Katie Lloyd ’23, an international studies major from Caroline County, Virginia, commissioning into active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps was always the plan. But her time at VMI was crucial for expanding knowledge and skills and finding her specific area of interest. 

Anna Yemelianova ’25, an international studies major at Virginia Military Institute, has been named a fellow in the Iris Burton Bulls Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Fellowship Program.

Antonio Ahanj ’24, an international studies major at Virginia Military Institute, has been awarded a Boren Scholarship to study Arabic in Jordan during the 2023-24 academic year in the Middle East: Jordan in Amman.

Jimmy Murphy ’24 has been working the past two summers in the U.S. Capitol, jumping between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The international studies major and national security minor took his first internship the summer of 2021 as a legislative intern.

Michael Piemonte ’16, an alumnus who majored in international studies and commissioned into the U.S. Army as an intelligence officer, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award in international relations to Italy for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Col. Ryan R. Holston, professor in the Department of International Studies and Political Science and the Jonathan M. Daniels ’61 Chair for Academic Excellence recently published his first book titled, “Tradition and the Deliberative Turn: A Critique of Contemporary Democratic Theory.”

Members of the VMI community continue to expand academic opportunity and impact across various fields of study. Recent activities include honor society inductions, ethics bowl competition, and collaborations in cyber research.

A team of cadets enjoyed success when it traveled to Sanremo, Italy, in late March to participate in the annual International Competition on the Law of Armed Conflict. The competition draws cadets from military academies all over the world.

Eight 1st Class commissioning cadets along with their faculty leadership team toured Japan, a key U.S. ally, during spring furlough as part of the Olmsted Foundation’s Undergraduate Program. Cadets were chosen based on their GPA, ROTC ranking, a written essay, and personal interview.

Brandon Marks ’23, an international studies major at Virginia Military Institute, conducted a two-year-long research project on microfinance, and presented his findings in his senior thesis titled, “The Impact of Domestic Context on Microfinance Provision and Effectiveness” during Honors Week, held