VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
June 2018
Class of 2018 Presents Proceeds of 1st Class Campaign
At the graduation parade May 14, the Class of 2018 presented the Institute with the proceeds of its 1st Class Campaign. Making the presentation to Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent were Joey Brown ’18, class president; Henry Wiswall ’18, class vice president; Benjamin Washechek ’18, class historian; and Kerisha Goode ’18, president of the Philanthropy Club. Denise Koch, VMI Foundation assistant director of annual and reunion giving, accepted the check on the VMI Alumni Agencies’ behalf. Photo by Micalyn Miller, VMI Alumni Agencies.
VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
June 2018
Day of Giving Supports the Corps of Cadets The VMI Alumni Agencies conducted its first Day of Giving from 11:30 p.m. April 30, 2018, until the same time May 1. When the gifts received during those 24 hours were tallied, they added up to more than $270,859 from 868 donors, including $100,000 in challenge money from an anonymous donor. Among the donors were 47 alumni and 37 friends who made their first gift to VMI and another 219 people who had not given in more than five years. “Many schools across the country have engaged alumni and friends through a day of giving and enjoyed considerable success,” said Steve Maconi, VMI Alumni Agencies chief executive officer. “As well as raising needed financial support, the day also gave alumni an opportunity to engage by wearing their colors, attending regional events and sharing the opportunity to support their particular schools with family and friends. Considering the intense loyalty that the VMI family has toward the Institute, we decided to host a day for VMI.” “We wanted to achieve the most online gifts in one day in the history of VMI, but as this was our first time out of the gate, we had no benchmarks we could use to set specific goals,” said Amy Goetz, VMI Alumni Agencies chief communications
The Day of Giving began with a video in which cadets discovered Moe had gone to New York City.
officer. “So, we created the goal of getting Moe a ride back to barracks while unlocking challenge gifts throughout the day. Thus, the theme ‘Moe Needs a Ride’ was born. By giving, alumni and friends would help Moe make his way from New York City – via Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Richmond – back to post. We then planned social media and
Moe was able to catch a bus from New York City to Philadelphia thanks to generous alumni and friends.
digital marketing communications to encourage VMI alumni and friends to get involved.” “It was quite an experience to see the VMI family engage in a big way,” said Micalyn Miller, VMI Alumni Agencies graphic design and marketing manager, who was part of the command center team. “It was amazing to see the large number of emails and growing number of comments on social media posts,” Miller explained. “People were sharing the excitement of the event. Tim Thompson ’77 participated at every level; he wore his colors, posted a photo of himself, gave a gift and shared his sentiments on social media, writing, ‘I am honored and proud to donate money to VMI’s first Day of Giving. Plus, I wore my VMI alumni colors. God bless VMI ... OohYa!’” They also had fun prodding each other on. Mark Benvenuto ’83 wrote, “Hey, if they got a lazy, cheapskate ... bum like me to donate, the rest of you ‘fair specimens of citizen soldiers’ should be able to.”
VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
June 2018
Moe rode a motorcycle from the Day of Giving chapter event in Richmond back to barracks and arrived back at barracks in time for taps.
Lisa Toohey, a VMI parent, shared on Facebook, “LOVED all the videos. Especially loved Moe’s ride into barracks on a motorcycle!” For the day, the VMI Alumni Agencies emphasized raising unrestricted funds through the Foundation Fund and giving in support of cadet-athletes through the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund. “Unrestricted money is extremely valuable to VMI,” explained Maconi, “because the Institute can use it wherever it is most needed. During the just concluded academic year, the Institute directed the unrestricted money to such things as expanding scholarship resources for cadets and supporting the faculty and staff, as well as the Chaplain’s Office and the Commandant’s Office. In the case of some sports, the NCAA allows a certain number of scholarship equivalencies, but our current level of endowed scholarships does not yet reach that cap, so giving to the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund helps close those gaps.” The final results showed that, while donors gave to 95 funds, they gave $88,957 to the Foundation Fund and $42,563 to the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund. The VMI Alumni Association also organized chapter events in support of the day. In the end, there were events in Boston, Massachusetts; Richmond,
Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; California; Florida and Denver, Colorado. According to Thom Brashears ’95, VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer, nearly 20 percent of the Alumni Association’s chapters hosted an event related to the Day of Giving. “It was great to see the energy from chapters across the country that came together to celebrate VMI and to ensure that it remained strong for future generations,” he said. A staff of five – John Wranek III ’85, VMI Foundation vice president for annual and reunion giving and leader of
the Day of Giving activities; Goetz; Denise Koch, VMI Foundation associate director of annual and reunion giving, who played a major role in the planning and preparation; and Jennifer Palmer of the Alumni Agencies communications office, who, along with Miller, created much of the communications support – worked from a room in Neikirk Hall to track giving trends, execute the effort’s social media plan and take advantage of opportunities to promote donors’ generosity. Early donors got the effort off to a great start, but giving picked up considerably later in the morning as emails with embedded videos began to go out and the social media effort accelerated. At one point in the morning, on average, a donor was making a gift every 30 seconds. While the pace of giving fluctuated, it was obvious that the VMI family embraced the Day of Giving wholeheartedly. “Strong giving continued throughout the day,” said Maconi, “and as taps drew closer, it became evident that this campaign would be a success. In the end, it was a great day for VMI, thanks to the hard work of the Agencies staff, support from the Institute and the generosity of the hundreds of donors who came forward to support a great American institution.”
The VMI spirit was evident by the nearly 900 donors who helped play a part in helping Moe get a Ride through generous support of the Corps of Cadets.
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June 2018
Kiffin Yates Rockwell ’912
Rockwell on leave in Paris. Photo courtesy VMI Archives.
From the outset of World War I, many Americans ardently supported France. They supported the French for many reasons, such as France’s status as a “sister republic,” sympathy for those enduring an often brutal German occupation and the central place of France in high culture. Perhaps the most common reason, however, was the notion that America owed something to France for its critical support of American independence. This idea, which prompted many Americans to serve France as ambulance drivers or soldiers before their country entered the war, was summed up by one young man who served. “I am paying my part of America’s debt
for Lafayette and Rochambeau,” wrote Kiffin Yates Rockwell, Class of 1912. Born in Tennessee in 1892, Rockwell’s family moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in 1904. A teacher described the 15-year-old Rockwell as “[a] handsome, intelligent, chivalrous boy ... immaculate in person as in honor, impatient of the tedium of school routine, restive, though ever courteous under restraint ... aglow with enthusiasm over tales of daring adventure.” Of the “tales of daring adventure” that Rockwell – and his older brother, Paul – enjoyed, many related to Napoleon’s army. So enthusiastic were they that the two vowed that if France went to war they would fight for her. In 1908, Paul enrolled at Washington and Lee University. In 1909, Rockwell followed him to Lexington, but, attracted by VMI’s Civil War history, he matriculated there instead. Although an excellent cadet and immensely fond of VMI, Rockwell joined his brother at Washington and Lee after his rat year. Apparently remaining impatient with school routine, in 1911, he left college and settled in Atlanta after some travel. As war clouds gathered over Europe during the summer of 1914, the Rockwell brothers renewed their vow to fight for France. When war was declared in August, they immediately traveled to France and enlisted in the French Foreign Legion Aug. 30. After months of training and a winter in the trenches, their regiment participated in the spring offensive in Artois. The fighting was hard and bloody, and both Rockwell brothers were wounded. Lured by the romance of flying, Rockwell transferred to France’s Service Aeronautique after his convalescence. During his training, Rockwell met William Thaw, one of the Amer-
Among the many decorations Rockwell received for his service to France was the Croix de Guerre. The four palms and the star indicate that he received the award five times. This medal and others were donated to VMI by Rockwell’s brother, Paul, in 1965. Photo courtesy the VMI Museum System.
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ican aviators pressing the French to form a completely American aviation unit. Together with Paul – who had been invalided out of front-line service because of his wounds – Rockwell, Thaw and Norman Prince persuaded the French government that stories of a group of American pilots in French service would help convince the United States to enter the war. France established L’Escadrille Americaine March 3, 1916. It would take on its more famous moniker, L’Escadrille Lafayette, in November 1916. Rockwell had a flair for aerial combat and scored the Escadrille’s first victory
May 18, 1916. Aggressive in the air, he refused to open fire until he was mere feet away from his target. His squadron mate James McConnell wrote, “Rockwell ... shoves his machine gun fairly in the faces of the Germans.” Rockwell’s flight leader claimed, “Where Rockwell was, the German could not pass, but was forced rapidly to take shelter on the ground.” For his valor, he received the Medaille Militaire and four awards of the Croix de Guerre as well as promotion to sergeant. His colleagues in the Escadrille, and thanks to the accounts of the squadron written by Paul Rockwell, many Frenchmen and Americans
Rockwell posthumously received this certificate recognizing his service in the Lafayette Escadrille. Photo courtesy the VMI Archives.
came to know and admire Rockwell for skill, courage and indefatigable spirit. On Sept. 23, 1916, 19 weeks after the first of his four aerial victories, Rockwell dove his Nieuport fighter “Bebe” into a formation of German aircraft. In the ensuing combat, an explosive bullet fatally struck him in the chest. The second member of the Lafayette Escadrille to die in action, he received an elaborate funeral attended by many fellow fliers, high-ranking officers, and infantrymen and during which planes flew overhead, scattering flowers. The effect on the squadron was profound. In his 1916 book, McConnell, who would be killed in March 1917, wrote “No greater blow could have befallen the Escadrille. Rockwell was its soul.” The squadron commander wrote, “The best and bravest of us is no more.” Rockwell’s sacrifice was inspired by something genuinely noble. Fellow North Carolinian and World War I veteran, Robert B. House closed his biography of the man he called “The Aristocrat of the Air,” with the following passage: “Not the least of his victories was his winning his mother’s support. Mrs. Rockwell ... had continued to move the American and French governments in efforts to get Kiffin back home, until finally Kiffin brought her to realize that he could not retire from the struggle to which he had committed himself, and that he would not if he could. For he wrote her in his last words that referred to death, ‘If I die I want you to know that I have died as every man ought to die – fighting for what is right. I do not feel that I am fighting for France alone, but for the cause of all humanity – the greatest of all causes.’”
VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
June 2018
Atwill ’18 Honors Ancestor at New Market Day New Market Day, May 15, 2018, was marked by the time-honored parade, which is a notably more serious occasion than VMI’s normal Friday parades. Cadets march out to a solemn drumbeat, and the formation is centered on the “Virginia Mourning Her Dead” New Market memorial monument (sculpted by Moses Ezekiel ’866) instead of filling the Parade Ground facing the reviewing area in front of Preston Library. The formation of the Corps is followed by roll call for the 10 cadets who died as a result of the Battle of New Market in 1864. Ten current cadets reply for the fallen alumni with the casualty’s rank, name and, “Died on the field of honor, sir.” In addition to those called by name, the number of VMI graduates who lost their lives in every military conflict since the Mexican-American war are remembered for their sacrifice. For the past four years, a unique family connection was part of the traditional New Market Day roll call: William H. “Henry” Atwill ’18 answered the roll for his great-great-great-uncle, Cpl. Samuel F. Atwill ’866. Henry’s ancestor was mortally wounded during the battle and later died July 20, 1864, at the home of Dr. F.T. Stribling, in Staunton, Virginia. Aside from his New Market ancestor, Henry was preceded in his VMI attendance by his uncle, William H. “Bill” Atwill Jr. ’78;
grandfather, William H. Atwill ’53, M.D.; and great-grandfather, Charles B. Atwill ’906, making Henry the fifth consecutive generation of Atwills to attend VMI. While a cadet, Dr. Atwill also answered for Cpl. Atwill during the New Market roll call. “It’s been a family story for all my life,” said Dr. Atwill, recalling his family history relating to VMI. His father died when he was 10 years old, “but he made me well aware of VMI and our heritage there. When you think about those young men that charged up that muddy hill: They were heroes. And they accomplished what they set out to do.” Dr. Atwill’s example led Henry to choose VMI. About his decision to come to VMI, Henry said, “My grandfather didn’t push me, nor did my uncle. They told me stories about their experiences,” he said. “My grandfather told me the most difficult thing he ever did was VMI.” After his VMI experience, Dr. Atwill told Henry, everything else was easy. This was coming from a Korean War veteran who completed U.S. Air Force flight school and medical school and eventually set up his own medical practice. With that as his example, Henry said he was inspired to attend VMI in hopes of emulating his grandfather with similar success in his own life. He had a lot of family support while at VMI, Henry said, which, along with his family legacy, helped him “stick with it,” and, a short time after graduating, know with certainty that he “never regretted it [attending VMI] for a bit.” “I think VMI is a great school and it provides a wonderful education, not just academically but also as far life skills are concerned,” said Dr. Atwill. “Almost any young person would benefit from going to VMI.” When discussing any future Atwills who could possibly attend VMI, Dr. Atwill noted, “I have one more grandson,” then laughed and added, “He’s only five.” The Institute has always observed the New Market anniversary in some form. A formal ceremony began in 1878, when the cadet cemetery was established. Until 1912, the ceremony took place in the cemetery. In 1912, the New Market monument was moved, along with cadet remains, to its present location in front of Nichols Engineering Hall. With that move, the ceremony also changed location to face the monument. In the modern New Market ceremony, roll call is followed by laying floral tributes at the monument and headstones, prayer, a three-volley salute, taps and “Amazing Grace.” The Corps renders eyes right to the commandant, then proceeds along Letcher Avenue in front of the monument and back into barracks. WDBJ-7, a television news station out of Roanoke, Virginia, has a brief story about the Atwill family that can be viewed by clicking here. Henry Atwill ’18, left, with his uncle, Bill Atwill ’78, during Bill’s 40th Reunion in April 2018.
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Band Plays “Lili Marlene” for 1948 Reunion In September 2017, James Warrington ’48B, came into VMI Band and Glee Club Director Col. John Brodie’s office with a request. Warrington, whose 70th reunion was coming in April 2018, wanted to know if the band could play the song “Lili Marlene.” Warrington noted that it was his favorite song from World War II, and went on to tell Brodie some of his personal history. In 1943, while attending VMI, Warrington was drafted and served as an infantryman in Europe. He returned home from WWII in 1943, graduated from VMI and went on to serve as a military chaplain in Vietnam. Warrington explained further that “Lili Marlene” had also been a favorite song of many of Warrington’s army buddies, who have since died. Brodie wrote out the chord chart for “Lili Marlene,” based on a 1940 Marlene Dietrich recording and gave it to the band before the April 2018 reunion. Although four members of the Class of 1948B made it to the reunion, Warrington was the only one able to walk into barracks for old yells. As he entered barracks the band played “Lili Marlene,” evoking strong emotions in the
James Warrington ’48B enjoyed the band’s rendition of “Lili Marlene” in the Old Barracks courtyard.
veteran, who cried and sang along with the song. A German love song which is spelled in numerous different ways, “Lili Marlene” was recorded before WWII. It first became popular with German troops through regular play on a German radio station that broadcast throughout the European theater, and was later used during the station’s nightly sign-off. “Lili Marlene” tells the story of a couple separated by the war and illustrates a soldier dreaming of reuniting with his girlfriend, while remembering their evening farewell under a lamp outside his barracks. Serving as both a distraction from war and a reminder of home, the song spoke to troops on both sides. The most famous German version was recorded by Lale Andersen. Popular legend indicates that the song was destined for obscurity because Third Reich propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels disliked “Lili Marlene” because it was not sufficiently military-themed, but was forced to change his mind due to the song’s popularity amongst Axis troops. An English version was later penned with similar words, and the most famous version was recorded by Marlene Dietrich.
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June 2018
Olmsted Trip to Israel Offers Cultural Immersion Experience by Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing Ongoing for several years now, a spring furlough trip sponsored by the Olmsted Foundation has taken cadets to many places across the globe, from Vietnam to Poland. This year, though, eight cadets and three faculty members from the Department of History had an entirely different experience as they traveled to Israel over spring furlough. “The Olmsted Foundation gives us a lot of freedom in terms of picking locations,” explained Maj. Houston Johnson, assistant professor of history, who was making his fourth Olmsted trip this year. “Israel is a really interesting place geopolitically in terms of U.S. policy, and also with the cultural, religious, and ethnic history and tension, we thought it would offer the cadets a really interesting opportunity for cultural immersion,” he continued. The Olmsted Foundation, which provides the funds for nearly all trip expenses, offers cultural immersion opportunities for cadets planning to commission into the armed services, with the goal of broadening the world view of future officers. Israel is a small country – roughly a third of the size of Maine – but its layers upon layers of cultural and religious history meant that the travelers had to move at a brisk pace to pack in all that they wanted to see. Among the sites the group took in were the Old City of Jerusalem, where Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all claim a place; Masada, the site of King Herod’s fortress; the Golan Heights, an area that Israel annexed from Syria in 1981; and the Dead Sea, where the extreme salinity of the water makes swimmers float with ease. Other stops included Acre, a battleground city for medieval Crusaders; the ancient Roman city of Caeserea; and Tel Aviv, the second-largest city in Israel. The group kicked off its stay with three days exploring Jerusalem. On Sunday, March 25, which was Palm Sunday, the group traveled the Via Dolorosa, or way of sorrow, which is believed to be the path walked by Christ en route to the crucifixion, and they also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is built on the traditional site of the crucifixion. “That was a very powerful and moving experience,” said Grant Fudge ’18. “I was kind of speechless going through there.” But Jerusalem, like all ancient cities, looks to the present as much as the past. While in the city, the cadets and faculty members met with representatives of Combatants for Peace, a group trying to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict simmering ever since the nation of Israel was established in 1948. “It is a very polarized situation over there, so to see these groups that were completely opposite working together was interesting,” said Alexandra Hill ’18. “I didn’t expect that there was anything like that over there.” Johnson explained that the meeting with Combatants for Peace exposed cadets to a different perspective, that of the native Palestinians. “While you’re in Israel, it’s hard to get access to the Palestinian side,” he noted. Thanks to a State Department travel advisory, the group was not allowed to visit the West Bank and Gaza. The group had another reminder of Israel’s fragile peace when they visited the Golan Heights. By a chance encounter, they were able to talk to two United Nations peacekeepers, one from Northern Ireland
and the other from New Zealand. The two were charged with watching over the border with Syria to ensure treaties are being observed. “The situation in Syria and Israel has garnered a lot of international attention,” said Fudge. “Just to see a lot of different nationalities represented there really speaks to how important the region is in the world.” After learning about the region’s conflicts, a trip to the Dead Sea provided an opportunity for some much-needed fun and relaxation. Fudge, who admitted that floating is a skill he’s struggled to master, found not having to fight gravity a freeing experience. “I was actually kind of skeptical at first, ‘How can you float so easily?’ because every time I’m in water, I sink like a rock,” he said. “But getting in the Dead Sea, you just float. That was one of my favorite parts of the trip.” Hill said that while the language barrier was somewhat of a challenge, as Hebrew and Arabic are the most common languages spoken and not everyone knows English, she felt extremely safe while traveling in Israel. “I was actually really scared about going to the Middle East,” said Hill. “I was hesitant.” Thankfully, she soon found that there was nothing to be afraid of. “It was so safe over there,” said Hill. “Tel Aviv, Jerusalem – you wouldn’t imagine how westernized these places are.” Both Hill and Fudge said they would recommend the Olmsted trip highly to other cadets. “Just being in a culture, you understand it so much more,” said Hill. “If you’re seeking to travel, if you’re seeking an adventure like that, you shouldn’t be afraid. You should just go for it.” Fudge emphasized the personal growth that comes from foreign travel. “It’s an invaluable experience to go overseas and get put out of your comfort zone – understand other people, other cultures and other ways of life,” he commented. “It really puts life in perspective and allows you to be more objective ... It opens your horizons and makes you want to learn more.” Also traveling on this year’s Olmsted trip were Brian Macaluso-Stafford ’18, Ian Horkan ’18, Tyler Krug ’18, Tripp Fitch ’18, Christian Cartegena ’18, Samantha Shepherd ’18, Maj. Jochen Arndt, and Maj. John Matsui. Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in the May 2018 VMI Institute Report.
Cadets and faculty members pose at a Jerusalem overlook. Photo courtesy Maj. Houston Johnson.
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June 2018
Leading the Way to a Better Environment by Ashlie Walter, VMI Communications & Marketing
Gov. Ralph Northam ’81 delivers the keynote address during the welcoming ceremony for the Environment Virginia Symposium in Gillis Theater April 4. VMI photo by Kelly Nye.
For three days the first week of April, nearly 500 participants gathered at Virginia Military Institute’s Center for Leadership and Ethics for the 29th annual Environment Virginia Symposium to learn more about all facets of environmental policy, from pipelines to climate resiliency. Gov. Ralph Northam ’81 kicked off the conference by announcing an executive order he signed April 4 to “revitalize” the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. “Protection of our environment, particularly the Chesapeake Bay, is why I decided to run for governor,” he said, noting his Eastern Shore childhood spent crabbing and fishing in that bay. The order called for updating current state environmental regulations, preventing rollbacks of environmental policy, and improving transparency into the DEQ’s processes. Northam said the department has seen its staff
cut by 30 percent and its budget by $60 million. Many of the conference’s attendees were DEQ staff members and other state officials, but participants also included representatives from businesses focused on environmental issues. “The people in this room and commonwealth will leave [the environment] better than we found it,” he said. Meanwhile, he highlighted how different regions of the state could feel the effects of such environmental challenges as climate change, the Atlantic coast and Mountain Valley natural gas pipelines, the threat of rising sea levels in Hampton Roads, and coal ash depository ponds across the state. “From the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast, Virginia boasts the most diverse land. Outdoor recreation is 2 percent of [gross domestic product],” Northam said. To learn more about the numerous issues facing the natural world, the conference featured 40 breakout sessions on topics such as offshore wind turbine development, solar development, improving water quality and land conservation. A new feature of this year’s conference was a drop-in “think tank” for attendees to discuss and brainstorm environmental issues. Several members pinned cards to the wall of a conference room with their ideas on solar power, the effect of pipelines on soil and other topics. On the final day of the symposium, Ann Goodman, author of the book “Adapting to Change: Emerging Business Approaches to Climate Resilience,” spoke on how businesses can collaborate with government to improve their communities’ resilience against climate change and react to natural disasters. Also on that day, Carlton Hershner Jr. was named the winner of the 2018 Erchul Environmental Award. Hershner is the director of the Center for Coastal Resources Management at the College of William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The Erchul Award is named for the late Capt. Ronald A. Erchul, who taught geology and civil engineering at VMI for 27 years and was the founder of the Environment Virginia Symposium. Editor’s Note: This article was first published in the May 2018 VMI Institute Report.
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Ross ’74 Retires After 20 Years of Service to VMI The Keydet Club will be saying goodbye to a familiar face June 30, as Donnie Ross ’74 will retire after 20 years of service to VMI. Donnie first returned to VMI as an assistant football coach. He has been a tireless advocate of the Institute, the athletic program and VMI cadet-athletes, raising millions of dollars in their support and rising to the position of Keydet Club vice president. His dedication to his work has resulted in countless leadership gifts and the establishment of many athletic scholarship endowments, while motivating innumerable members of the VMI family to root for the Keydets. Ross’ sincerity, humor and friendliness has inspired the trust of the VMI family and reflected positively on the Institute, and as a result, he was recognized at the 2018 Jeff “Pup” Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing June 1. After special remarks from Rick Kastelberg ’74, longtime friend and brother rat, and brother, Coach Bobby Ross ’59, the Keydet Club honored Ross by announcing the establishment of the Donald S. “Donnie” Ross ’74 Family Athletic Scholarship. The Keydet Club would like to personally thank Ross; his wife, Barbara; and sons, Brian ’99 and David ’02, for their love and commitment to VMI. If you would like to make a contribution to honor Ross’ distinguished career with the Keydet Club, you may do so by mailing your gift to P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 or by calling 800-444-1839.
As Ross reacted to the announcement that several of his friends had initiated the abovementioned scholarship, he commented about his abiding love for VMI and its cadet-athletes. Most importantly, he encouraged our ongoing support of VMI and urged all of us to get on the team. An Old Yell for Donnie: Are you ready?!
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Keydet Club Sports Update by Andrew Deal ’12, Vice President, Keydet Club
The VMI baseball team wrapped up their regular season with a 26-25 record, posting a winning regular season record for the first time since 2014. The 2018 squad had six players earn postseason conference honors, led by Matt Pita ’18 and Peyton Maddox ’18, who both earned First Team honors. Jake Huggins ’19, Josh Winder ’19, Nathan Eaton ’19 and Will Malbon ’17 were named Second Team All-SoCon. In the Southern Conference tournament, the Keydets earned the No. 4 seed, after being picked preseason eighth. They went up against two talented teams, the Mercer University Bears and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Spartans, falling to both. Following the tournament, Pita picked up additional honors being named First Team All-ECAC. He is the first VMI baseball player to earn First Team honors. Pita also earned the Intercollegiate Award from VMI, given to the top male athlete selected from the baseball, football,
basketball, cross-country and track programs. Women’s water polo player Shelby Barkley ’18 earned honorable mention All-American honors by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches following one of the best scoring seasons in program history. She ends her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 314 goals while also setting a single-season record for most goals by recording 107 this past season. The VMI men’s and women’s soccer programs recently released their 2018 schedules. The teams will combine to host 16 home matches. VMI lacrosse’s Kyle Walsh ’19 and A.J. Krstulovic ’20 earned All-SoCon honors following the 2018 season. Kyle earned First Team after being ranked 11th in the nation with 6.69 groundballs per game. A.J. was named Second Team at the face-off position, ranking 14th in the nation in faceoff winning percentage at .596.
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2018 Jeff “Pup” Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing by Andrew Deal ’12, Vice President, Keydet Club On June 1, 2018, the Keydet Club welcomed more than 200 leadership donors and guests for the annual Jeff “Pup” Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing. It was a beautiful day in Lexington as 104 golfers attempted to channel their best Jack Nicklaus impression at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, while others enjoyed tennis with Dan Earl, head basketball coach, and Jonathan Hadra ’04, head baseball coach. A final group showed off their shooting skills at Quail Ridge Sporting Clays. The daylong stewardship event culminated with a wonderful banquet catered by the Southern Inn and a program where the ever-enthusiastic Scott Wachenheim, head football coach, highlighted team progress and recognized the wonderful work of all
of our head coaches at VMI. He closed by thanking Keydet Club donors for their continued investment in VMI’s cadet-athletes and punctuated the impact made by their generous and loyal support. Buzz Birzenieks ’64, Keydet Club Board president, closed the program with a board resolution offering special thanks to Donnie Ross ’74, Keydet Club vice president, who will retire June 30 after 20 years. It was a wonderful day. The Keydet Club is ever grateful to its donors, especially the more than 900 leadership donors whose financial support helps provide access and affordability to cadet-athletes, making a VMI education comprehensive and remarkable.
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June 2018
Barbery Earns SoCon Postgraduate Scholarship
The Southern Conference named Brandon Barbery ’18 as one of 10 postgraduate scholarship recipients for the 2017-18 academic year. Barbery received the David Hart Scholarship. A left-handed pitcher and team captain for the Keydets, Barbery was a weekend starter for the first three years of his career, going 5-3 in 2015 en route to earning SoCon All-Freshman honors. As of May 1, 2018, Barbery had made nine appearances with three starts. He collected a win over No. 15 University of Virginia Feb. 20, 2018, and earned the Gen. Shale SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week honors for his efforts. Barbery majored in biology and held a 3.95 GPA. His honors thesis on neurobiology research related to Parkinson’s disease was published in the scientific journal, Toxics, and he will attend medical school in the fall. The president of VMI’s chapter of Beta Beta Beta biology
honor society, Barbery was a member of the VMI Institute Honors Program and was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma freshman honor society. He has also logged hundreds of hours of community service, including many during his summer spent playing with the Brazos Valley Bombers in College Station, Texas. While with the Bombers, he participated in weekly reading to children, Habitat for Humanity projects and a church rebuilding and cleaning. He also volunteered at numerous baseball camps and local fishing events. Barbery has served as a teaching assistant at VMI, presented at the SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum and held the positions of squad, team and platoon leader as a member of the Army ROTC at VMI. For more information on the other SoCon postgraduate scholarship recipients, please visit SoConSports.com.