The hurdles of college and extracurricular activities mean something a little different for Zach Denton ’27, considering he actually jumps hurdles. As part of the Virginia Military Institute track and field team, Denton is dedicated to going the distance.

Simon Moore ’25 was drawn to Arthur Schopenhauer’s pessimistic views and honesty about pain and suffering. He said it might be considered a taboo subject, but it intrigued him.

Delilah Martindale ’25 researched for her honors thesis, “Preventing Suicide: The Effect of Visibility on Mental Health Infrastructure.” She chose the subject of suicide prevention in order to merge her major in international studies with her minor in psychology.

Adrenaline and nerves flow through Eleyah Armstong ’25 before she starts a race. As a captain and sprinter on Virginia Military Institute’s track and field team, the anxiety dissipates quickly as she runs.

Col. Glenn Sullivan, associate professor, and Maj. Michael LaRocca, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, are concerned with those statistics, and have received a $150,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services to conduct research on veteran suicide prevention.

The College Debates and Discourse Program at Virginia Military Institute continued its development throughout the fall semester, beginning with a partnership with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the national College Debates and Discourse Alliance.

Sedona Dancu '25 thrives in VMI's demanding environment. From balancing soccer practices and cadet duties to growing in faith as a cadet chaplain, she credits VMI for teaching her discipline and time management.

Through resources like the Miller Academic Center and academic advisors, Terrell Jackson stays on top of his studies while mentoring teammates and maintaining relationships between athletics and the Corps.

Finding VMI and all it offers was by chance. While looking at options for college, Benjamin Fong '27 sought out an ROTC scholarship. That meant selecting schools with ROTC options. He clicked Virginia Military Institute but had never heard of it.  

Katie Grochalski ’24 found that rifle served as her own personal time, something that she could devote only to herself. The solid black powder, the popping of rifles, it had a calming effect on her, so much so that she could even fall asleep at the range.