LEXINGTON, Va. July 22, 2024 — Entering college is often stressful, but entering the Rat Line can be daunting.  

At Virginia Military Institute, incoming rats can ease into the experience to get a better idea of what’s to come thanks to the Summer Transition Program (STP) during the summer before Matriculation. STP gives those matriculating the opportunities to improve on academics and physical fitness.

The four-week program allows participants to take one academic class and become familiar with VMI — living in barracks, physical training, eating in Crozet Hall, and taking classes.  

STP is voluntary; incoming rats aren’t required to do it, but Tricia Fry, the director of the Cadet Counseling Center at VMI, said it’s a good introduction to the rigors of VMI, without being as intense as the first year. 

Fry said those at STP can also participate in resilience workshops, which started in 2017. Each year, the workshops have evolved, based on the feedback from previous years. This year, there were three workshops: Rat Rhythm, Stress Less, and Mental Fitness. There were also multiple yoga sessions called Stretch-n-Release students could attend. 

“Overall, the resilience workshops discuss a variety of topics that help enhance resilience in the Rat Line and beyond,” Fry said. “The tips in the Rat Rhythm workshop range from helping transition to VMI, the Rat Line, starting college, or being away from home. We also focus on stress management and practice simple strategies to regulate emotions such as grounding techniques, deep breathing, and brief body scans. We focus on having a growth mind-set and a mind-set of optimism.” 

The Rat Rhythm workshop has significantly grown, Fry said. This year, they had 52 participants, which is 28% of those in STP. Other workshops had higher attendance than previous years, she said.  

The workshops are meant to provide a fun atmosphere while still helping participants, Fry said. This year, she introduced new slides into the Rat Rhythm presentation to take polls, which helped participants answer tough questions in a more inviting and engaging way.   

"Everyone comes to VMI from different backgrounds, and different experiences and I hope the workshops provide additional internal resources to help students on their journey,” she said.  

In 2021, yoga was offered as part of the initiative, initially partnering with the Department of Human Performance and Wellness.  

"It was Captain Katie Baur who was willing to partner with us and together we created themes for each yoga session. Katie created the flow that we use, and I integrated mindfulness into each flow. It was a great partnership,” Fry said. 

The yoga sessions are only 20 minutes long, to accommodate the STP schedule.  

“As a licensed professional counselor, I integrate mind-body connection into counseling sessions and yoga is a great way to help individuals not only connect with their body, but it also helps to 'build the muscle’ of being present,” Fry said. “There is a stigma related to mental health and seeking help at VMI, and engaging cadets during the STP program through the workshops and yoga has been a wonderful way for them to engage with someone from Cadet Counseling outside of the office.”  

Laura Peters Shapiro
Photos by Rhita Daniel
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE