got the letter, I attended an open house and then began thinking seriously about the Institute.” The fact that she could play Division I soccer at VMI was appealing to Staton, who was turned off by visits to other colleges where students were more interested in showing her the social scene than what their programs had to offer. What sealed Staton’s decision to attend VMI were an athletic scholarship and a second scholarship, from Naval ROTC. A biology major, Staton found her involvement in athletics and with the Naval ROTC helped shape her future. In December, Staton will begin training as a navigator at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, and she has set a goal of becoming a Navy pilot. “I wasn’t thinking about commissioning when I came to VMI, but my dad was an F-14 pilot and loved it,” said Staton. “I look forward to flying, too, and think my experience at VMI will be helpful. While playing soccer was the highlight of my time at VMI, it was challenging due to several ankle injuries. I could have given up and not played, but I stuck with it.”

Despite Staton’s many injuries during her VMI playing career, she was quite an asset to the team, said Williams. The skilled attacker from Roanoke’s Northside High School was thrown for a loop when she arrived at VMI and was moved to the outside defender position. It was an adjustment, but one she made successfully. “Alexi has skill and endurance and durability that made us move her to outside back,” said Williams. “She did a great job for us on and off the field, so much so that she was one of my captains this last season. I could always count on her directness, and she really helped with the temperament of the team.” Williams thinks the challenges Staton faced as a soccer player and as an academically strong student who accepted rank are experiences that will serve her well in the Navy and beyond. “Alexi exemplifies what we want to see players become at the end of their cadetship,” he said, adding that he’s grateful to be able to recruit cadets like Staton.

“Most likely, I wouldn’t have come to VMI if it weren’t for the athletic scholarship,” said Staton. “VMI supporters have given me a great opportunity to succeed. I’ve been able to do things at VMI I never thought I could, and I’ll be able to take that into the Navy.” Staton added that she looks forward to the day she can contribute to the Keydet Club. If her uncle has his way, she’ll channel her leadership strengths into alumni chapter work as well.

Ensign Alexi Staton ’10.

Staff Engineer a Role Model on Post and on DeploymentBy GeorGe ABry

Once upon a time VMI was created as an experiment in higher education, with a mission to develop citizen-soldiers who are leaders in all walks of life, who are committed to service, selflessness, character, and a sense of honor – individuals like Maj. Todd Pegg ’92. Pegg is a staff engineer and certified energy manager in VMI’s physical plant department. He’s been with the Army National Guard for nearly 20 years. In the last 10 years he’s been deployed overseas three times: once to Afghanistan, twice to Iraq. One weekend each month is spent on drill in Gate City, Va., a four-hour drive from Lexington. Guard members also spend two to three weeks in training each summer. “It’s not an obligation to take lightly,” Pegg said of the National Guard, “because joining the Guard for any component of any of the branches means deployments. But having undertaken it, the opportunity to serve is something I am very proud of.” Pegg came to VMI in 1988 as a mechanical engineering major and entered the Guard as a cadet. Pegg’s National Guard commitment hardly

Maj. Todd Pegg (left) pauses in the office of an Iraqi one-star general whom he advised during his most recent deployment. – Photo courtesy of Maj. Todd Pegg.Please see page 9


Security Policy Course DrawsPakistani Ambassador to Post

By wendy lovell

Louis Blair is known to be well connected, and he has brought those relationships to bear in securing opportunities for VMI cadets to visit high-level officials in Washington, D.C. However, the students he taught last fall in his course on U.S. security policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan made an impression on a class visitor that led the ambassador of Pakistan himself to come to VMI. Asif Hussain, the counselor in Pakistan’s embassy who met with Blair’s class, was impressed with the cadets’ interest in what he had to say. With his good word and an invitation from Superintendent Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, Ambassador Husain Haqqani came to Post in April as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. He addressed nearly 500 cadets about relations between the United States and Pakistan and what the two nations can do to strengthen their diplomatic relationship. A native of Karachi, Pakistan, Haqqani has worked as a journalist, diplomat, and political adviser. He assumed the role of ambassador to the United States in June 2008. He also is associate professor for international relations at Boston University and co-chair of the Hudson Institute’s Project on Islam and Democracy and serves as editor of the journal Current Trends in Islamist Thought. “The United States and Pakistan are working to go beyond a transactional relationship to a strategic one,” said Haqqani. “Pakistan needs the United States for economic progress and military capability, but we are partners because of our shared values. It has been a dysfunctional friendship, but the defeat of the Taliban has brought us together.” He added that one of the benefits Pakistan brings to the United States is its location on the front line of the war on terror. It offers a strategic location that is of great interest to the United States. While the two nations have been cooperating closely in the fight against al-Qaeda-linked militants in the region since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, they have experienced several ups and downs in the past six decades. Despite what he called a “trust deficit” on the part of Pakistan regarding the United States, Haqqani said the time to enhance the friendship between the two nations has come, and that everyone can play a role in the success of the relationship. “As a superpower, America has a responsibility to other countries; you must let the world know you aren’t arrogant,” he said. “Enroll in foreign language programs and learn about other cultures. You must give people the feeling that you care as much as you benefit.” Cadet Dan Moerder was impressed that a representative of such an important country would take time to visit VMI. “With the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan is vital to U.S. interests in the region,” he said. “I think that given how many cadets will be military officers or government officials in a few years, it is important that we hear speakers like Ambassador Haqqani in order to increase our understanding. “It was interesting to hear what he had to say on how we Americans need to understand Pakistan better and make more of an effort to befriend the people,” concluded Moerder. Blair was impressed not only with the speaker but also his speech. “Speakers such as Ambassador Haqqani address real world problems cadets are likely to encounter upon graduation,” said Blair. “The

ambassador was charming, articulate, at ease, thoughtful, and responsive to an excellent set of questions from cadets. “He came across as pro-American and had a delightful story of his early friendship with the U.S. based on time spent in the U.S. library in Karachi,” added Blair. “In fact, some of my students thought this was the best of the major speakers to come to VMI this academic year.”

Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani visited Post in April as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Rachels, Hartman, and Cotting Honored for TeachingBy wendy lovell

Each May, the Virginia Military Institute focuses its attention on the graduating class, but the dedication of its faculty and staff are not forgotten during the annual Institute Awards ceremony. Three faculty members took center stage on May 14 when honored for their success as teachers. Col. David Rachels, professor of English, and Lt. Col. Gregory Hartman, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, were honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award. Maj. Dave Cotting, assistant professor of psychology, received the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award. “These awards confirm the importance of teaching at VMI,” said Col. Henry Schreiber, professor of chemistry and chair of the awards committee. “Good teaching can come in many different forms and styles, and almost every person nominated is qualified to be presented a teaching award, thus, the committee is always looking for something special or extra that truly distinguishes the eventual honoree from the rest of the outstanding teachers. The decision is never an easy one.” Distinguished Teaching Award recipients must have completed four years of teaching at VMI to be eligible and are selected based on a sustained record of overall outstanding ratings in annual evaluations. The Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award is presented to a new member of the faculty – most recipients have taught at VMI for at least two years – who is beginning a career in academics. It is intended as a tribute to teachers who profoundly influenced and encouraged Jefferson during his own college years. “Typically, it falls upon the department head to be the publicist for the rising stars or stellar performers in his department, and the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award also has to be consistent with annual evaluations in teaching,” said Schreiber. “This year, there were seven nominations, indicative of the quality of the new hires in the departments. If you look at the recipients over the past 24 years, one was eventually presented the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award, four have become Institute professors and chairs, several have gone on to become department heads and at least eight have gone on to receive Distinguished Teaching Awards – it’s usually an indication of good things to follow.” Rachels joined the VMI faculty in 1996, and his research and teaching interests include Southern literature, Civil War literature, American humor, the short story, and poetry. He is the editor of Augustus Baldwin Longstreet’s Georgia Scenes Completed: A Scholarly Text and co-editor of The

Three professors, (from left) Maj. Dave Cotting, Col. David Rachels, and Lt. Col. Gregory Hartman, were honored for their teaching. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

First West: Writing from the American Frontier, 1776-1860. He and Lt. Col. Kurt Ayau co-wrote the screenplay Flagrant Fouls and the novel What the Shadow Told Me, which won the 2003 Pirate’s Alley William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition in the Novel. He serves as co-adviser to the Timmins-Gentry Music Society and won a Matthew Fontaine Maury Research Award in 2004. Col. Emily Miller, head of the English Department, credits Rachels for his well-informed, carefully crafted presentations that reflect not only his extensive knowledge of American literature and his expertise as a creative writer but also his keen understanding of effective pedagogy. She added that he regularly looks for and finds new ways to make his teaching even better. “As a teacher at VMI, I have many satisfying moments every semester, but these moments come and go so quickly,” said Rachels. “The Distinguished Teaching Award is nice because it recognizes that all those moments over all those years add up to something substantial and important.” Hartman, who joined the faculty in 2005, sets the bar for teaching mathematics, said Lt. Col. Troy Siemers, head of the department. When Hartman couldn’t find a suitable textbook for his course on matrix algebra, he decided to write one himself. His open-source textbook, available to cadets in print and electronic form, started the VMI APEX, or Affordable Print and Electronic teXtbook Consortium, involving colleagues at other college and universities in the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., region. Hartman also gives seminars to the faculty on the use of other classroom and textbook technologies

such as TeX and Mathematica. “Lt. Col. Hartman is an incredible guy; he knows his stuff very well but can break it down for engineers and underclassmen very easily,” said Cadet Dominik Wermus. “He’s very personable and very entertaining and keeps people engaged with sort of a wry sense of humor, calling cadets out exactly as he sees them. Outside the classroom, he’s very kind and helpful and is willing to spend time talking about anything.” Cotting came to Post in 2007 to assist with the implementation of the new core curriculum. In addition to the leadership theory and development course, he focuses his work on stress and coping, social personality psychology, and sports psychology. “Since joining the VMI faculty, Maj. Dave Cotting has demonstrated excellence in teaching and quickly gained a reputation as a great teacher,” said Col. James Gire, head of the psychology and philosophy department. “His contributions in teaching have not been limited to regular class settings. He has stretched his pedagogical versatility to coaching in a number of sporting events and in his role as the class adviser to the Class of 2013. Additionally, Major Cotting has mentored cadets in SURI and a variety of other research endeavors, the outcome of which has resulted in presentations at external conferences.” The award recipients receive a cash prize and a grant from the Institute to support their endeavors in the classroom. To see other faculty and cadets honored at the Institute Awards ceremony, visit http://www.vmi.edu/instituteawards.


interfered with his academic performance. In 1992 he won the Jackson-Hope Medal, which is awarded each year to cadets who graduate at the top of their class. Along the way Pegg would learn that balancing a civilian career with National Guard duties can get tricky. A former self-employed engineer, Pegg lost his small business in 2003 to a four-month deployment during the initial invasion of Iraq. The following year Pegg started an 18 month deployment in Afghanistan with an infantry battalion handling civil affairs. “It was very independent, very open-ended; we were there to do whatever needed to be done regardless of the timetable,” Pegg said. “But there was violence directed at us that the civilians were a secondary target of.” That deployment ended in 2005. Most recently Pegg was one of 40 servicemen from Virginia who served as embedded advisers to the Iraqi army for 13 months. That deployment ended in March. Unlike his deployment in Afghanistan, his recent tour in Iraq was operating under a scheduled pullout, which was a source of frustration for Pegg’s unit. The civilian government of Iraq was frequently targeted for attacks by insurgents. As embedded advisers, Pegg and his men faced danger from gun fire and car bombs. One of the things Pegg learned on his deployments is that most of the civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan have a lot in common with American civilians. “They care about their families, they care about their jobs, they want to have a good life and live in peace,” Pegg said, “and they want their government and military to protect them and take care of them.” When Pegg originally returned to VMI in 2005, he was hired as an ROTC instructor. He interviewed for the job via satellite phone somewhere in

the mountains of Afghanistan. In 2008 he moved to the physical plant department as a staff engineer, a position that has brought with it stability and a chance to interact with a new generation of cadets. Pegg coaches the Special Actions Detachment, a military skills club for cadets who want extra training in troop leading, mission planning, and light infantry tactics. “He has taught me the importance of conducting recon, not by giving me a lecture on it, but by allowing me to conduct a mission and fail; he then asks me why I failed,” said 2nd Lt. T. Nelson Page ’10, a mechanical engineering major who was a member of S.A.D. for four years. Page was recently commissioned as an officer with the U.S. Army, where he will be a platoon leader for the combat engineers of the 36th Engineer Brigade. “The technical as well as the leadership sides of the club have helped me immensely, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will be a better officer after training under him,” Page said. Pegg doesn’t know for sure when his next deployment will come, but he does know that the Virginia Guard has some pretty big missions coming up in 2011. “It’s probably 50-50 I will have another deployment in the near future,” Pegg said. Despite the uncertainty and instability that goes with Guard duty, Pegg says he would encourage cadets to consider the Army National Guard, and he does have some advice for cadets who are thinking about commissioning. “Regardless of your assignment, regardless of which theater you enter, the things VMI is good at will serve you well: character, integrity, flexibility,” Pegg said. “In both of the countries I served in, the character issue is huge. Being a role model, being the type of professional we are trying to develop them into is hugely important.”

Continued from page 6

Staff Engineer a Role Model

Del. Putney Honored

Thomas G. Slater Jr. ’66 (left), president of the VMI Board of Visitors, presents Del. Lacey E. Putney with a certificate in recognition of his service to Virginia and to VMI. The Board of Visitors recognized Putney at a luncheon in his honor on May 6 in Marshall Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Success of Corps ReflectsSuccess of Commanding Officer

By GeorGe ABry

“My main hope is to act as an example of servant leadership to the rest of the regimental and cadet-run organizations,” said incoming 2010-2011 regimental commander David Gerardo. Gerardo said his first order of business will be to ensure strong communications within the Corps and to promote teamwork between the regimental side of the Corps and the class system. “I think one of the great strengths of the regimental commander position lies in the trust that both the Corps and the commandant’s staff give to the RCO,” Gerardo said. “I believe that good leaders seek to find the problems of their subordinates and their superiors and then try to fix them before they become bigger issues.” Gerardo received the regimental colors from Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent, during the traditional May 14 change of command ceremony on the Parade Ground. Moments earlier, Peay had accepted the regimentals colors – the symbols of command – from outgoing Cadet 1st Capt. Karsten Bloomstrom ’10. Bloomstrom was one of 17 cadets who recently accepted commissions in the U.S. Air Force, where he plans to pursue a career as a combat rescue officer. “One of the biggest lessons I learned this past year as first captain has been how to deal with people and how to set a standard that is strict yet attainable,” Bloomstrom said. “One of the things I am most proud of has been my cadre’s development of an intensely disciplined and professional ratline.” Bloomstrom said the most moving moment of his term as regimental commander was paying tribute to Cadet John Evans, who died last November following a training exercise. “Seeing how the entire Corps came together during this tragic time was incredible, and it reminded me of how close the VMI community truly is,”

Bloomstrom said. Col. Thomas H. Trumps ’79, commandant of cadets, said Bloomstrom “did extremely well as the regimental commander.” Trumps recalled Bloomstrom’s maturity and grace under pressure. “He had a good understanding of the mix between the regimental and class system and understood that he needed to work in concert with the class president and that the success of 2010 depended on how well the class as a whole performed, not just how well he did as regimental commander,” Trumps said. “He did not ask or expect any cadet to do something he was not willing to do himself.” Trumps said a good regimental commander is a team player among the class and commandant’s staff, one who must juggle the commandant’s requirements vis-à-vis the morale of the Corps and someone who is smart and possesses strong moral fiber. “Otherwise the Corps will not follow,” Trumps said. Bloomstrom’s advice for his successor and the incoming 1st Class cadets: “Keep fighting for what you know is right and don’t quit. My first class year was the hardest year I have experienced at VMI. You are overloaded with work, and the

responsibilities you have in the Corps are overwhelming at times, but in the end it is all worth it.” Gerardo hopes to use his term as regimental commander to increase the participation of ranking cadets with their subordinates outside the Rat Line. “Ultimately I hope to be able to walk away from this position knowing I did everything I could to help the cadets in the Corps and to accurately represent their needs and concerns,” Gerardo said. “The only thing I am looking to take away from this experience is to grow as a leader and a person. I have always enjoyed discovering who I am and what my limitations and capabilities are as a leader.”

Outgoing regimental commander Karsten Bloomstrom shakes hands with incoming Cadet 1st Capt. David Gerardo after the change of command ceremony May 14. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Rank Selections for 2010-11 Announced Regimental executive officer for the 2010-11 academic year will be Michael Frossard. Other rank selections are as follows: Regimental staff – Matthew Lowe, S-1 captain, and Michael Girardi, S-1 lieutenant; Kara Noble, S-2 captain, and Quinn Wicks, S-2 lieutenant; Christopher Buck, S-3 captain, and Elizabeth Carlos, S-3 lieutenant; Kobee Burnshire, S-4 captain, and Daniel Williams, S-4 lieutenant; Heather Schmidt, S-5 captain, and Robert Boyer, S-5 lieutenant; Stephan Bohanan, S-6 captain, and Zachary Henke, S-6 lieutenant; and Jerry Hickey, S-7 captain, and Carolyn Kenaley, S-7 lieutenant. First Battalion – Justin Ausborn, commander; Matthew Jones, executive officer; Geophery Mills, S-1 lieutenant; Chase Bailey, S-2 lieutenant; Vinh

Quang Do, S-3 lieutenant; Nicholas Chang, S-4 lieutenant; Hunter Davis, S-5 lieutenant; Christopher Curtis, S-6 lieutenant; and Katherine Hindley, S-7 lieutenant. Company A – Christopher Kenney, commander; Alexander Herzog, executive officer; Brandon Griffith, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Heidi Beemer, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Adam Black, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Stephen Redmond, 4th Platoon lietutenant. Company B – Nicholas Engle, commander; Patrick Winkler, executive officer; Nicholas Ingold, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Jacob Hentges, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Alexander Ray, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Angela Redmond,

Please see page 12


Valedictorian Heads to Medical SchoolBy wendy lovell

A good education wasn’t the only thing that drew 2nd Lt. Alex Houser to VMI. With a goal of pursuing a medical degree, the Haymarket resident counted on the discipline of a military school to help him realize his dream. Four years later, not only is Houser headed to medical school at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg on a full scholarship from the U.S. Army, but he’s also the Class of 2010’s valedictorian. “Being selected as valedictorian at VMI means more to me than it would at any other school,” said Houser, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.869 and a 4.0 in his major. “At other schools, valedictorian goes to the person with the highest GPA. Knowing that my class selected me, and I was not picked by default for grades, means so much to me, especially being valedictorian at the nation’s most difficult military school.” Houser faced the challenges of VMI with flying colors, participating in the Institute Honors Program and undergraduate research during his entire cadetship, as well as minoring in English and writing. He also was a member of

the Rat Challenge cadre for three years, was on the S-4, logistics, staff for two, and was president of Omicron Delta Kappa and the Recycling Club. Col. Jim Turner, head of the Department of Biology, said Houser was the type of student a professor dreams of taking under his wing and considered him to be a junior colleague in the research lab, as well as a source of inspiration and a friend. “Alex has made a significant breakthrough in his field of science through his undergraduate research efforts that reveal the mechanism of how estrogen affects the health and development of nerve cells,” said Turner. “He already is a published author in a very prestigious scientific journal, Brain Research. Alex is the ‘poster child’ who demonstrates how undergraduate research can fully develop one’s skills and talents, and he is the ultimate example of what it means to be well rounded in all areas of the VMI life.” Houser credits Turner with helping him excel in the lab. Under his leadership, the former cadet published his research in five journals and

presented at eight conferences, including one abroad. He also appreciates the help Col. Wade Bell gave him as his pre-med adviser and Col. Christina McDonald’s willingness to guide him in an independent study last spring that enabled him to complete the English and writing minors. Faculty members aren’t the only ones in the VMI family who made an impression on Houser. He had no desire to commission when he began his cadetship, but with the encouragement of his dyke, Russ Henriet ’07, he began to consider the benefits of an Army career. Henriet currently is pursuing a medical degree on an Army scholarship, too. Houser also credits his own grandfather, Dr. Billy Kornegay ’59, and uncle, Keith Kornegay ’90, with introducing him to the Institute. “VMI has taught me many intangible values that are not learned at more traditional colleges, such as a true sense of honor, integrity, duty, courage, and the never-say-die mentality,” said Houser. “These traits, along with the leadership skills learned at the Institute, will play important roles throughout my career as a doctor.”

Army 2nd Lt. Alex Houser gives the valedictory address during VMI commencements exercises May 16. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

Sixth District Rep. Bob Goodlatte also addressedthe graduating cadets. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


4th Platoon lieutenant. Company C – John Sturgill, commander; Ching-Hang Chen, executive officer; Andrew Luxhoj, 1st Platoon lieutenant; John Rushton, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Alexander Cowdry, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Travis Daniel, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Company D – David Martin, commander; Hisham Yousif, executive officer; Robert Harris, 1st Platoon lieutenant; John Held, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Justin Simmons, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Rainier Tanglao, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Second Battalion – Patrick Terhune, commander; Matthew Covalt, executive officer; Caleb Gibson, S-1 lieutenant; Kittisak Siripollawat, S-2 lieutenant; Thomas McDavid, S-3 lieutenant; Dalton Brockman, S-4 lieutenant; Nathanael Salatin, S-5 lieutenant; Hannah Granger, S-6 lieutenant; and Alexander Symons, S-7 lieutenant. Company E – Samuel Kang, commander; James Hefner, executive officer; Kenneth Sadler, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Eric Tyson, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Jared Varney, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and William Truscott, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Company F – Christopher Moser, commander; Joseph Cicero, executive officer; John Folger, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Sean McAbee, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Christopher John, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Kuart Zimmerman, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Company G – Matthew Thomas, commander; Clarke Morgret, executive officer; Spilman Pumphrey, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Christopher Cashen, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Hung-Xin Li, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Lansing

Wilson, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Company H – Lane Pratt, commander; Keith O’Donnell, executive officer; Karl Cutler, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Adam Becker, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; Marshall Jarrett, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Trenton Gordon, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Band Company – Daniel Concepcion, commander; Kyle Drumheller, executive officer; Joshua Kinder, 1st Platoon lieutenant; Alexander Crow, 2nd Platoon lieutenant; James Bost, 3rd Platoon lieutenant; and Colin Sexton, 4th Platoon lieutenant. Rat Disciplinary Committee – Shane Wilkinson, president; Chad Lawson, vice president; Kevin Williams and Noah Gibson, operations; and Thomas Fields, secretary. Officer of the Guard Association – Brodie Gleason, president; James Stevenson, vice president; Philip Parker, secretary; Andrew Jeter and Travis Miller, defense counsels; and Cierra Reaves and John Fede, assistant investigators. Cadet Equity Association – Matthew Lowe, president; Nathaniel Zand, vice president, investigations; and Heidi Beemer, vice president, operations and education. Honor Court – Christopher Gingrich, president; Richard Steinhoff, vice president; Justin Topping, vice president, education; Ethan Price, vice president, defense; and Coleman Zwanzig, Joshua Bookwalter, and Sharif Gray, prosecutors. Cadet publications – Laura Resetar, editor-in-chief, The Bomb; Jonathan Twigg, editor-in-chief, The Cadet; Trevor Childers, editor-in-chief, Sounding Brass.

Rank Selections AnnouncedContinued from page 10

First Class GiftThe Class of 2010 continued a custom started by the Class of 2006 when it presented its graduation gift to VMI at the Graduation Parade May 14. Three officers of the class (from left) – Edward Desch III, historian; Sloan C. Burns, president; and Bryant L. Youngblood Jr., vice president – presented the gift. Receiving it on behalf of VMI and the VMI alumni agencies were Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 (far right), VMI superintendent, and the VMI Foundation’s chief executive officer, Brian Crockett. The class raised the gift of $6,942.42 entirely through a two-month campaign within its ranks. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Marine Sees Multiple Tours of Duty en Route to GraduationBy Sherri toMBArGe

“It was a good Sunday.” That’s Jonathan B. Faff’s assessment of the day of his graduation from VMI. A veteran of a tour of duty in Afghanistan and multiple tours in Iraq, Faff’s been taking things in stride on and off Post for nearly 11 years. At 29, Faff was the oldest of the 247 cadets to receive diplomas in VMI’s commencement exercises May 16 in Cameron Hall. A standing ovation and cheers from the entire Corps of Cadets greeted him. “I think they might have heard the wrong name,” he quipped later. Not so, said Sgt. Maj. John Neel. “He was very, very proactive in helping the cadets. … He was genuinely a great guy to work with. We were all rooting for him,” Neel said. Faff matriculated in 1999 with the class of 2003, said Col. Thomas Trumps, commandant of cadets. Having left VMI for academic reasons in late 2001, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 convinced him to enlist in the Marine Corps rather than return to VMI as soon as possible. Faff was among the troops who invaded Iraq in 2003, seeing three deployments, in Iraq and Afghanistan, during his four years of active duty. Faff returned to VMI in 2006, figuring he’d finished what he had started. The Marine Corps, however, had other plans for him. After three semesters, he returned to active duty in 2008 for one more tour in Iraq. “In the beginning,” commented Faff, “you were living where you were in the desert in the sand with what you had. You relied on letters; now the living conditions have improved. They have Internet, e-mail, phones, … better supplies.” After a while, coping with VMI’s regimented lifestyle was frustrating for Faff, and he did it without the close companionship of the Brother Rats of his own class. “I fell in with the 1st Class each year, and so they kept graduating and I kept meeting new people,” said Faff, who shared his wealth of experience with the younger cadets. “I didn’t want to take charge and lead,” he said. “It was their class, their Corps, their show. I just kind of advised.” During his prolonged cadetship, Faff helped with everything from FTX to New Cadet Military Training, or NCMT. “He’s done it all, from training rats individually to being more of a director of what goes on,” said Neel. “He was what you could consider the institutional knowledge in the program, … and he came with a lot of credibility. … The cadets listened to him,” said Neel.

Faff, who held the rank of staff sergeant in the Marine Corps, said VMI’s programs offered a different kind of leadership training. “As a staff sergeant in the Marine Corps sometimes you just do what you’re told to do,” said Neel. “But here he was responsible for the training and the direction of the training for

At 29, Jon Faff, who was deployed with the Marine Corps multiple times since matriculating in 1999, was the oldest cadet to receive a diploma at commencement. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

the entire rat class, especially when it came to weapons training. That was kind of his forte.” So, apparently, is finishing what he starts. With his bachelor of arts degree in economics and business safely in hand, Faff finds his future open and another activation with the Marine Corps not out of the question.

247 Cross Stage at Graduation “I feel great. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” Jonathan Horne ’10 captured the sentiments of many as the gloves flew following commencement exercises May 16 in Cameron Hall, in which 247 cadets graduated. During ceremony, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent, presented special awards to three cadets: Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Bingley Barker Squire, First Jackson-Hope Medal for highest attainment in scholarship and the Commander Harry Millard Mason Academic Proficiency Award; Christian Michael Dolbey, Second Jackson-Hope Medal for second highest attainment and the Colonel Sterling Murray Heflin 1916 Academic Proficiency Award; and Army 2nd Lt. Weston Donald Whitcomb, the Society of the Cincinnati Medal for efficiency of service and excellence of character, the Richard J. Marshall Award, and the Sumter L. Lowry Award. Commencement speaker Virginia Sixth District Rep. Bob Goodlatte took Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s famous reference to resolve as the topic for part of his address “Resolve,” Goodlatte told the graduates, “is a pathway through life that can lead not only to success, but to happiness as well.” In his remarks, Peay noted the accomplishments of the Class of 2010 in its duty of training new 4th Class cadets, calling this year’s cadre and administration of the Rat Line the best he had witnessed and noting that this year’s “Blizzard Breakout” was “tough, memorable, and safe.” Class valedictorian Alex Houser opened his talk with a catalog of the day-to-day activities his class had endured. It felt like a lifetime, he said, but he was glad. “You are the closest friends that I will ever have the privilege of having, and I have been trying to enjoy every second that we have together before we go our separate ways to take whatever life has to throw at us,” he said. He urged his Brother Rats to continued accomplishments. “We are about to enter a world that has lost sight of what integrity and honor truly mean,” he said. “We are about to enter a world where the focus is on finding the easy way out. I challenge each and every one of you to hold those intangible values close to your hearts, and to execute them with precision every day.”


VMI Partners with W&L and SVUto Offer Teacher Education

By wendy lovell

Next fall, cadets interested in completing VMI’s teacher certification program no longer will have to complete their studies at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton. Thanks to the creation of the Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium with Southern Virginia and Washington and Lee universities, students can complete their coursework locally. “By forming a consortium, we hope to build on the common values we share as small liberal arts colleges and on our individual strengths to develop a dynamic teacher education program,” said Capt. Chad Joyce, director of teacher certification. “I think the diversity of the student bodies from the three schools adds a lot to the program, too. Each school will teach its students the foundational course but offer a major course that will draw students from the other two schools.” For a number of years, both W&L and VMI have provided education courses and guidance to students interested in pursuing careers in teaching through an exchange program

with Mary Baldwin College; however, because students had to travel to Staunton to pursue the full curriculum of education courses needed to achieve certification, many who were interested in education did not pursue licensure. When VMI and W&L established an exchange program in 2005, both saw a dramatic increase in enrollment in teacher education courses. “The new consortium offers the chance for a richer program through institutional collaboration and the ability to meet licensure areas where teacher shortages exist,” said Joyce. “It also will encourage professional development and the ability to better partner with local schools.” Last fall, representatives from the Virginia Department of Education visited the local campuses and recommended approval of the program. Final approval is expected in the near future; however, SVU’s immediate participation is contingent on a separate accreditation process. Col. Mary Ann Dellinger, professor of modern languages and cultures, is slated to teach the

course for all consortium students on secondary methods next fall, and a second professor or adjunct teacher will offer the course on foundations of education for cadets. Joyce will provide overall coordination of VMI’s program and manage the practicum experience cadets will have in local middle and high schools. “Twenty-one cadets expressed interest in the program earlier this spring, and I was pleasantly surprised in the number that responded,” said Joyce. “I think this program is of great benefit to our cadets who are interested in service following graduation through teaching.” Col. Rob McDonald, associate dean of faculty, expects interest in the program to be strong and the demand for cadets who complete it to be high. “One of the on-site visitors, an education school dean, kept saying how impressed he was with the cadets he met and how naturally the VMI mission of service seemed aligned with a career in teaching,” he said. “We couldn’t agree more.”

Faculty/Staff Team Takes on Cadets

Robbie Branch, physical plant boiler operator, takes a shot during a basketball game in April, in which 17 members of the VMI faculty and staff took on VMI’s club team and emerged victorious, 50-39. Al Campbell, information technology systems analyst, coached the faculty/staff team, which practiced for two weeks ahead of the big game. The club team is coached by Paul Maini ’66. The last faculty/staff-club team match up took place two years ago, but Capt. Chris Perry ’05, assistant commandant for cadet life, said he’d like to see it become an annual event. “They [the club team] challenged us,” he said. “It was a good time. We had a blast.” – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Santos Selected for Summer SeminarMaj. Jennifer M. Santos, assistant professor of English and fine arts, has been selected to attend one of 12 summer seminars for college and university teachers sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Santos will participate in a seminar entitled “The Aesthetics of British Romanticism, Then and Today,” a five week program at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. She and the 14 other participants will receive a stipend and will work on individual and collective research and teaching projects in the area of late 18th- and early 19th-century British literature and culture.

Cadets Compete in Math Modeling CompetitionCol. Lee Dewald, professor of mathematics, and eight cadets from MA 319, Methods of Operations Research, participated in the Military Operations Research Society Symposium and Student Modeling Competition at Fort Lee, Va., on April 14 and 15. Dewald briefed the assembly on VMI’s operations research program. The cadets formed teams for the competition with 50 other undergraduate and graduate students. Cadet Chung-Yen Yang ’12 was a member of the first-place team. Cadet Brian Skiff ’11 was on the second-place team, and cadets Abram Gross ’10 and Jacob MacIntyre ’12 were members of the third-place team. The trip was funded by the Undergraduate Research Office. VMI is scheduled to be host for next year’s event March 28-31, 2011, in conjunction with a job fair.

Fishing Club Helps in Stream Sensitivity StudyCol. Lee Dewald and members of the VMI Fishing Club joined Lexington area members of the Skyline Chapter of Trout Unlimited on April 24 and 25 to collect water samples from 26 native brook trout streams in Rockbridge County as part of the Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study 2010. This is the third study sponsored by the University of Virginia and Trout Unlimited focusing on habitat that supports reproducing populations of brook trout, the state fish of Virginia. Statewide, 458 streams were sampled. The event brings to a close the activities of the first year of the VMI Fishing Club, which also participated in two regional service projects, sent three teams of two cadets to regional college bass fishing tournaments, conducted a joint meeting with the Skyline Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and held its first picnic and fly-fishing lessons.

VMI Ranks High for Cardboard RecyclingVMI ranked first in Virginia for cardboard and third for paper during this spring’s 10-week RecycleMania competition for college and university recycling programs. VMI also ranked second out of 17 in the per capita classic, which measures the amount of recyclables collected per person, and 15th in bottles and cans. Nationwide, VMI was ninth in cardboard, 34th in paper, 39th in the per capita classic and 200th in bottles and cans. Lt. Col. Paul Ackerman ’93, deputy post engineer, said VMI recycled approximately 63,700 pounds of material, which is 25.5 percent of VMI’s waste stream. Recycling this material saved VMI approximately $3,800 in disposal and landfill costs. Although VMI did well in the competition, said Ackerman, VMI’s recycling rate of about 25 percent is seventh out 17 Virginia schools that participated the competition. Nationwide, 382 schools competed with VMI in the competition division. Results can be viewed at recyclemaniacs.org/results.aspx . Ackerman reminds the VMI community that VMI’s first goal is to reduce the total amount of trash - recyclables and non-recyclables - that is generated in the first place.

VMI Participates in State Weight-Loss ProgramEight four-person teams from VMI were among 700 teams from across the state that took part this spring in the 2010 Governor’s Challenge, a weight-loss challenge sponsored by the CommonHealth Commonwealth of Virginia employee wellness program. VMI’s teams, Buy Buy Pounds, Hefty Boys, Jeff’s Angels, Pita Chiks, Team Beancounters, The Building Blocks, Steam Team, and Weight Loss Mamas, represent a range of departments including the purchasing office, the physical plant, comptroller’s office, and the engineering departments. In sum, the teams lost 212 pounds during the 15 weeks, with the top team, Team Beancounters, losing a total of 44 pounds.

Firearms Exhibit to Open this SummerThe 100 level of the VMI Museum, which has been undergoing renovation, will open this summer with an exhibit of the Henry Stewart Antique Firearm Collection of 800 firearms, many rare. Other new permanent exhibits on the lower and upper levels are forthcoming as renovations continue. A VMI Heritage exhibit, which will chronicle the history of VMI from 1835 to 2001, will occupy most of the upper

level and is set to open by Christmas 2010. The heritage and firearms exhibits will be complemented by the VMI Citizens & Soldiers exhibit on the 100 level. Opening in 2011, this exhibit will focus on distinguished alumni in military and civilian life.

Sheldon Speaks at Classics AssociationCol. Rosemary Sheldon, professor of history, was guest speaker at the spring meeting of the Classics Association of Virginia. The title of her talk was “Espionage in the Ancient World.” The meeting took place May 8 at St. Stephen and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va.

Public Address System InstalledThe outdoor public address component of VMI’s emergency alert system is now up and running. So far, speakers have been placed in two locations on Post: on the roof of Preston Library facing the Parade Ground and on the rear of Nichols Hall. The outdoor PA is part of a comprehensive mass notification system, designed to alert the VMI community in case of an emergency. An indoor notification system was installed in 2005. A third speaker system, which will cover North Post, will be installed later when construction near the Military and Leadership Field Training Grounds is complete.

VMI Group Tours Battlefields in FranceCol. Kip Muir, professor of history, led a group on a spring break trip to U.S. battlefields in France: the Meuse-Argonne, Normandy, and others. The group of cadets, faculty, and alumni, dubbed by Muir the “VMI Expeditionary Force,” included Walter Perrin ’62, president of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees; George Collins ’62, a benefactor of the John A. Adams Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis; and Maj. Gen. William Terpeluk ’75, the now-retired commander of the 77th Regional Readiness Command.

Jobs at VMIVMI advertises most full-time and part-time employment opportunities on the employment page at the VMI web site. The on-line application system lets you submit your application materials on-line and acknowledges receipt of your materials. Hiring supervisors and search committee members review applications on-line and the system saves on postage costs and file storage. Check the current job listing at www.vmi.edu.

Post Briefs


Fifteen VMI Marine Corps ROTC cadets spent April 25 touring Marine Corps Base Quantico and the National Marine Corps Museum. The cadets visited Officer Candidate School and observed the Confidence Course, Tarzan Course, Obstacle Courses, Small Unit Leadership Evaluation lanes, Combat Endurance Course, Leadership Reaction Course, and Combat Course. They also saw the academic classrooms and barracks they will live in when they attend OCS. The twelve 4th Class cadets in the group, all enrolled in NS-102 Marine Corps History classes, saw museum displays on events in Marine Corps history dating from 1775 that they have been studying in the classroom. They saw supporting documents, equipment, and videos of some of the most historic battles in Marine Corps history. -- Photo courtesy of Naval ROTC.

Semper Fi Society at Quantico

VMI to Be Paved by FallBy Sherri toMBArGe

By the time the academic year begins in fall 2010, almost every road and parking lot on the VMI Post will have been paved within the last three years, with most of the work done this spring and summer. “This started about a year ago when VDOT told us of their plans to pave a lot of roads on post,” said Skip Dunbar, VMI physical plant staff architect. The Virginia Department of Transportation will pave all of Letcher Avenue from the gate to U.S. Route 11 and Parade Avenue down to Anderson Drive and in front of New and Old Barracks, while VMI will be responsible for other roads on post and for prep work ahead of VDOT’s June start date. Earlier plans had called for VDOT to begin work sooner. “We’re happy we’re still in the budget,” said Dunbar, noting that timing is tight to get everything finished before the start of the next academic year. Several roads on post were paved during capital projects over the last three years, including the area behind Mallory Hall, Parade Avenue in front of Third Barracks and the superintendent’s house, and Engineering Drive behind Nichols Engineering Building. Maiden Lane and the parking lot behind the human resources office on South Institute Hill, as well as Brooke Lane behind Kilbourne Hall, have been paved this spring. Over the summer, VMI will install a concrete apron, trench drains, and removable bollards in front of Old Barracks. This design will keep the area clear of traffic and available for cadet formations. For Dunbar, the paving project has become nearly a full-time job as, in addition to managing the contractors completing the work, he must also make sure the work areas are clear of parked cars even as VMI employees continue their normal work schedules.

“I have to think ahead to what the contractor is going to do tomorrow or the day after and get the word out,” he said. Employees have been coping with the need to adjust their parking habits, in some cases with real pleasure. The parking lot behind the human resources office, for instance, had gotten in rough shape. “They were so thrilled to get a new parking lot,” said Dunbar of the employees who park there, “they were very cooperative.” Prep work has included preserving historic pavers and rebuilding curbs along Letcher Avenue near Moody Hall. Preserving the pavers is part of VMI’s Architectural Preservation

Master Plan, said Col. Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of the VMI Museum. The pavers were first placed between 1904 and 1909 in downtown Lexington and at VMI, so, said Gibson, “They’ve been here more than 100 years.” “The pattern is unusual,” he said, “though I don’t think it was at the time. … The pavers add a warm feel to the sidewalk. It’s much more small town.” Gibson said the pavers were removed individually and almost 100 percent will be reused. Some, fractured during removal, will be put back together as they are reinstalled. The paving project also has a “green” element. Dunbar said all of the old asphalt is being “milled” – that is removed – and pulverized. The milling assures that the roadway is not built up by having layers of paving added on top of one another, and the pulverized asphalt can be reused. Pulverized asphalt, for instance, was applied and then rolled on the former gravel roadway across from Cormack Field House.

Skip Dunbar, VMI physical plant staff architect, inspects historic pavers that were removed and awaiting reinstallation during rebuilding of curbs along Letcher Avenue in May. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.


Army ROTC Commissions 42 New LieutenantsBy cApt. JAMeS Sheldon ’00, ArMy rotc

Forty-two VMI Army ROTC cadets received their bars as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army May 15 at the spring joint commissioning ceremony in Cameron Hall. Five of the cadets were selected by the U.S. Army Cadet Command as Distinguished Military Graduates, which means they were in the nation’s top 20 percent for their accomplishments in military training, leadership, and academics. They are Logan Barnhill, Clayton Melton, Gerald Popko, Ryan Stull, and Weston Whitcomb. Another 10 cadets are expected to commission this summer following the Leader Development and Assessment Course – LDAC – at Fort Lewis, Wash. Four more will commission this summer after completing summer school and two were commissioned in December. After the joint ceremony, the new officers and their families and friends moved up to the lawn in front of Marshall Hall, where they took the individual oath of office during pin-on and first-salute ceremonies. The first salute is a time-honored tradition wherein each new lieutenant chooses a non-commissioned officer who made a significant contribution to his or her journey to become an officer, salutes that NCO, and presents him or her with a silver dollar in thanks for the NCO’s support and guidance. The Army’s commissioning officer and speaker was Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the 32nd Army vice chief of staff, who gave a stirring speech to the commissioning cadets emphasizing that they have chosen to serve the nation at a critical time, during the global war on terrorism. He emphasized that, as cadets, they were instilled with the Army values: loyalty, duty, respect,

Army ROTC cadets take the oath of office during the joint commissioning ceremony in Cameron Hall. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Chiarelli concluded his remarks by reminding the newly commissioned officers that the oath they were about to take was unique, swearing allegiance not to a king but to a government of ideals, ideals which have kept the nation free. The new second lieutenants headed to different posts to begin their professional officer training in armor, aviation, chemical corps, corps of engineers, field artillery, infantry, military intelligence, military police, medical service corps, ordnance, or transportation.

Naval ROTC Commissions 35By cMdr. Jon BAcA, nAvAl rotc

VMI’s Naval ROTC commissioned 35 Navy ensigns and Marine second lieutenants on May 15. Additionally, five graduating cadets will commission via Officer Candidates School and one via the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program. Newly commissioned Marine officers are Andrew W.P. Baity, Alex J. Beckstrand, Thomas J.J. Bond, Donte D. Brown, Ericsson W.K. Davis, Evan A. Farley, Jared N. Hendee, Robert L. Hindle Jr., Andrew R. Horgan, Peter J. Karonis IV, John M. R. Krahling, Michael T. Kromm, Preston M. Landt, David N. Lochart, Julia M. Markow, David A. Padgett, David M. Phillips, William R. Shannon, John A. Sheehan, Joseph M. Simmers, B. Barker Squire, and Robert T. Stockman III. They will all report to The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., for the six-month Basic Officer Course. There they will learn the common fundamental leadership, tactical, and administrative skills required of an infantry platoon commander. Four months into their training they will select and receive their primary military occupational specialties in the broad fields of combat arms, combat service support, or aviation. After completion of The Basic School, they will report to their primary MOS school for further training before joining the operating forces. Elizabeth C. Dobbins will attend the Hofstra University School of Law in

New York and will complete The Basic School upon graduation from law school. Adam S. Aikens, Steven M. Kerr, David C. Messina Jr., Jonathan J. Shirkey, and Owen T. Trotman will commission later this summer and will then follow their classmates in training. The ensigns designated as surface warfare officers, who will report directly to their ships, are Robert L. Allen, USS Higgins, DDG-76, San Diego, Calif; Rachel E. Halnon, USS The Sullivans, DDG-68, Mayport, Fla; and Anthony J. Korbely, USS Oscar Austin, DDG-79, Norfolk, Va.

Half of the ensigns, designated as naval aviators or naval flight officers, will report to student naval aviator training in Pensacola, Fla. Those ensigns are Jason T. Barnes, John P. Keilty, Scott T. MacDonald, Alexi K. Staton, Travis T. Travis, and Michael W. Vaughn. The submarine community will welcome to the Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C., Jorge Tellez, and Dominik M. Wermus will join him upon completion of Navy Officer Candidates School. The Navy special operations community will welcome Rory P. Alfree for training in the explosive ordnance disposal introductory course in Great Lakes, Ill. Finally, Jonathan R. Price will attend the basic underwater demolitions course, commonly called BUD/s, and designate in the special warfare community.

VMI’s Naval ROTC commissioned 35 cadets May 15. – Photo courtesy of Naval ROTC.


Marine Bulldog Program Prepares Cadets for OCSGunnery SGt. BrAdley S. driver, nAvAl rotc

Marine-option cadets in Naval ROTC at VMI prepare for Officer Candidate School by participating in the Bulldog program. Everyone around VMI has probably seen the platoon running around during PTT, but what people don’t see is the classroom time, weekend hikes, day and night land navigation courses, tests, and other activities that these cadets participate in. Each spring semester, the Bulldog Platoon forms up for training. The cadets are placed into a Marine rifle platoon format with a platoon commander, platoon sergeant, platoon guide, three squad leaders, and three fire team leaders per squad. These platoon billets are held by the members of the platoon on a weekly rotating basis. Evaluation of leadership potential is one of the key factors of OCS. In the Bulldog Platoon, the cadets are given the opportunity to lead their peers. At various intervals through the semester, the cadets are evaluated through observation reports, leadership ratings, graded examinations, peer evaluations, and practical applications.

While rotating through the leadership billets, the cadets are evaluated by the Naval ROTC staff and by 1st Class cadets who have attended OCS. The evaluation is supplemented by constructive counseling designed to assess individual performance and identify leadership deficiencies. Moral qualities – moral courage and conduct – are evaluated as part of leadership potential. Physical fitness evaluation is accomplished through a physical fitness program that develops gradually throughout the semester. The program is not intended solely to enable the cadets to pass all categories of the physical fitness or combat fitness test, but is designed to evaluate total fitness. Practical evaluations measure cadets’ strength and endurance. The academic evaluation program is designed to prepare the cadets for the fast-paced academic program of OCS. During the six weeks at OCS, the candidates spend more than 60 hours in a classroom. The classes cover weapons, general military subjects, Marine Corps history, tactics, operations orders, and leadership.

The 2010 Bulldog Platoon spent spring semester preparing for Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. – Photo courtesy of Naval ROTC.

VMI Co-sponsors Trilateral Security ConferenceBy col. ricK Kilroy, internAtionAl StudieS

On March 11 and 12, four VMI cadets could be seen in downtown Washington, D.C., escorting senior military and government officials from Canada, Mexico, and the United States to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for the first-ever trilateral security conference, “Trilateral Security Cooperation in North America: New Dimensions and Approaches.” Cadets David Phillips ’11 and Evan Farley ’11 shuttled the senior leaders from the Washington Plaza Hotel to the conference site in the Ronald Reagan Building, where they were met by cadets Ryan Schmidt ’13 and Bob Fendley ’11, who helped them pass through security and upstairs to the conference venue location. The cadets were representing VMI as a co-sponsor of the conference. VMI’s involvement was made possible by a North American Research Linkages grant from the Canadian Embassy to VMI’s Department of International Studies. The event was a continuation of a series of engagements on security issues in North America, with previous conferences taking place in Guadalajara and Mexico City, Mexico, and at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Gen. J.H. Binford Peay ’62, VMI superintendent, in his opening remarks noted the significant role that academic institutions like VMI and think tanks like the Wilson Center can play in bringing together diverse groups

of senior policy-makers in fields related to national security, public security, and public health, with noted scholars and academics from all three countries. The first panel, which focused on national security cooperation, included Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command; Vice Adm. A.B. Donaldson, commander of Canada Command; Vice Adm. Victor Uribe Arevalo, Mexican naval attaché to the United States; and Maj. Gen. Benito Medina Herrera, chief education officer for the Mexican Secretary of Defense. This was the first time that senior military officers from all three countries and both the Mexican army and navy participated in such a forum. The other two panels included representatives of the U.S. State Department, Canadian Embassy, Mexican National Institute of Public Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Public Health Agency Canada. The keynote speaker for the plenary session was the deputy head of mission at the Canadian Embassy, Guy Saint-Jacques, and the luncheon speaker was David Heyman, assistant secretary for policy, U.S .Department of Homeland Security. VMI’s Department of International Studies will be developing future regional security conferences, with the next event, focusing on the United States’ and China’s security interests in Africa and the role of the new U.S. Africa Command in the region, to take place in Lexington in November 2011.


Air Force ROTC Announces New OfficersBy cApt. noAh diehl, Air Force rotc

The completion of academic year 2009-10 marks an end to cadetship and a beginning as an Air Force officer for 17 cadets from the Air Force ROTC Detachment 880. Assigned to locations ranging from California to Virginia, the newly commissioned officers will begin training at their assignments within the next year. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, was Detachment 880’s guest May 15 for the commissioning events. Schwartz delivered an insightful speech during the Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony and then joined the 1st Class Air Force cadets in Memorial Garden for individual pin-ons. He addressed the soon-to-be second lieutenants and recognized each of them with an airmen’s coin. Schwartz personally administered the Oath of Office to lieutenants Rheannin H. Geis and Jacqueline K. Hadley. Each cadet took the oath “to support and defend the Constitution of the United States” and is now an Air Force second lieutenant. Schwartz’ last remarks were “I hope the family and friends enjoyed the

ceremony as much as I did.” The new officers are assigned follows: Karsten G. Bloomstrom, Distinguished Air Force Graduate, combat rescue officer, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; Carter L. Kunz, Distinguished Air Force Graduate, civil engineering, Cannon AFB, N.M.; Erik M. Blum, pilot, Whiting Field Naval Air Station, Fla.; Carter L. Brown, logistics readiness officer, Andrews AFB, Md.; Hugo R. Bustamante, combat systems officer, Pensacola NAS, Fla.; Ryan C. Crean, logistics readiness officer, Travis AFB, Calif.; Christopher P. Dommert, civil engineering, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.; Richard M. Hozik, finance officer, Shaw AFB, S.C.; Conard J.Knight, pilot, Columbus AFB, Miss.; Brian H. Molina, civil engineering, Dover AFB, Del.; Justin A. Ong, developmental engineer, Whiteman AFB, Mo. Brandon M. Stratz, developmental engineer, Edwards AFB, Calif.; Taylor S. Barela, intelligence, Goodfellow AFB, Texas; Hadley, intelligence, Goodfellow AFB; Jessica L. Tait, public affairs, Scott AFB, Ill.; Geis, force support officer, Andrews AFB; and Tyler W. Tucker, commissioned in April, air battle manager, Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Gen. Norton A. Schwartz (front), Air Force chief of staff, stands with the Air Force ROTC Class of 2010. – Photo by Kevin Remington.

Commandant’s AwardsCadet Capt. Evan Farley accepts the Superintendent’s Cup on behalf of Company E. The trophy was awarded for the first time during the Commandant’s Awards ceremony May 14 in Jackson Memorial Hall. It recognizes the company with the highest points in academics, military efficiency and physical fitness. Presented for the first time since 1985 was the Commandant’s Cup for outstanding physical training. Receiving the trophy for this academic year was Company F. Also, presented for the first time since 1989 was the Company Cup for academic achievement, received May 14 by Company B. – VMI Photo by Kevin Remington.

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Phelps Named First Women’s Water Polo CoachBy BrAd SAloiS, vMi SportS, inForMAtion

Anna Phelps has been named the first head coach of Virginia Military Institute’s fledgling women’s water polo program. Phelps will officially assume her duties early in the summer and will use the 2010-2011 academic term to build the program and recruit team personnel in anticipation of an inaugural season of competition in the spring of 2012. Phelps, 34, comes from Lincoln High School in Portland, Ore., where she has served as head women’s water polo coach and assistant men’s water polo coach. While at Lincoln, Phelps turned a winless program around in just three seasons and guided her squad to a first-place finish in the Metro League last year while compiling a 59-27-2 record over the three-year period. Phelps was named 2009 Metro League Coach of the Year and has developed several academic and All-America candidates at Lincoln, while three of her athletes earned athletic scholarship offers. Phelps guided fundraising, recruiting, and team administration of the Lincoln program and built the roster from seven athletes to more than 25. “I am extremely pleased to announce Anna Phelps as our women’s water polo coach," said Donny White, VMI athletic director. “Anna and her husband, Jeff, have been devoted to the sport of water polo for many years. Anna has a proven track record of building a successful women’s water polo program from the ground up, and we look forward to her experience as we launch our team. I am confident that she will develop a competitive women’s program at VMI.” “I am honored to accept the position of the women’s water polo coach at VMI,” said Phelps. “Water polo has been a part of my life for the last 25

years, both as a player and a coach, and it is a dream come true to start a program at such a prestigious institution. I think the decision made by VMI to add women’s water polo is extremely progressive, and I look forward to recruiting the best possible talent to build a program where young women will receive an amazing education and also achieve great athletic success.” Phelps is a 1997 graduate of Scripps College in Claremont, Calif., where she was a water polo academic and athletic All-America honoree from 1995 to 1997 and Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Prior to her collegiate career, Phelps was a high

school All-American (1993-94) at Newberg High School in Newberg, Ore., and junior national team member from 1991 through 1993. Phelps began her collegiate coaching career in 1998 at Claremont Colleges, where she led her squad to a SCIAC second-place finish while directing the program’s recruiting, training, and administrative efforts. Phelps also served as men’s and women’s water polo coach of the Iron Mountain Water Polo Club in Lake Oswego, Ore., in 1996. Phelps’ husband, Jeff, will join the Keydet women’s water polo staff as an assistant. In August 2009, VMI announced it would field a seventh NCAA Division I women’s sport and set up a committee to select the additional program. Last December, the Institute announced that women’s water polo would be added, with competition to begin in the 2011-12 academic year, joining soccer, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, swimming, and rifle as women’s intercollegiate programs sponsored by VMI.

Anna Phelps

Institute Report - June 2010

Documents

Transcript of Institute Report - June 2010