Cadets at VMI have the opportunity to join a numbers of academic clubs and honor societies during their time at the Institute.

These groups offer a way to connect with faculty and staff who share common academic interests, travel to events around the country, and participate in conferences and discussion sessions around pertinent and timely topics related to the cadets' fields of study.

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Academic Clubs

Club Name	Department	Advisor(s)	Description
Pre-Health Club	Biology	Maj. Molly Kent	The Pre-Health Club at VMI allows cadets to meet other students on similar paths towards the medical field, to network with nearby schools and programs, to learn from alumni about their successes and failures towards their health professions.
Drone and "Internet of Things' Club	Computer and Information Sciences	Dr. Sherif Abdelhamid, Dr. Sangmork Park	The purpose of this club is to provide cadets the ability to enhance academic, and military proficiency through numerous activities including learning to assemble, flying/racing drones, and the functional uses of the “Internet of Things” (IoT). This club can provide academic stimulation for cadets as participants will learn a variety of skills; Such as how to assemble a drone, programming languages (C++ and Python) needed to perform different tasks such hacking drones, flying drones, and uses of IoT and how it creates ease of use for users.
VMI Cyber Club	Computer and Information Sciences	Dr. Mohamed Azab, Mr. Amish Parikh	The mission of the VMI Cyber Club is to prepare cadets to enter the cyber security industry by training them in the basic to intermediate skills needed in order to be proficient with different forms of penetration testing.
VMI Programming Club	Computer and Information Sciences	Lt. Col. Ramoni Lasisi, Col. David Smith	The mission of the VMI Programming Club is to test, develop, and archive algorithms to further both the participating cadet's knowledge and understanding of programming practices as well as make them available for institute use. It is also a priority to engage in intercollegiate or online programming competitions to further the exposure of VMI and expand upon the skills of the students.
Cadet Investment Group (CIG)	Economics and Business	Maj. Steven Landgraf	The Cadet Investment Group (CIG) is a student-led organization that manages a $200,000 stock portfolio split between two funds investing in large and small/midsize companies, respectively. The group meets weekly to review the fund performance, learn how to evaluate stocks, and present buy or sell proposals. The proposals are judged and voted on by the group members, who aim to select only the best ideas. CIG hosts speakers, interacts with investment professionals and alumni, and takes an annual trip to New York City to meet with alumni working on Wall Street. It is open to all majors looking for hands-on experience in preparing for a career in the financial industry or developing personal financial skills.
Psychology Club	Psychology	Lt. Col. Jillian Stuart, Maj. Michael LaRocca	The VMI Psychology Club is a cadet-run organization designed to foster communication, organizational skills, leadership skills, and understanding of psychological knowledge for any cadet interested in psychological science. This club is dedicated to building connections between cadets, faculty, and the Lexington, VA, community by organizing social events, facilitating cadet-faculty interactions, and inviting external speakers to post.
Rocket Club	Physics and Astronomy	Maj. Durig Lewis	To help cadets develop an understanding of rocketry through the construction and launching of medium to high powered model rockets.
WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering)	Physics and Astronomy	Col. Daniela Topasna	The Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) group provides students at VMI with an opportunity to connect with women in STEM fields, to provide support and mentorship, and to increase visibility of women in these fields.

 

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Honor Societies

Society Name	Department	Advisor(s)	Description
Beta Beta Beta	Biology	Lt. Col. Mary Beth Manjerovic, Maj. Molly Kent	Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a society for cadets who have excelled in Biology.  The society is dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research.  VMI’s Psi Omicron chapter is dedicated to supporting member engagement through involvement in biological-related volunteer activities, guest speakers, events, publications, and presentations.
Gamma Sigma Epsilon	Chemistry	Lt. Col. Daniel McCain	Gamma Sigma Epsilon is a national chemistry honor society founded in 1919 at Davidson College. The purpose of Gamma Sigma Epsilon, as summed up by one of its founding fathers, Malcolm Ray Doubles, was to “unite those men with a high scholastic grade in Chemistry, in Class A colleges, in order to foster a more com­prehensive and cooperative study of that great branch of Science and its immediately allied studies”.
Omicron Delta Epsilon	Economics and Business	Col. Sam Allen, Maj. Steven Landgraf	The honor society has two goals: first, to recognize outstanding achievement in economics, and second, to encourage a closer academic and social relationship between honor students and faculty on an informal basis. The criteria for eligibility are: 12 semester hours of economics classes, minimum 3.0 GPA in Economics classes, and a minimum of 3.0 Cumulative GPA.
Beta Gamma Sigma	Economics and Business	Col. Raymond MacDermott, Maj. Steven Landgraf	The Mission of the International Honor Society is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to foster personal and professional excellence, to advance the values of the Society, and to serve its lifelong members.
Eta Kappa Nu	Electrical and Computer Engineering	Col. Jim Squire	Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society - Eta Kappa Nu is an honor society, i.e., not a club, that honors those students who are near the top of their classes in the ECE program.
Pi Tau Sigma	Mechanical Engineering	Capt. Robert McMasters	International Mechanical Engineering Honor Society -  PI TAU SIGMA members are chosen on a basis of sound engineering ability, scholarship (upper 35%), personality, and probable future success in their chosen field of Mechanical Engineering. There are three grades of membership: Honorary, Graduate, and Active. Honorary members are technical graduates actively engaged in engineering work; or members of mechanical engineering faculties. Active members are selected from the junior and senior mechanical engineering classes at their respective schools whose mechanical engineering curriculum must be accredited by ABET.
Tau Beta Pi	Engineering (multiple)	Col. Joyce Blandino, Col. C. Newhouse,  Lt. Col. David Feinauer	Our mission is to honor the top standing cadets in engineering.  The five (5) cadet officers of Virginia Delta must plan and execute the initiation ceremony of new members each fall and each spring; this includes the actual ceremonies as well as holding election meetings and filing the correct reports with National.  Usually 8-10 cadets are involved in some of these activities during the year.
Sigma Tau Delta	English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies	Col. Steven Knepper	International English Honor Society - The VMI Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta initiates members each year and offers to Majors and minors a rich array of extracurricular activities such as field trips to museums and plays, concerts, speakers, poetry readings, ethics discussions, and cadets’ presentations of their creative and scholarly projects.
Phi Alpha Theta	History	Maj. Madeleine Ramsey,  Maj. Liz Schroepfer	National History Honor Society - Phi Alpha Theta is the national history honor society.  It promotes the study of history and seeks to bring students, teachers and writers of that subject together both intellectually and socially.  It is open to any cadet who has completed at least 12 hours of College-level history courses with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and a GPA in the history courses taken that is higher than 3.0.
Pi Sigma Alpha	International Studies and Political Science	Col. Brent Hierman	The Alpha iota Omicron Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha is VMI’s chapter of the only honor society for College students of political science and government in the United States. The purpose of the organization is to recognize excellence in academic achievement by undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of political science, government, international and public affairs; to stimulate scholarship and interest in political science; to promote worthwhile curricular and extracurricular activities related to political science; to promote civil dialog; and to engage in any other activities that further these purposes.
National Collegiate Chinese Honor Society	Modern Languages and Cultures	Dr. Lu Lu	The National Collegiate Chinese Honor Society, sponsored by the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA (CLTA), is founded to recognize the outstanding academic achievement of college students in learning Chinese as a second language, to encourage them to continue to study Chinese after they graduate from college, and to promote the study of Chinese language, literature, and culture in the United States. The National Collegiate Chinese Honor Society (NCCHS) at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) shares this vision, dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating exceptional academic achievements in Chinese language studies among VMI cadets. This society is deeply committed to enhancing the intellectual and cultural dimensions of our institution, as well as promoting cross-cultural understanding. By doing so, we strive to contribute to the core tenets of VMI's academic, military, and intellectual pursuits. The NCCHS will achieve this by fostering a community of scholars dedicated to the study of Chinese language, literature, and culture, in alignment with VMI's mission of producing educated and ethical leaders.
Phi Sigma Iota	Modern Languages and Cultures	Dr. Laura Xie	International Foreign Language Honor Society - Phi Sigma Iota recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the study or teaching of any of the academic fields related to foreign language, literature, or culture.
Pi Delta Phi	Modern Languages and Cultures	Col. Abbey Carrico	National French Honor Society - The purpose of the Society is to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and its literatures, to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities.
Sigma Delta Pi	Modern Languages and Cultures	Dr. Sabrina Laroussi	National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society - The Mission of the honor society is to recognize academic excellence in the students and to foster a more profound cultural awareness of the Hispanic world internationally, as well as its presence in the United States.
Psi Chi	Psychology	Col. Glenn Sullivan	Psi Chi recognizes academic achievement, provides leadership opportunities, and enhances intellectual experiences for members. Psi Chi members organize and lead the Psychology Club, arrange for extracurricular educational opportunities (such as external speakers or visits to psychology conferences), and provide mentorship to other PS students.
Sigma Pi Sigma	Physics and Astronomy	Col. Greg Topasna	Physics Honor Society - Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics; to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels; to promote an attitude of service of its members towards their fellow students, colleagues, and the public; to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics. Sigma Pi Sigma’s mission is not completed in the induction ceremony with the recognition of academic accomplishment. In the four dimensions of Honor, Encouragement, Service, and Fellowship, the mission of Sigma Pi Sigma takes a longer view.
Omicron Delta Kappa	Multiple departments and majors	Col. Matthew Swenty, Circle Coordinator, and Col. Pat Looney, USMC (Ret)	National Leadership Honor Society - This society recognizes leadership of exceptional quality and versatility in the Corps and stimulates participation of the members of the VMI ODK Circle in worthwhile community endeavors.

 

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Professional Organizations

Society Name	Department	Advisor(s)	Description
ASCE	Civil and Environmental Engineering	Col. Matt Swenty, Col. Chuck Newhouse, Maj. Kacie D’Alessandro, Maj. Steven Sanders	American Society of Civil Engineers - Provide essential value to our members and partners, advance civil engineering, and serve the public good.
ASME	Mechanical Engineering	Faculty Advisor: Col. Joyce Blandino	American Society of Mechanical Engineers - The mission of the ASME is to promote Mechanical Engineering cadets' knowledge of, and interest in, mechanical engineering technologies, practices, and careers; to enhance Mechanical Engineering cadets' professional development as mechanical engineers; and to provide leadership opportunities to Mechanical Engineering cadets.
IEEE Virginia Mountain Section	Electrical and Computer Engineering	Lt. Col. David Feinauer	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is the primary professional organization to our discipline.  Monthly meetings of the IEEE VMI Student branch provide continuing education credit as well as networking opportunities for all attendees.  The annual regional meeting of the IEEE (SoutheastCon) hosts a number of professional activities, including student competitions and technical presentations.
National Society of Black Engineers	Engineering (multiple)	Col Wakee Idewu	Cadets in this society are able to meet other students on similar paths towards the STEM field, to network with nearby schools and programs, to learn from alumni about their successes and failures in achieving their goals in various STEM fields.
Society of Women Engineers	Engineering (multiple)	Dr. Tanjina Afrin and Maj. Rebekah Martin	The Society of Women Engineers chapter at VMI aims to support and connect women engineers from all three engineering majors. The Society of Women Engineers was founded in 1950 to empower women, expand the image of engineering as a positive force to improve the quality of life and demonstrate the value of diversity and inclusion. This chapter is open to anyone who supports women in engineering.
Society of American Military Engineers	Engineering (multiple)	Capt. Robert McMasters	This is a world-wide group  with individually organized groups or “posts” in various geographical for regions. College and university chapters are sponsored by a “parent” post in the same geographic region.  VMI’s parent post is the Virginia Peninsula Post headquartered at Langley AFB.  The society exists to facilitate networking opportunities among individuals and organizations in the engineering field and to facilitate continuing education.  Engineering and construction work oriented toward military infrastructure are the main areas of activity around which the group is centered.
Virginia History Society	History	Lt. Col. Boonshoft, Dr. Erin Holmes	Furthering interest in all aspects of Virginia’s history by visiting historic sites  or inviting appropriate speakers to Post. (Open to any cadet).
Society of Physics Students	Physics and Astronomy	Col. Greg Topasna	The SPS exists to help students transform themselves into contributing members of the professional community.  Course work develops only one range of skills.  Other skills needed to flourish professionally include effective communication and personal interactions, leadership experience, establishing a personal network of contacts, presenting scholarly work in professional meetings and journals, and outreach services to the campus and local communities.  Locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, the SPS offers the opportunity for these important enrichments to the student's experience.
Pre-Law Society	Multiple departments and majors	Maj. Timothy J. A. Passmore	The VMI Pre-Law Society is intended for cadets interested in pursuing a legal education and career. Its purpose is to prepare members for the many challenges to be confronted in the pursuit of these goals, most notably, the law school admissions process. The organization will thus provide a variety of resources that will help prepare cadets interested in pursuing this career path, as well as providing opportunities for those interested in learning about the law within public policy.

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Faculty Groups and Organizations

Group Name	Department	Advisor(s)	Description
Women in STEM (WiSTEM)	Multiple departments	Col. Meagan Herald (Applied Mathematics)	Women in STEM is a faculty group that supports women faculty and cadets in the science, technology, engineering and math fields at VMI.