Headlines

Lt. Col. Pennie Ticen to speak on With Good Reason

VMI English Professor to Speak on ‘With Good Reason’

Lt. Col. Pennie Ticen, associate professor of English at Virginia Military Institute, will discuss the sometimes controversial British-American author Salman Rushdie on public radio’s With Good Reason Sept. 4-10, in an episode titled “Reading and Writing Ourselves.”

VMI Logo and Post

Statement on Executive Directive 18 for the VMI Faculty and Staff

Governor Northam’s Executive Directive 18 goes into effect on September 1, 2021. A statement was sent to all VMI faculty and staff by Major General Cedric T. Wins '85, superintendent, explaining vaccination reporting and testing guidelines.

Maj Gen Cedric Wins '85 with VMI logo over post photo

Face Covering Policy Statement for the Corps of Cadets

Communicated by Major General Cedric T. Wins ‘85, superintendent, these instructions support the Institute’s objective to provide an academic year experience as normal as possible given current COVID impacts.

Portrait of new Deputy Director of HR, Maj. Valarie Stores

Lexingtonian Returns Home for Deputy HR Position

“Always, in my mind, I knew I wanted to return to Lexington. I absolutely love it here.” That’s what Maj. Valarie Stores has to say about her move back to Lexington, her home for much of her childhood and a community where her family ties run deep.

Athletic Director Donny White

TAPS—Mr. Donny White '65

The superintendent regrets to inform the VMI community of the death of Donny White ’65 on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the age of 78 after an extended illness. White served 35 years at VMI, including his final role of director of athletics.

Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, presents Col. Janet Holly a chair in recognition of her 37 years of service. She will retire from VMI on Sept. 1. –VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.

Kindness, Collaboration Highlight Holly’s 37 Years

“What I’ve enjoyed the most is working with the cadets.” That’s what Col. Janet Holly says about her position as a research and instruction librarian—a job she’s held for an incredible 37 years. Come Sept. 1, though, she’ll transition from employee to retiree.

Dr. Vera Heuer and Allie Sassaman '22 discuss Sassaman's research on women in terrorism.—VMI Photo by Eric Moore.

Cadets Return to In-Person Summer Research at VMI

Conducted by the VMI Center for Undergraduate Research, SURI (Summer Undergraduate Research Institute) is a program where the cadet, as the principal investigator, conducts research directly with a faculty mentor.

Gabby Handford '24 and Maj. Molly Kent prepare sections of a rat brain for study under a microscope.—VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.

Rat Brains and Betta Fish Support Lab Learning

Maj. Molly Kent’s neuroscience lab is a busy place this summer, with multiple cadets working on multiple projects split over the two summer sessions. But despite their wide-ranging projects, the cadets share a common bond: a desire to learn lab skills and grow as scientists.

Jacob Benny ’22 photo overlay above VMI post photo with VMI logo

Cadet Project Could Help with Lunar Return

As a high school student, Jacob Benny ’22 had a natural talent for math, and he’d also discovered an interest in physics. But work on a project for NASA before he’d even earned a college degree? That seemed to be an out-of-this-world ambition.

Erin Kozlowski '22 poses for a photo with Christina Creech, food bank supervisor at STOP Inc.—Photo courtesy of Erin Kozlowski '22.

Shepherd Internships Show Challenges of Poverty

This summer, four cadets are taking part in internships designed to show them a side of life many have not seen before as they participate in a program through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty, which places students with nonprofits serving the economically disadvantaged.

VMI: Forging 21st Century Leaders