Institute Report. December 2016

              CPTF Offers Myriad Training Opportunities for Corps, Track Team
Obstacle and High Ropes Courses, Climbing Wall, Hydraulic Track Soon to Be in Use
By Mary Price
After more
than two years of
construction, VMI’s
newest building,
the indoor training
facility, recently
designated the
Corps Physical
Training Facility,
is now poised to
welcome cadets.
On Oct. 28, VMI’s
construction office
received a certificate
of occupancy for the
vast new building,
which has been
under construction
since the summer of
2014 at the corner of
Main and Diamond
streets. By mid-No-vember,
the track
team had begun us-ing
the $84 million
building, and that
team’s coaches had
moved into their
offices there. The en-tire
Corps will start
using the facility
sometime in 2017.
“VMI is still work-ing
out the overall
operations of the
building – how it’s
going to be accessed,
who gets access to
it, who gets to use
it on a daily basis,”
‘You Just Have to Keep Going’
Math and Physics Major Wins Coveted Spot in Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program
By Mary Price
Displaying VMI’s “never say die” attitude, Emma Nobile ’17 hung
tough through five grueling interviews last month to become the
first female cadet in recent memory to be selected for the Navy’s
prestigious and highly selective nuclear reactors program. She
was one of only six midshipmen nationwide to be selected.
“Not many people apply for Naval reactors,” said Nobile, an
applied mathematics and physics double major. “It’s definitely a
different part of the Navy than most people are interested in.”
The nuclear reactors program, which is command central
for the nuclear Navy, is headquartered at the Navy Yard in
Washington, D.C. Being selected to work there is quite a coup
– and Nobile will become only the second VMI graduate to work
there since Evan Dill ’13.
“They are the top of the top, the best of the best,” said Lt. Bryan
Glock, the Navy ROTC’s nuclear propulsion officer, of those
selected for Naval nuclear reactors. “We’re very proud of her
for succeeding.”
Nobile had known since high school that she wanted to be in the
Navy, but it wasn’t until she neared her 1st Class year at VMI that
she knew she wanted nuclear reactors.
Among the features of the Corps Physical Training Facility are a 200-meter hydraulic track, overhead
obstacles, a rock wall, a warmup track, and spectator seating. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV. See Training Facility, page 7
See Coveted Spot, page 8
Institute Report Virginia Military Institute
Volume XLV, Number IV, December 2016
Leadership
and Ethics
Conference
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. H.R.
McMaster (right) address-es
the seventh annu-al
Leadership and Ethics
Conference, which took
place Nov. 2-3 with speakers
and panel sessions focus-ing
on strategic leadership
during global transition.
Other conference speakers
were international policy an-alyst
Linda Robinson and for-eign
policy professor Michael
Mandelbaum. To see more
photos, visit VMINews.tumblr.
com, post date Nov. 3. – VMI
Photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.
Campaign Exceeds $300 Million
By Scott Belliveau ’83, VMI Foundation
Donald M. Wilkinson ’61, chairman of An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant
Future: The Campaign for VMI, announced at the Nov. 11 Institute Society dinner that this
comprehensive fundraising effort had raised $305 million from more than 14,500 alumni,
friends, corporations, and foundations.
The campaign, said Wilkinson, is about making VMI thrive in a “highly competi-tive”
world.
“As financial support from the state dwindles – and this is an enormous problem – the
campaign is also focused on enabling VMI to be self-sufficient as it maintains the mission.”
The campaign will conclude its work on June 30, 2017, the end of the fiscal year, he said,
cautioning that there should be no slackening of effort until then.
“We’re not done yet,” he said, “We still have a lot of hard work to do. We have high aspira-tions
for continuing to increase these numbers and, therefore, the resources to ensure VMI’s
brilliant future.”
“This effort has made everyone associated with VMI proud of the way that our alumni
and friends always rally to the Institute’s cause,” said Brian S. Crockett, the CEO of the VMI
Foundation, who has served as the campaign’s chief operating officer since its inception. It
has, he added, “filled us with a sense of confidence that the Institute will be able to accomplish
its mission in its own remarkable way well into the future.”
For more information, visit www.vmi.edu/campaign.
2 VMI Institute Report
Institute Report
Volume XLV, Number IV, November 2016
The Institute Report, VMI’s monthly
newsletter, publishes eight issues
during each academic year. Inquiries,
suggestions, news items, and address
changes should be directed to Editor,
Institute Report, VMI Communications
and Marketing, Lexington, VA
24450‑0304; (540) 464‑7207; or
VMIReport@vmi.edu. © 2016 Virginia
Military Institute.
Office of Communications and Marketing
Director Col. Stewart MacInnis
Editor Maj. Sherri Tombarge
Assistant Editor John Robertson IV
Graphic Artist Robbin Youngblood
Contributors Scott Belliveau ’83
Chris Floyd
Stephen Hanes
H. Lockwood McLaughlin
Kelly Nye
Mary Price
The Virginia Military Institute is committed to
providing an environment that emphasizes
the dignity and worth of every member of its
community and that is free from harassment and
discrimination based on race, sex, color, national
origin, religion, age, veteran status, sexual orien-tation,
pregnancy, genetic information, against
otherwise qualified persons with disabilities, or
based on any other status protected by law. Every
VMI staff member, faculty member and cadet has
the right to work and study in an environment free
from discrimination and should be treated with
dignity and respect. VMI complaint and grievance
procedures provide employees and cadets with
the means for resolving complaints when this
Statement has been violated. VMI is an Equal
Opportunity Employer. Anyone having questions
concerning discrimination or the application
of Title IX regulations should contact Title IX
Coordinator, 212 Carroll Hall, VMI, Lexington, Va.
24450, (540) 464‑7072. Any cadet or prospective
cadet having questions about disability services
for students should contact the Director of
the Center for Cadet Counseling and Disability
Services, 448 Institute Hill, 2nd floor, Post Infirmary,
Lexington, Va. 24450, (540) 464‑7667. For em-ployment-
related disability services, contact
the Employee Disability Services Coordinator in
the VMI Human Resources Office, Lexington, Va.
24450, (540) 464‑7322.
December Psychology Class Meets Murderer, Larcenist
Visit to Maximum Security Prison Offers Insights into Different Life Experiences
By Mary Price
There’s a saying that you can’t understand another man until
you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins – and a group of VMI cadets
recently got a taste of that experience when they took a most unusual
field trip.
On Nov. 1, cadets in Maj. Sara Whipple’s developmental psychology
class visited the Augusta Correctional Center, a maximum-security
state prison for men.
Whipple explained that she found the opportunity for her cadets
by happenstance during a conversation with a friend who teaches in
the Shepherd Poverty Program at neighboring Washington and Lee
University. When the W&L professor mentioned that the Augusta
Correctional Center offered operational tours, and that she would be
taking a class there in the spring, Whipple realized that she too had
an opportunity.
“Developmental psychology seemed like a perfect match for that
scenario,” noted Whipple. She explained that the course focuses
on the human life cycle from prenatal development to old age, and
while it’s natural to reflect on one’s own experiences in a course such
as this, it’s more valuable to meet someone whose life experience
is different.
“I wanted students to be able to step outside of their personal
stories, … to take it to another level and see how it could be applied to
people very different from us,” said Whipple.
A major goal of the trip, she noted, was to “challenge our precon-ceived
notions about these offenders and who they are and how they
might have chosen or not chosen the path that they’re on.”
To schedule the trip, Whipple got in touch with the prison and
supplied a list of cadet names to ensure that all were at least 18 years
old. Whipple also worked with the Commandant’s Office to get
permission for the cadets to wear civilian clothes instead of uniforms
so their identities would be protected.
At the prison, cadets had the opportunity to talk to two inmates,
one of whom is doing time for murder and the other of whom is serv-ing
a life sentence for grand larceny.
“We quickly learned that our preconceived notions might not
necessarily be true,” said Cameron Jones ’19. “They were much more
accepting and warm than we thought.”
Hayley Freeman ’17 concurred, saying, “They got right into it. ‘My
name is so-and-so and I murdered somebody.’ I got nervous because I
was sitting right next to him.”
As Freeman listened, though, she found herself understanding the
man sitting next to her more and more. “For the most part, I found
myself sympathizing with [the prisoner],” she said. The murder
didn’t just happen out of the blue, she learned – the inmate had killed
a man as retribution after that man had killed the inmate’s 6-year-old
son.
“Personally, it changes how you understand the situation,” said
Whipple. “In the beginning it’s more black and white, and then it gets
a little more nuanced.”
Freeman, whose father is a police officer, said she was glad to see a
side of law enforcement that she’d never had the chance to see before.
“[The prisoners] were explaining all of the flaws in the system,” she
said. “It was really eye-opening.”
For the most part, Freeman and Jones said, the prisoners said they
felt like they were being punished more than rehabilitated. The man
serving a life sentence, for example, was well aware that he wasn’t
learning job skills because those who had a better chance of being
released were being given those opportunities instead. His letters to
the governor, he explained, have been ignored.
“He was using facts that supported his view,” said
Jones. “It wasn’t just biased opinion.”
The cadets found the prisoners to be much more
literate than they expected, despite the fact that neither
had gone beyond the ninth grade in school. “They were
using words I don’t use,” said Freeman.
“One had extreme knowledge in depth of the justice
system,” said Jones.
“You adapt to your situation and your environment,”
explained Whipple. “They may have different skills
than a college-educated person, but they’ve developed
their own skills that are adaptive.”
For the man serving the life sentence, hope is the
best skill and survival strategy he knows, despite the
bleakness of his prospects. The inmate told the ca-dets,
“Sometimes I feel like I’m crazy for holding on to
hope, because I’m in here for life. … When do you give
up hope?”
Freeman acknowledged that her trip to the prison
has made her more aware of her privileged status in
life. “It helped me to appreciate my situation a lot more.
Somebody always has it worse than you.”
Cadets in Maj. Sara Whipple’s developmental psychology class gather in front of the Augusta
Correctional Center. – Photo courtesy of Maj. Sara Whipple.
December 2016 3
Athletes Lead in Spirit Week Celebrations and Cookout
By Kelly Nye
On the eve of Homecoming weekend,
football coach Scott Wachenheim stood on
top of the sentinel box shoulder to shoulder
with women’s soccer players and his own
football players. He called upon the entire
Corps of Cadets to be part of this “historic
athletic season.”
Spirits were running high, as the wom-en’s
soccer players had just defeated the
Citadel in a round of Southern Conference
playoffs and were preparing to play
Samford in Birmingham, Ala., a game they
later lost.
The football team, too, was jubilant, hav-ing
won back-to-back road games for the
first time in 35 years.
To keep that momentum going, the S-6
athletics staff joined the football team to
hold a pep rally cookout for the Corps of
Cadets as part of Spirit Week leading up to
the Homecoming football game.
Spirit Week events included upbeat
drum lines for marchdown during Supper
Roll Call, including one from the movie
Top Gun. First-, 2nd-, and 3rd-class cadets
all received new blender bottles. And on
Wednesday night Aramark provided a
steak dinner in Crozet Hall.
“[We wanted to] change the atmosphere
of the whole week,” said Carter Chatwood
’16, assistant commandant of cadets who
is filling in this semester while Maj. Chris
Perry ’05 is on leave.
The pep rally cookout in Old Barracks
was a highlight, something S-7 cadet life
staff had debuted last year on an unfor-tunately
rainy evening. This year, cadets
ignored a light rain, lining the tables for a
barbecue provided by Aramark.
Afterward, the cadets on the women’s
soccer team and the football team filled
the courtyard while the regimental band
played. From the top of the sentinel box,
the soccer team captains thanked the Corps
for showing so much support during their
game against the Citadel.
Then Coach Wachenheim spoke.
Wachenheim emphasized his pride in
the entire Corps of Cadets, noting that at
VMI it takes “the whole damn team” and
that this generation of cadets had already
accomplished much. Then he and the
cadets gathered at the sentinel box led the
Corps in an Old Yell, followed by a special
chant that the football team says before
every game.
Coached by the captains of the football
team, the entire Corps joined in the chant,
as “Rah Virginia Mil” rang out through
the courtyard.
All in all, this year’s event was a success.
“Cadets enjoyed being able to casually eat
in the courtyard, and I believe the football
and soccer team appreciated the Corps
showing their support,” said Chatwood.
After Saturday’s game, a loss to Furman,
the Corps gathered in Cocke Hall for a
Halloween-themed Homecoming Hop.
“They put a lot of effort into the hop,”
said Brandon Conley ’17, cadet in charge of
Spirit Week. “In years past we’ve decorated
ourselves, and this year we’ve actually paid
a professional decorator to come.”
The success of this year’s events has led
to optimism about the founding of a new
tradition. As Chatwick said, “This year’s
spirit week raised the bar and everyone’s
expectation for next year.”
Head football coach Scott Wachenheim addresses the Corps of Cadets from the sentinel box during the Homecoming pep rally Oct. 27. His encouraging words
were followed by an Old Yell to help support the football team during the Homecoming game. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
4 VMI Institute Report
Battle of the Barracks a Hit with the Corps
Boxing Team Looks Forward to Nationals on Post; Powerlifting, Runners Also Victorious
By Chris Floyd
VMI’s club sports seasons are
in full swing, and a number of
teams are gearing up for their
national tournaments.
The powerlifting squad will
be sending 12 athletes to the
Collegiate Nationals in San
Antonio, Texas, in April. The
running team continued its
season with some impressive
showings at some impres-sive
competitions.
But one of the most exciting of
those preparations was over the
Veterans Day weekend when the
boxing team held its first Battle
in the Barracks.
“It was really special,” said
head boxing coach Larry
Hinojosa. “It was one of [my] most favorite things I’ve done as
a coach.”
On that chilly Friday night, the VMI pugilists offered a first-of-its-kind
exhibition in the courtyard of New Barracks. The crowd that
showed up to watch the nine matches was much larger and more
boisterous than expected.
“We expected maybe 200 to 300 people to show up,” said assistant
commandant Carter Chatwood ’16, noting that more than 900 were
actually in attendance. “The week of, I had faculty coming to me and
asking if they could get on the list to get into barracks. The next day
at the football game, alumni were asking what happened in barracks.
They said this was the best thing they had ever seen or heard of.”
“[Members of the Corps of Cadets] have already asked when the
next Battle in Barracks [will be],” added Nathan Miller ’17, who fought
at 152 pounds. “They had so much
fun; they want more.
“We’ve fought in some crazy
places before, but that was
definitely the most electrifying
atmosphere I’ve ever fought in,”
Miller continued. “Just walk-ing
out in front of the Corps
and hearing all of those goons
cheering for me, the best word is
electrifying. It’s the most fun I’ve
ever had in boxing.”
To say the Battle in Barracks
was a success would be an
understatement. It went so well
that plans are being made for a
similar event in the spring.
“I think everyone who was
involved was glad they got to be
a part of it,” said Hinojosa, whose team will entertain between 25 and
30 other clubs at the national tournament in March.
A week earlier, the powerlifting squad was putting on a show
of its own at the state championships in Cocke Hall, with 15 ca-dets
competing.
On the women’s side, Natalie Carroll ’17, who is also a member of
VMI’s first female boxing team and hopes to compete at the boxing
nationals, won a state title, finishing with a total of 644 pounds in the
125-pound weight class. Caitlyn Casten ’18 lifted a total weight of 688
pounds to win the title, while Virginia Villani ’19 won with a total of
764 pounds.
VMI’s men boasted six state champions, led by Zachary Holland
’17, Morgan Menaker ’17, and Ben Gibson ’19. Holland dominated the
183-pound weight class with a total of 1,444 pounds. Menaker finished
with a total of 1,332 pounds while Gibson totaled 1,270.
The VMI Running Club recently competed in three major long-dis-tance
runs and turned in stellar results at each.
Josh Orr ’18 finished first in his age group and 11th overall at the Air
Force Marathon, held in September at Wright Patterson Air Force
Base in Dayton, Ohio, finishing the full marathon in 2 hours, 59 min-utes,
43 seconds. Christopher Douglas ’17 was second in his age group
and 15th overall, while Sarah Dickenson ’18 placed fourth in her age
group in her first marathon.
At the Chessie Trail 5K in October, Michael Ratt ’19 won his age
group and placed sixth overall. Douglas and Orr finished sixth and
seventh, respectively, in the half marathon.
The Running Club most recently competed in the Virginia Tech
Corps of Cadets Veterans Day 5K in Blacksburg. Orr was once
again VMI’s top finisher, winning the race with a time of 18:46.96.
Dickenson finished the race in 22:21.53 to take first in her age group,
and Riley Joy Neary ’19 was third in her age group.
To see more photos, visit VMINews.tumblr.com, post dates Oct. 17
and Nov. 7.
Members of VMI’s club boxing team trade blows Nov. 11 in a ring set up in
New Barracks Courtyard surrounded by cadets cheering from the courtyard
and the stoops. – VMI Photo by Stephen Hanes.
Caitlyn Casten ’18 makes her first-attempt squat at 192.5 pounds. She fin-ished
her third attempt with 236.5 pounds, deadlifted 325.2 pounds and to-taled
688 pounds to qualify her for Collegiate Nationals. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
December 2016 5
Cadets Attend Quadrennial Physics Congress
Ten cadets, accompanied by Col. Greg Topasna and Col. Daniela Topasna,
both professors of physics, attended the 2016 Quadrennial Physics
Congress (PhysCon) in San Francisco, California, Nov. 2-5. This event was
sponsored by Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society. During
their time in California, the cadets participated in workshops, plenary
talks, and poster presentations. They also visited sites of interest such as
the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Google X. Those attending
were Eryn Daman ’18, Marlene Haag ’18, Erik Kvenlog ’19, Mehmet Kilinc ’19,
Blake Woodring ’17, Evan Richey ’17, Thayer Meyer ’17, Reed Jones ’18, Eric
Cedotal ’18, and Scott Cox ’17.
Biology Professors, Recent Graduates Publish Paper
A research paper titled “The Relationship Between Estrogen and Nitric
Oxide in the Prevention of Cardiac, and Vascular Anomalies in the
Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio)” was recently published in the journal
Brain Sciences. Principal authors were Col. James E. Turner ’65, Reid ’41
Institute Professor of Arts and Sciences and head of biology, and Col.
Wade E. Bell, professor of biology. Co-authors were Benjamin Sykes
’13, Peter Van Steyn ’13, Johnathan Vignali ’14, and John Winalski ’15.
All of these cadets contributed to the research through their honors
theses. An additional co-author was Julie Lozier, VMI biology re-search
technician.
Cadets Attend SoCon Research Forum
Eleven cadets traveled to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina,
Oct. 28-29 for the first Southern Conference Undergraduate Research
Forum. While there, they presented research on English, philosophy,
international studies, history, civil engineering, physics, biology, exercise
science, and psychology. Cadets attending were Reed Jones ’18, Brandon
Barbery ’18, Michael Griffin ’17, Sarah Lemon ’17, Theerachat Suvannachote
’18, John Kim ’19, Edward Olbyrch ’18, Trever Barnes ’18, Samuel Hudson ’17,
Ronald Thelin ’18, and Stephen Bernard ’17. Accompanying the cadets was
Maj. Josh Iddings, assistant professor of English, rhetoric, and humanistic
studies and programs coordinator for undergraduate research.
History Professor Publishes Book
Maj. John Matsui, assistant professor of history, has published a book, The
First Republican Army: The Army of Virginia and the Radicalization of the
Civil War. In the book, Matsui draws upon the writings of 25 generals and
250 volunteer officers and enlisted men to examine the political beliefs that
shaped the Army of Virginia, a Union force organized in the summer of 1862.
The book shows how officers and soldiers in the Army of Virginia saw slav-ery
and pro-Confederate civilians as crucial components of the Confederate
war effort and blamed them for prolonging the war. In his writing, Matsui
connects this sentiment with President Abraham Lincoln’s eventual issuance
of the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed Southern slaves.
Byrd Award
Former White House Chief
of Staff James A. Baker III re-ceived
the 2016 Harry F. Byrd
Jr. ’35 Public Service Award
in Cameron Hall Nov. 2. The
ceremony was followed by a
parade to honor Baker, who
served under three U.S. pres-idents,
Gerald Ford, Ronald
Reagan, and George H.W.
Bush. – VMI Photos by H. Lockwood
McLaughlin and Kelly Nye.
6 VMI Institute Report
Post Briefs
explained Col. Keith Jarvis ’82, deputy direc-tor
of construction, as he led a recent tour of
the structure.
Inside, the CPTF features two running
tracks, both made of a rubberized surface
that’s safe for the spiked shoes frequently
worn by track athletes. The 200-meter, six-lane
lower track, which will be used for com-petitions,
is hydraulically banked so it can be
raised or lowered as desired. The upper track
is designed for athletes to use for warm up or
cool down.
Complementing the tracks are two six-me-ter
sprint lanes, plus venues for field events,
including two triple jump pits, two pole vault
areas, and two throw areas. Surrounding the
main track are seats for more than 1,400 spec-tators.
To keep those spectators informed,
there’s a large screen connected to the finish
line cameras, plus 10 loudspeakers.
“We have this fantastic audio system that’s
tied into the video screen,” said Jarvis.
Soaring 70 feet into the air above the main
track is a high ropes course. Though it will be
used by the entire Corps, it will be especial-ly
useful for ROTC activities and for Rat
Challenge events in inclement weather, noted
Col. Bill Wanovich ’87, commandant of the
Corps of Cadets.
Also of interest is the 34-foot
rock climbing wall, which
has eight climbing lanes. The
wall features handholds and
footholds that can be altered
to make climbing harder or
easier, depending on the skills
of the climber. A cargo net
hanging near the wall provides
an additional venue for cadets
who want to test their climbing
skills, and an obstacle course
set up throughout the building
is another source of physi-cal
challenge.
Nearby is the “cardio balcony”
with stationary bicycles and
elliptical trainers, plus a large,
L-shaped weight room.
The entire building,
Wanovich commented, is really
all about options. “You can run
in there. You can work out.
There’s ropes, obstacles, climb-ing
walls. … There’s so many
things that the Corps can do.”
Wanovich added that the building will pro-vide
a venue for physical training, especially
during the winter months when the weather
gets “pretty brutal.”
Instead of canceling training or pursuing
it in unsuitable weather outdoors, he said,
“people can go in there and use all of that
great space.”
Downstairs, the CPTF is all about athlete
support. Spacious locker rooms, with lockers
built to NCAA specifications, are available for
both male and female athletes. There’s also
a cold plunge pool with the water kept at a
chilly 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and a zero-grav-ity
treadmill which can be used by athletes to
stay in shape while recuperating from injury.
Attached to the lower level is a 126-space
parking garage – the first one ever on post.
Jarvis noted that while the parking garage
will be limited to faculty and staff access on
weekdays, it will provide a critically needed
source of additional parking for football
game days and other events.
Less visible are a number of features
designed to mitigate the building’s environ-mental
impact, among them underground
cisterns that collect rainwater from the roof.
This water is used to irrigate the plantings
around the building, flush toilets, and
rehydrate the mechanical system to make up
for water lost to evaporation.
“We’re storing and using the rain water
when we need it, so we’re not dumping the
rainwater into the storm water system,”
said Jarvis.
Below the building, a small stream, Town
Branch, still flows as it always has, but it is
now diverted by a wide culvert which should
alleviate flooding problems that once plagued
the area. Above the building, a section of
the roof has been set aside as a “green roof,”
with plantings of herbs and grasses that will
absorb and utilize rain water.
Efforts to be environmentally sensitive
continue inside the building, with a light
harvesting system that reduces interior
lighting costs and an innovative HVAC system
that reduces costs to cool the building. This
passive downdraft system makes use of
convection, so that cooler air falls and then, as
it warms up, comes up through louvers on the
roof and escapes.
As a result of all of these efforts, the build-ing
is on track to obtain Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design Gold certification.
“The state mandates silver LEED,” said Jarvis.
“We’re one level above that at gold. We feel
pretty good about that.”
Low maintenance plants on the Corps Physical Training Facility’s green roof slow storm water runoff and help insulate
the facility. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV.
Training Facility continued from page 1
December 2016 7
“It’s a way of continu-ing
with the scientific
studies I’ve done here
while still being an officer
and managing a team of
people,” she explained.
“It’s an interesting part
of the Navy to be in. ….
They have what they say
is ‘cradle to grave’ control
of the nuclear Navy.”
Those who aspire to
have their fingers on
the pulse of the na-tion’s
nuclear-powered
submarines and aircraft
carriers are subjected
to a day of interviews
designed to be as men-tally
taxing as possible.
They consist of a series
of technical problems
candidates must solve
under pressure, calling
upon their knowledge of
math and physics. Nobile
got through her first two
just fine, but then tripped
up in the third.
“I was having issues getting the theoretical stuff from the
physics … over to the applied part,” Nobile explained. “Everything
we do here, a lot of it is theoretical. Sometimes it’s hard to get that
applied side.”
Shortly after that interview had concluded, Nobile learned that
she had failed it. There was no time to sulk, mourn, or even think
very much, though, nor was there time for lunch, even though oth-ers
were already eating. Nobile was granted a fourth interview – a
courtesy extended to those who fail one of their first three inter-views
– and she just had to keep pushing forward.
“[The whole day] was pretty much like an endurance test to see
if I could make it through without distress overcoming me,” Nobile
noted. Thankfully, the fourth interviewer thought Nobile could do
the job, so he recommended that she be hired. But her day wasn’t
done, even though it was then close to 3 p.m.
The last step for Nobile was a two-minute interview with
four-star Adm. James F. Caldwell Jr., head of the Naval Nuclear
Propulsion Program.
“He’s very blunt,” said Nobile of Caldwell. The admiral wasted no
time in asking Nobile some pointed questions, such as what she was
good at doing, what she needed to work on, and why he should hire
her. In the end, after recommending that she be hired, the admiral
also recommended that Nobile take an engineering class to help
her bridge the gap between theoretical and applied knowledge.
She’s now signed up to take heat and mass transfer in the mechani-cal
engineering department in the spring.
Those who know Nobile
well aren’t surprised
that she triumphed over
adversity. “She’s driven,
motivated, focused,” said
Col. Stacey Vargas, pro-fessor
of physics.
“She’s a double major,
which is not an easy
path,” added Col. Tim
Hodges, head of the phys-ics
department. “She’s
taking a lot on.”
Nobile herself admitted
that the late October day
when she interviewed at
the Navy Yard wouldn’t
have had a happy ending
if she hadn’t had so much
experience dealing with
pressure already.
“Having interviews
throughout at VMI really
helped me out,” she said.
“You have to interview
for rank and everything
else. Every position you
have here you have to go
through some kind of interview.”
The Rat Line also played a role in Nobile’s readiness. “My Rat
Line was more mental than physical,” she said. “You just have to
keep going. … You have to keep trying and not give up. I wanted
this job so bad that I just put my whole into everything I’d done
that day.”
Now that her first step into the future is assured, Nobile is fo-cused
on finishing her honors thesis work with Col. Merce Brooke
IV ’94, professor of physics. She’s helping Brooke develop an
off-axis integrated cavity output spectrometer, which can be used
to detect the presence of gases.
For Nobile, pursuing new research projects is critical to her
growth as a scientist. She’d already done research on nanotechnol-ogy
with Col. Greg Topasna and Col. Daniela Topasna, both profes-sors
of physics. This year, it was time to try something new.
“I wanted to try something different, something on the other side
of physics,” said Nobile. “That one was about nanotechnology. This
one uses more of the optics.”
When she’s not in physics labs, Nobile can be found giving post
tours for visitors to the VMI Museum. She’s also the commanding
officer for the Navy company unit and plays the trumpet in the
VMI Jazz Band and the Brass Ensemble. She’s a member of the
Equestrian Club and the Powerlifting Team, and, on Sundays, she
plays handbells at Lexington Presbyterian Church.
“I have hard time not staying busy,” Nobile said. “VMI has such
regimented times … that it’s easier than it would be at a regular
college. … And I still have time for a nap every day.”
Emma Nobile ’17 works with Col. Merce Brooke IV ’94 on her project to develop an off-axis
integrated cavity output spectrometer. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
Coveted Spot continued from page 1
8 VMI Institute Report
Driven, Motivated – and Smart
VMI Naval ROTC Unit Exceeds Quotas for Highly Selective Nuclear Officer Career Path
The Naval ROTC office at VMI accomplished an outstanding feat last
year – it produced approximately 8 percent of the nation’s newly commis-sioned
ensigns specializing in the nuclear field.
For the 2015-16 academic year, the VMI Naval ROTC had a quota to pro-duce
just four nuclear engineers. At the end of the year, the unit had nearly
tripled that quota, producing 11 out of approximately 130 nationwide.
“We would have had 13, but two students turned down their nuclear
assignment,” noted Lt. Bryan Glock, a former nuclear submariner who is
now the Naval ROTC’s nuclear propulsion officer.
This year, six cadets are in the pipeline to become nuclear officers, and
three of them have already been selected for the program.
At VMI, the mechanical engineering department offers a nuclear
concentration, and the physics department offers a bachelor of science in
physics with a nuclear concentration. However, faculty from both depart-ments
say that cadets who are hoping to “go nuclear” in the Navy don’t
always choose those options.
Instead, aspiring nuclear officers choose a variety of majors. Of the 11
cadets who commissioned into the nuclear program last year, four ma-jored
in civil engineering, two in physics, and two in mechanical engineer-ing.
The remaining three had majors in applied mathematics, chemistry,
and electrical and computer engineering.
Indeed, no particular major is required for an aspiring nuclear officer.
“You don’t have to be a STEM major,” explained Capt. Ned Riester ’78,
professor of civil engineering and himself a veteran of a Navy nuclear sub-marine.
“They really look at your physics and your calculus scores.”
Calculus and physics are the backbone of an aspiring nuclear officer’s
preparation. To help solidify skills in these areas, Glock regularly offers
nuclear study periods on Thursday afternoons, in which cadets who’ve
already been selected for the program tutor others.
In addition to this, cadets who want a little
extra help with their physics sometimes sched-ule
tutoring sessions with Col. Stacia Vargas,
professor of physics and astronomy. These
sessions happen informally, on an as-needed
basis, but Vargas said that the motivation and
interest of the cadets makes the extra demand
on her time worthwhile.
“Those cadets who come and want to do it
are consistent and motivated,” she said. “I know
they are going to show up. I know they’re going
to be there and work hard.”
Col. Tim Hodges, head of the Department of
Physics and Astronomy, echoed her opinion.
“They’re driven,” he commented. “They have a
focus that allows them to really be successful.”
For the cadets, weeks or even months of
extensive preparation leads to showtime. They
must travel to the Navy Yard in Washington,
D.C., for a daylong interview process that begins
with technical interviews and includes a meet-ing
with a four-star admiral, head of the Navy’s
nuclear power program, in the afternoon.
The two technical interviews are a chance for cadets to showcase their
math and physics skills – and they may be asked to demonstrate compe-tency
in their major field as well.
“They could ask them to derive the volume of a tetrahedral pyramid
using multivariable calculus,” Glock offered as an example of the type of
question that might be asked. What’s more, cadets must show their work
and talk about what they’re doing as they solve the problem. “They can’t
just be smart,” said Glock. “They have to be able to communicate.”
After lunch, cadets meet the admiral for a more typical interview in
which they discuss their leadership skills and their desire to serve in the
Navy. “He’s the bottom line,” said Glock of the admiral. “They may have
failed one of their interviews, or even two of their interviews, but if the
admiral still likes their responses and the way they respond to him, he may
decide to hire them.”
Getting in the program, though, is just the first step. After graduation,
newly commissioned nuclear-option ensigns head to nuclear power
school, a six-month experience so intense that Glock compares it to
“drinking water through a fire hose.”
Nuclear power school is “essentially a master’s degree in nuclear engi-neering
compressed into six months,” said Glock. Those who successfully
complete nuclear power school go next to what’s called “prototype,” a
six-month experience running a nuclear reactor on land.
Skills learned in the Navy’s nuclear program translate well into civilian
careers down the road. Frequently, Glock noted, Navy veterans transition
into private sector jobs dealing with nuclear power or take senior manage-ment
positions with engineering firms.
“People will start seeking you out,” he said.
––Mary Price
Emma Nobile ’17 works on the computer program she is writing to acquire data from her experiment
with the off-axis integrated cavity output spectrometer she is developing. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
December 2016 9
Through the Lens of Poetry: The Chinese Worker
Cadets Learn About an Otherwise Unseen China Through Film, Discussion
By Chris Floyd
I crawl into the workshop/An execution yard where night and day
are one.
My youth was expelled from the butt of a machine/And turned into
toys/To sell to blue-eyed children.
These are excerpts of poems featured in the Chinese documentary
Iron Moon, screened Nov. 12 for a group of faculty and cadets gath-ered
in the Turman Room at Preston Library. The presentation was
organized by Dr. Lunpeng Ma, an assistant professor in the modern
languages department, and, after the film, those in attendance got
the chance to participate in a roundtable discussion with the movie’s
co-director, Qin Xiaoyu, and producer, Cai Qingzeng.
Xiaoyu and Qingzeng said their goal in creating the documentary
was twofold. Of course, they wanted to highlight some amazing po-etry,
but, ultimately, they wanted the rest of the world to learn about
the plight of the Chinese worker.
That, too, was Ma’s goal when he set up the event, which was sup-ported
by the Jackson-Hope Fund. He particularly wanted the cadets
in his Chinese classes to get a taste of what life is like for one of the
country’s social classes.
“I hope, of course, they can learn some Chinese,” Ma said. “In addi-tion
to that, what they often learn in the classroom about the Chinese
culture is …[only what] they can … get from a textbook. This film
offers some authentic materials and also a lens through which they
can see a China otherwise unseen, that cannot be seen in a textbook.
“I hope they can get a different view,” he added, “and also under-standing
of China right now.”
Ma plans on using the movie, which follows the lives of five
Chinese workers who also happen to be poets, in his upper-level
classes. The film will add another element of Chinese culture to
those the cadets are already taking in through television dramas,
newscasts, and music. Ma hopes his students
get a sense of what life in Asia is really like.
That, he said, is extremely important for
those learning a new language.
“Language cannot be separated from cul-ture,
and culture cannot be separated from
language,” he explained. “They are a pair. By
watching this film, I think they not only can
acquire some language skills, but they can
also get to know what’s happening in China.”
Even better, he thinks, is that the cadets
also learn a little more about themselves
and their own country. Seeing the source of
many of the products they use and the harsh
lives of many of the workers who make them,
the cadets may broaden their perspective on
these products.
“What’s happening in China can be
connected to what’s happening in the United
States,” said Ma. “That’s the goal of the
[Chinese] culture course. The students can
have a better sense of Chinese language,
Chinese culture, and Chinese society. I always encourage them to
have a dialectical view of what’s happening in China and what’s hap-pening
in the United States.”
Certainly those who watched Iron Moon know now what the
poet means when he says, “The road to development is writ-ten
in blood.”
Dr. Lunpeng Ma addresses cadets and faculty gathered to watch Iron Moon. Presenting with him are the
movie’s co-director, Qin Xiaoyu, and producer, Cai Qingzeng. – VMI Photo by Chris Floyd.
Timber Framing for a Cause
Col. Grigg Mullen Jr. ’76 leads fellow timber framers in assembling an
English-style cottage that was auctioned during the Project Horizon
fundraiser, Deck the Halls. The event took place in Marshall Hall on
Nov. 19. VMI partners with Project Horizon, an organization whose
purpose is to reduce dating, domestic, and sexual violence, to keep
cadets, faculty, and staff informed about available resources and ser-vices.
– VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
10 VMI Institute Report
Cormack, Cocke Halls Rededicated
Renovated Buildings House PE, Cadet Fitness, Club Sports, and NCAA Teams
By Mary Price
On Founders Day, Nov. 11, two buildings vital to the support of
fitness and athletics at Virginia Military Institute, Cormack Hall
and Cocke Hall, were rededicated after major renovations. In
attendance was a crowd of approximately 50 people, many of them
members of the VMI Board of Visitors, their spouses, and other
friends of the Institute.
The renovation of both Cormack and Cocke halls was accom-plished
as part of the Corps Physical Training Facilities project, a
$122 million endeavor that also includes the new indoor training
facility, recently designated the Corps Physical Training Facility,
now nearing completion.
Cormack Hall, a $15 million project, is home to the Department
of Physical Education, as well as the exercise science minor and
the NCAA wrestling team. Work began on its renovation in the
summer of 2014 and was completed approximately one year later.
Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent, offered
remarks before cutting a ribbon at each building. “[Cormack Hall]
demonstrates VMI’s commitment to confidence building, wellness,
athletic competition, toughness, and the historic ideal of a sound
mind in a sound body,” he said.
“This renovated and upgraded building retains its historic
appearance and improves the main entrance access into the city of
Lexington,” he noted.
Those gathered for the Founders Day ceremony toured Cormack
Hall, whose interior geography reflects its divided purpose, with
the southern half dedicated to
the PE department. In addi-tion
to classrooms and offices
for the PE staff, this half of
the building features a large
weight room and a state-of-the-
art lab for VMI’s exercise
science minor, which is now in
its third year.
“I’ve been in a lot of facili-ties,
and this is about as nice
as you’ll find anywhere in
the country,” said Col. Jimmy
Coale, head of the physical ed-ucation
department, as he led a
group touring the building.
The other half of Cormack
Hall is home to a spacious
facility for NCAA wrestling
and other mat sports and PE
classes, such as jiu-jitsu and
karate, complete with seating
for 750 spectators.
At Cocke Hall, named for
VMI’s fourth superintendent,
William H. Cocke, VMI Class
of 1894, Peay again offered
brief remarks before cutting the ribbon. He noted that it’s espe-cially
appropriate that Cocke Hall, for many years VMI’s main
gymnasium, faces the parapet wall bearing a quote from VMI’s
founder, Col. J.T.L. Preston about the Institute, “a healthful and
pleasant abode of honorable youth.” Referring to that quote, Peay
said, “Cocke Hall has contributed for decades to support of a
healthful and pleasant abode and now its role is assured for many,
many years to come.”
Work on the $23 million renovation of Cocke Hall, originally
built in 1926, began in the summer of 2015 and was completed in
the summer of 2016. Unlike Cormack Hall, whose interior has un-dergone
a drastic change, Cocke Hall’s interior retains much of its
original flavor, complete with basketball courts and the elevated
track familiar to generations of cadets. Cadet “hops” will continue
to be held in Cocke Hall as they have for decades.
What’s new are group fitness rooms on the lower levels for
cadets, faculty, and staff, plus a spacious new weight room and
strength training facilities. Faculty and staff now have their own
locker rooms, separate from those for cadets. And, for the first
time, the building has air conditioning.
Outside Cocke Hall, near Scott Shipp Hall, a new, triple-arched
memorial invites visitors to reflect while visiting Memorial
Garden. An inscription reads, “In remembrance of those who have
served the Institute.”
To see more photos, visit VMINews.tumblr.com, post date Nov. 15.
Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent, and Gen. John P. Jumper ’66, Board of Visitors president, cut the
ribbon for Cormack Hall during the rededication ceremony on Founders Day, Nov. 11. – VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.
December 2016 11
Institute Society Dinner Honors Leaders in Support
By Scott Belliveau ’83, VMI Foundation
On Nov. 11, Marshall Hall again was the site
of the annual Institute Society Dinner, which is
hosted by the VMI Foundation and recognizes
alumni and friends who are leaders in support
of the Institute through their annual unre-stricted
gifts to the Foundation Fund. This
year, the Foundation welcomed more than 620
guests to this highly anticipated event.
Hugh M. Fain III ’80, VMI Foundation pres-ident,
noted in his remarks that in fiscal year
2016, giving to the Institute had totaled more
than $77 million – a new record.
“The Institute Society’s abiding generosity
continues to be a significant force behind these
historic numbers and has significant impact
on the Foundation’s ability to provide critical
support to the Institute,” said Fain. He also
recognized the three classes that had conduct-ed
reunion campaigns – the Class of 1966, the
Class of 1989, and the Class of 2005 – which
together raised $51.3 million in fiscal year 2016.
Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superin-tendent,
also addressed the guests, acknowl-edging
the Society’s support and explaining
that the Institute’s current progress was
founded on private financial support and
how its continued progress depends on the
continued generosity of the VMI community.
He also gave special recognition to the Class
of 1966 for its record-breaking achievement of
raising more than $50 million through its 50th
reunion campaign.
Donald M. Wilkinson ’61, chairman of
An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past,
A Brilliant Future: The Campaign for VMI,
informed the audience that, as of Nov. 10,
the campaign had raised $305 million with
gifts and commitments coming from more
than 14,500 members of the VMI community.
He stressed that the campaign is “all about
enabling the Institute to achieve its mission
in the best qualitative way possible: through
supporting academic excellence, … supporting
opportunities for cadets in physical training
and sports, … and enhancing Corps and bar-racks
life.”
Outgoing Foundation CEO Brian S. Crockett
received praise for his service to the Institute.
Fain said that Crockett’s “legacy of seven years
of dedicated service has been nothing short
of extraordinary.”
In the company of other members of the
Campaign Cabinet and on behalf of the
campaign, Wilkinson presented Crockett
with an engraved silver bowl that commem-orated
his service. He praised Crockett,
saying, “Your commitment to engaging the
Institute, the alumni agencies, and thousands
of VMI alumni and friends in the work of the
Foundation has been truly remarkable. And
your tireless dedication to ensuring that this
campaign has been a historic success has been
an inspiration to the Cabinet and all of us to
give our best for VMI.”
“This event is one of the highlights of the
Institute’s year,” said Crockett. “It allows us
an opportunity to thank many of the people
whose generosity to VMI is extraordinary, and
it allows these men and women to hear first-hand
about the importance of that generosity
to the Institute and its future.”
Campaign chairman Donald M. Wilkinson ’61
presents VMI Foundation CEO Brian S. Crockett
with a gift in recognition of his service to VMI
and the campaign. – VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
Founders Day Parade
The Corps of Cadets participates in the
Founders Day Parade Nov. 11. During the pa-rade,
the Cadet Battery fired four howitzers
in a 17-gun salute honoring VMI’s founders
and the nation’s veterans. The video live
stream of the parade is available at www.
vmi.edu/livestream. To see more photos, visit
VMINews.tumblr.com, post date Nov. 11.– VMI
Photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.
12 VMI Institute Report
Athletes Model VMI Ideals in Academics, Leadership
By Chris Floyd
Their exploits on the football field are well-documented.
Al Cobb ’17 is VMI’s most decorated quarterback, setting numerous
school passing records this season. Andrew Lewis ’17 has made the
transition from tight end to offensive tackle, becoming one of the top
linemen in the Southern Conference.
But there is more to these two than just football. They also excel
in the classroom and have become the epitome of the “three-legged
stool” philosophy at VMI.
In fact, Cobb is the most recent recipient of the Three-Legged Stool
Award given annually by the Keydet Club to the 1st Class cadet who
best embodies the three pillars of education – academics, leadership/
military and athletics – at VMI.
“We hear a lot about how some athletes get ahead of themselves as
far as thinking of themselves in ways that are not complimentary,
but these two young men are the salt of the earth,” said Col. James
E. “Jim” Turner ’65. “They are hard workers. They are very sincere.
They are dependable and respectable. It’s just about what you would
hope the VMI environment would help a student realize.”
Turner should know. As head of the biology department, he has
spent a great deal of time with Cobb and Lewis, who are both biology
majors and are currently enrolled in his capstone class. In this class,
the two athletes, along with other biology majors, are working on
a research project they hope will lead to advances in treating, or
perhaps even curing, Parkinson’s Disease.
In the course of this research, 1st Class biology majors have been
studying zebrafish, which have a neurological system similar to that
found in humans. They have delivered chemicals to put these fish
into a hyperkinetic state and then treated the fish with other agents
to find out which might return them to normal. So far, they have come
up with a few promising candidates, most notably nitric oxide.
“There are some promising numbers,” said Cobb, who currently
boasts a 3.6 grade point average. “This is a neat experience.”
“They have made some outstanding obser-vations,”
added Turner, who noted that the
cadets will be presenting their findings later
this year and could even become co-authors
for papers published on the research.
This is not the only research project in
which Lewis found himself involved this
year. During the summer, he worked with
Col. Mike Krackow, a professor in the phys-ical
education department, studying how
different grips can affect production and
susceptibility to injury in weight lifters.
“We did research on grip width and shoul-der
angles while lifting,” said Lewis, who has
a 3.4 grade point average. “We were trying to
find a certain reliable protocol to perform a
proper bench press.”
Lewis said that researchers for that
study are currently working to get the
research published and hope to present
their findings at a conference sometime
next semester.
That takes care of athletics and academics. But to be a true “three-legged
stool,” a cadet must also stand out as a leader.
“At VMI, the mission is to train leaders for tomorrow,” said Scott
Wachenheim, VMI’s football coach. “Leadership is also what we try
to teach on the football field. The lessons they learn on post and the
lessons we are trying to teach them on the football field are very, very
similar. I think the two marry hand in hand.”
Cobb has taken that to heart. As quarterback, Cobb is an obvious
leader on the football field. On post, he is as well, serving as a platoon
leader in Company I this year after previously serving as a member
of the cadre. It seems that his selection as
the recipient of the Three-Legged Stool was
well-founded.
“It’s an honor to receive that,” Cobb said. “A
lot of people can do one or two of those things
really well. To try to do all three, it pushes
you to push yourself.”
And that’s exactly what Cobb and Lewis
find themselves doing every day at VMI.
“Rat year helped me learn to plan ahead
and get things done,” said Lewis, who is a
former member of the S6 staff. “It’s being able
to work on time management.”
That hard work has pushed Cobb and
Lewis to excel. And for Turner, they are
examples of what every cadet should aspire
to become.
“I think the world of our athletes, par-ticularly
those in the biology department,”
said the biology professor. “They are great
examples of what life should be like in the
classroom and on the field.”
Andrew Lewis ’17 anchors the offensive line in the Keydets’ matchup against
Akron Sept. 3. – Photo Courtesy of VMI Athletic Communications.
Quarterback Al Cobb ’17 looks for a re-ceiver
downfield during the Keydets’ game
against Akron Sept. 3. – Photo Courtesy of VMI
Athletic Communications.
December 2016 13
Renovations, Leadership Change at Jackson House
Changes are afoot at the Stonewall Jackson House and the
Davidson-Tucker House.
On Oct. 1, Michael Lynn, former site director at the Stonewall
Jackson House, retired after 35 years of service. She had served since
1981, two years after the Jackson House had been restored to its 1861
appearance by the Historic Lexington Foundation. She organized the
volunteer training program, which prepared hundreds of volunteers
over the years to lead educational tours. She also oversaw the House’s
transfer from the Historic Lexington Foundation to the Stonewall
Jackson Foundation in 1994 and then to VMI in 2011.
Taking her place is Grace Abele, who began working for the
Jackson House as a docent and shop clerk in 2007. In 2013 she became
its supervisor of visitor services, and since 2015 she has been the
supervisor of interpretation.
“It is always gratifying to be able to recognize proven ability
and potential by advancing a staff member,” said Col. Keith Gibson,
executive director of the VMI Museum System. “[Abele] brings both
proven ability and potential to her new position.”
Abele also has worked with VMI’s Virginia Museum of the Civil
War in New Market and is pursuing her Virginia certificate in muse-um
management.
In addition to the staffing change, work will soon begin on up-grades
and renovations to the Jackson House and an adjacent proper-ty,
the Davidson-Tucker House.
The purpose of the work is to relocate the Stonewall Jackson House
entrance and ticketing point from the basement of the Jackson House
to the first floor of Davidson-Tucker House. The museum shop will
also relocate to the Davidson-Tucker House. In addition, a porch will
be built onto the rear of the Davidson-Tucker House to give groups
waiting for tours a sheltered place to gather. New restrooms and
lockers for valuables will also be added.
Once the work is complete, entrance to the Stonewall Jackson
House will begin at the Davidson-Tucker House.
Work is expected to be completed by March 1, 2017. The Stonewall
Jackson House will follow its usual schedule of closing for the season
on Dec. 31 and reopening on March 1.
These improvements have been made possible by a $300,000 grant
from the Mary Morton Parson Foundation, with matching funds
from the VMI Foundation. The grant has also funded new gutters
and upgrades to the HVAC system at Stono, a historic property
owned by VMI that was once the home of early Lexington set-tler
John Jordan.
`This rendering shows the porch waiting area behind the Davidson-Tucker House (left) where tours will begin before heading across the walkway to the Jackson
House. – Rendering courtesy of the Stonewall Jackson House.
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14 VMI Institute Report
Two Hours of Business on $5 Investment
Money’s No Object and Cadet Clubs Benefit in Entrepreneurship Class Project
By Mary Price
It’s a Tuesday night at 7 p.m. You’ve just been given $5 and instruc-tions
to start and run a business for two hours. Your goal is to make
as much money as possible. Can you do it?
That’s the situation cadets in Maj. DeKuwmini Mornah’s entrepre-neurship
class found themselves in this fall, as Mornah gave them
the assignment, “the two-hour entrepreneur.”
“I gave this assignment to my students to push their creativi-ty,”
said Mornah, who noted that their persistence would also be
challenged. Now in his fifth academic year teaching at VMI, Mornah
was well aware that VMI’s rules and regulations would make it hard
for cadets to run businesses, but he decided to try the assignment
anyway after meeting up with a group of 4th Class cadets in Carroll
Hall one evening.
“Guys, it’s five minutes to formation!” Mornah told the cadets. They
responded by telling him that they would leave in just a moment,
but they’d already learned that being early for formation increased
their odds of being disciplined for minor deficiencies. Being late for
formation would likewise incur penalties. They’d gleaned from past
experience that it was best to show up just on time, with only seconds
to spare.
“These guys are very creative,” said Mornah. “They migrate and
navigate around all of these rules. I think my students can be that
creative if you push them out of the boundaries and paradigms with-in
which they were raised.”
Cadets in Mornah’s class came up with some unique ideas for
businesses, many of which included selling food. One group of cadets
picked up food from local restaurants and delivered it to hungry ca-dets
as they returned from fall field training exercises, while another
sold concessions at the powerlifting state meet, held Nov. 5.
Another group identified a favorite treat of many cadets – milk-shakes
from a local restaurant – and decided to deliver them to
barracks. “We were trying to figure out some type of product, and
we couldn’t really come up with anything, so we began to think of
a service,” explained Sebastian Chavez ’17, who ran the milkshake
business with Anthony Izzo ’17.
For Chavez and Izzo, deciding on a food delivery service was easy,
but deciding what kind of food to deliver was not. At first, both tacos
and milkshakes seemed equally likely, but further research revealed
that tacos have many options, such as hard shell and soft shell, that
would make it hard to fill orders correctly, not to mention the wide
variety of taco toppings. Milkshakes worked much better, Chavez
explained, because all that’s necessary is to write each cadet’s name
on the outside of the cup.
Chavez, who plans to earn a master of business administration
degree down the road, said that he’d really enjoyed the assignment
so far. “I very much like the idea of having to come up with something
on your feet and, given the constraint of only having a small amount
of money, trying to come up with something that would be profit-able,”
he commented.
“You really have to think outside the box, especially for the kind of
school we go to.”
Mornah found himself having to think outside of the box as well
as he attempted to design the assignment without running afoul of
state regulations. He quickly found out that cadets could not keep any
money they earned, so a decision was made to donate the proceeds
from the two-hour entrepreneur project to cadet-run clubs.
The assignment wasn’t really about the money, anyway. Mornah
explained that the start-up funding was on the level of pocket change
for a reason. “The essence of the assignment is them knowing that not
having money should not be a limitation to starting a business.”
Sebastian Chavez ’17 describes the milkshake business to Maj. Dee Mornah’s
entrepreneurship class as his business partner, Anthony Izzo ’17, looks on. –
VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.
AMC-8
Col. Greg Hartman, professor of applied mathematics, performs
“Aardvarks Are Our Friends” to a crowd of eighth-graders as part of
his presentation on sound and mathematics during the American
Mathematics Competition 8. The competition, held on Nov. 15 and
16 in Marshall Hall as well as other locations across the country, gives
middle school students the chance to build problem-solving skills and
nurture a love for mathematics. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV.
December 2016 15
Zack Scott ’89: ‘Doing the Right Things the Right Way’
By Scott Belliveau ’83, VMI Foundation
For Zack Scott ’89, the path to a VMI diploma took a little longer
to travel than it does for most alumni. As a high school shot put
and discus thrower who was ranked in the top 25 nationally,
he was recruited by many colleges and universities. He chose
to attend VMI because, as he put it, VMI “provided a quali-ty
education.”
Scott left the Institute after his rat year in order to enlist in the
Marine Corps. After serving four years in the intelligence field,
he returned to VMI and picked up where he had left off, receiving
a full athletic scholarship and becoming a standout athlete.
After graduation, he went to work for a defense contractor
in the Washington, D.C., area. In 1996, however, his high school
coach, Mark Bendorf, asked him to try his hand at coaching at
John W. Robinson Jr. Secondary School in Fairfax County. Scott
agreed and coached track and field and football for the next
eight years.
Asked what he enjoyed most about the experience, he an-swered,
“helping the student-athletes realize that they have no
limits if they work.”
In 2004, Mike Bozeman, then director of track and field at VMI,
approached Scott with an offer to return to VMI as a coach. “I did
not hesitate to take that opportunity,” recalled Scott.
Besides being a coach at VMI, Scott has been a consistent
donor to VMI for more than a decade, giving to the Keydet Club
Scholarship Fund and to the
fund that provides scholar-ship
support for the Institute’s
track-and-field cadet-athletes.
Like most donors, Scott had
numerous reasons for start-ing
to give. He placed a high
value on his VMI experience
because “it has allowed me to
pick what I want to do with
my life – as a Marine, defense
contractor, or coach.”
What he saw upon return-ing
also prompted him to
make a gift, “I saw firsthand
what the Institute was doing
to ensure we prepare our
graduates for continued and
continual success beyond VMI in whatever field they wanted. Put
another way, VMI keeps doing the right things in the right way.”
When asked what effect his philanthropy is having on post, he
replied, “It helps VMI seek out and recruit quality students and
student-athletes and keep providing an education and experienc-es
that instill the traits of success in our graduates.”
Zack Scott ’89
Virginia Military Institute
Communications & Marketing Office
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 14
LEXINGTON, VA
24450-0304
16 VMI Institute Report December 2016