Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, appointed the rank of honorary brigadier general upon CAVU, the chaplain’s office facility dog, in a ceremony Sept. 3 in New Barracks.

Guest speakers are Michael E. Woods, professor of history and director of The Papers of Andrew Jackson at the University of Tennessee, and Reeve Huston, associate professor of history at Duke University.

The VMI Community Theatre will hold auditions for its fall show, “The Real Inspector Hound,” Monday, Sept. 9; Tuesday, Sept. 10; Wednesday, Sept. 11; and Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7:45 p.m. in Gillis Theater located in Marshall Hall on post.

Over the summer, improvements and upgrades have been made to the Post Exchange (PX). Menu items from two new Parkhurst Dining brands are available: Cinco, which offers a Tex-Mex menu, and Grill 1839, which offers classic grill items.

Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, the H.B. Johnson Jr., Class of 1926, Distinguished Speaker, will address the Corps of Cadets and faculty at the academic convocation at Virginia Military Institute on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 10:30 a.m. in Cameron Hall on Main Street.

Sherry Wallace has been named the new director of communications and marketing at Virginia Military Institute, effective Aug. 26. She is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army and holds a Master of Public Administration from Missouri State University and a bachelor's degree from Hendrix College.

This year’s Rat Mass comes from 36 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Guam, six foreign countries, with 62% from Virginia and 38% from out of state. Eighty-six are female, and 168 are recruited NCAA athletes.

VMI's football and soccer teams will be playing on newly sodded fields this year. Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium and Patchin Field were both sodded over the summer with Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, known for its exceptional tolerance to cool temperatures, as well as wear and tear.

Lt. Col. Shannon Eskam, director of financial aid at Virginia Military Institute, has been promoted to assistant superintendent for strategic enrollment management/director of financial aid. In her new position, Eskam oversees the Office of Admissions, the Office of Financial Aid, Cadet Marketing,

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Lawrence Havird ’90 assumed duties as Virginia Military Institute’s new commandant Aug. 5.