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Author: Mike Finkelstein

Former Atlanta Falcons Executive, Veteran, to Speak at VMI

Virginia Military Institute invites the VMI community and general public to an evening of inspiration and leadership with Steve Cannon, a distinguished executive, philanthropist, and military advocate. Cannon will speak Tuesday, April 1, at 8 p.m. in Gillis Theater, Marshall Hall, as part of the Courageous Leadership Speaker Series hosted by the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics (CLE). 

This speaker series brings influential leaders from business, government, the military, and sports to VMI, offering invaluable insights on leadership, resilience, and service. Free to attend, this event presents a unique opportunity to engage with a leader who has shaped industries, inspired teams, and championed those who serve. Steve Cannon, a distinguished executive, philanthropist, and military advocate will speak at VMI.

A graduate of West Point and a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, Cannon began his leadership journey as an artillery officer in West Germany during the final years of the Iron Curtain. His military service instilled in him the discipline and strategic mindset that would later define his corporate and philanthropic success. 

After transitioning from the military, Cannon made a name for himself in the automotive and sports industries. As CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, he led the company to record growth, achieved its first-ever No. 1 ranking on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, and secured its spot on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for five consecutive years. Later, as CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, he oversaw the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, transforming them into top-performing brands and premier venues for major national and international events. 

Beyond the corporate world, Cannon is a tireless advocate for America’s military community. He has led multiple NFL team-directed USO Tours to visit deployed troops and co-founded the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, which has raised over $50 million in scholarships for the children of fallen and disabled service members. His efforts have earned him the USO Merit Award and the NFL Salute to Service Award for setting the gold standard in military outreach. 

Today, Cannon is the managing partner of Bay Point Sports Fund and chairman of the Avalon Action Alliance, where he focuses on strategic investments in sports and ensuring that veterans receive critical care and resources.  

“Steve Cannon’s journey from military service to corporate leadership to philanthropy offers powerful lessons on resilience, adaptability, and purpose-driven leadership,” said Col. David Gray, executive director of the CLE. “Whether you’re a future leader, entrepreneur, veteran, or community member, this is a rare chance to gain firsthand wisdom from a leader who has excelled in multiple arenas while staying true to his values.” 

For more information, contact Lt. Col. Kim Connolly at connollykv@vmi.edu. 

Maj. Catherine M. Roy
Communications and Marketing Manager, Center For Leadership and Ethics
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

VMI Team Wins Best Paper in Fighting Spam and Phish

Sherif Abdelhamid, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) and outreach liaison officer for the Cyber Defense Laboratory at Virginia Military Institute, and two cadets, Benjamin Davis ’26 and Dang Khoa Le ’25, shared their research project findings recently at the 15th Annual Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where they earned the Best Paper Award in the Sensor Networks and Embedded Systems category.  

According to Abdelhamid, the paper titled, “GPT-4 Meets TF-IDF: A Hybrid Approach for Detecting Spam Emails Using Machine Learning,” explains how the project takes a novel approach in using large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to detect spam and phishing emails. “The platform was able to reach 99% accuracy in detecting unsolicited and fraudulent emails,” he explained. 

Davis, who is double majoring in applied mathematics and computer science, found the research project exciting. “This paper means a lot to me. Dr. Abdelhamid provided cadet Le and me not only with an opportunity to learn about what LLMs and NLP techniques are, but also how to use them, and for that I am deeply grateful.” he said. 

Le, a computer science major from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, stated it was an honor to have their research recognized with the Best Paper Award, and hopes their work inspires further innovation. “I think this achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our team. We had a great chance of conducting cybersecurity research to address real-world challenges.” 

The project is funded by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative and involves collaboration between VMI and George Mason University. 

Marianne HauseCommunications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

VMI Community Theatre Presents “Murder on the Nile”

The VMI Community Theatre presents, “Murder on the Nile,” Friday, March 28 and Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. in Gillis Theater.

The three-act play was written by Agatha Christie, based on her 1937 novel, “Death on the Nile.” The idyllic surroundings of a Nile cruise are shattered by a shocking and brutal murder. Under scrutiny is a multitude of memorable passengers, all with a reason to kill. The tension and claustrophobia builds, as a shocking and audacious conspiracy is laid bare. 

Included in the cast are VMI cadets Tori Wright ’24 as Jacqueline de Severac, Nicole Samella ’26 as Kay Mostyn, Carla Feaster ’27 as Christina Grant, John Stotler ’27as first beadseller and McNaught, Jesse Vaughn ’27 as steward, Sophia Heinlein ’28 as Louise, Aadil Pattada ’28 as Simon Mostyn, and Keye Warren ’28 as Smith. Community members in the cast include Emma Hawes as Miss ffoliot-foulkes, Andrew Hartless as police official, Tom Oxendine as Canon Pennefather, Kristen Pace as Dr. Bessner, and Tim Price as second beadseller.

The play is directed by Tim Price, assisted by Andrew Hartless. Stage crew includes Laura Canaday ’27 and Dusand Barrow ’28. Rechnna Sok ’26 serves as costume manager.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens ages 65 and over, payable by cash or check at the door. Cadets and children ages six and under are free. Reservations are not required. Gillis Theater is located in Marshall Hall on VMI post. For additional information, email Tim Price at pricetr@vmi.edu.   

Alum Moore Speaks on Jordan

Virginia Military Institute alumnus Peter W. Moore ’88, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Political Science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, returned to his alma mater March 6 to share part of a manuscript he has been working on for several years titled, “Security Contra Development: U.S. Military Relations and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”  

Moore, who double majored in history and German while a cadet at VMI, shared with his audience — mostly cadets majoring in international studies (IS) — that IS was only a concentration when he was a cadet. “The faculty that I had then were integral to my career, to helping me become interested in international politics. They kept me on the straight and narrow. I don’t think I would have graduated from VMI without that faculty support and to see the Department of International Studies and Political Science today, and to see the depth of the faculty, how varied it is, it’s really amazing. From my perspective, this VMI as an educational institution is far better than when I graduated from here, and it’s just a real honor to see how it’s developed. I’m very happy to share this research with you tonight,” he said. 

Moore discussed with his audience of the extraordinary level of Jordanian militarization since the 1980s and how it has shaped chronic economic crisis and social protest. Moore shared several ways in which the U.S. security relationship with Jordan has been integral to extending and deepening this security/development dilemma.  

Moore has conducted field research in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, and the Gulf States. His work has been published in multiple journals including the Middle East Report, The International Journal of Middle East Studies, The Middle East Journal, and Middle East Law and Governance. He is currently completing a book titled, “Jordan’s Long War: State Building and War Economies.” After graduating from VMI, he earned a master’s degree from the School of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia. He spent several years working in the private sector in Washington, D.C., then moved to Montreal to earn a doctorate in political science at McGill University. Moore has held academic positions at Dartmouth College, Concordia University, University of Miami, and Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. In academic year 2021-22, he was the Visiting Kuwait Chair at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po.  

The event was sponsored by the Dean’s Academic Speakers Program and the Department of International Studies and Political Science. 

Marianne HauseCommunications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

Alumnus Nominated to Serve as Army Undersecretary

Congratulations to VMI alumnus and retired Army colonel Michael Obadal ’96 who has been nominated to serve as Army undersecretary. If confirmed, the role would see Obadal become the chief management officer of the Army and the force’s No. 2 civilian official.

During his time at the Institute as an international studies major and Army scholarship recipient, Obadal was part of VMI’s Honor Court and served as the Alpha Company commander. After graduation, he began his Army career as an attack helicopter officer, with both overseas and stateside posts, before commanding units and task forces throughout Army and Joint Special Operations. He has also served as an ambassador for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Reflecting on his cadetship in his yearbook entry, Obadal stated, “In my time at VMI I have learned that this place is what you make of it. It is not an institution that will automatically make you into a man or leader, yet there is no finer process or atmosphere in which to do so.”

Keydet Wrestling and Basketball See SoCon Honors in Asheville

Virginia Military Institute’s wrestling and basketball teams saw Southern Conference honors while in Asheville, North Carolina, last weekend.  

VMI wrestling ended the 2024-25 season with two Keydets placing fourth in the Southern Conference Wrestling Championship March 8 at the University of North Carolina Asheville’s Kimmel Arena, according to VMI Athletics.

Braxton Lewis ’26 qualified for the consolation finals but had to medically forfeit before the match. Heavyweight Josh Evans ’25 was matched with Bellarmine University’s Daulton Mayer but was defeated by a 4-0 decision. As a team, the Keydets earned seventh place with 10.5 points.  

“We are very proud of these two and the grit they showed throughout the Southern Conference tournament,” head coach Jim Gibson said. “Their hard work, discipline, and determination were displayed, and their placements are a testament to hours of work they’ve put in. Josh finished his career at VMI on a high note, and we are excited for Braxton to return even stronger.” 

Also making it to the consolation semifinals was Toby Schoffstall ’27, making it to the semifinal before he was taken down. Despite dropping the first matchup, Schoffstall posted a major decision in the consolation bracket to advance to the semifinal where he was taken down by fall, VMI Athletics shared. 

Read more here. 

VMI basketball qualified for the semifinals for the first time since the 2020-21 season after a win March 8 in Asheville, according to VMI Athletics. 

Going in as the No. 7 seed, the Keydets played the tournament quarterfinals against University of North Carolina Greensboro, the No. 2 seed, coming out with a 64-57 win in order to advance to the semifinals March 9. VMI fell to Wofford College 85-65 in the semifinals.

VMI previously won two SoCon Tournament games to advance to the semifinals in 2002-03 season. Though, VMI basketball earned two tournament wins in 2011-12 as members of the Big South, VMI Athletics said. 

Read more here.

“We fought through a lot of adversity tonight, as we have all season. To hold this UNC Greensboro team to 57 points — what a defensive effort from our guys,” VMI basketball head coach Andrew Wilson told VMI Athletics after the game on March 8. “We knew this was going to be a rock fight. That’s the way they play. This is a great moment for our guys. I told them in the locker room, there’s not a group of kids in college basketball who deserve this moment as much as our guys, and I’m so proud of them.”  

Cadets Lead the Way: Rank Announcements Celebrated

In an evening event held in Memorial Hall last week, VMI has announced ranks for the 186th Regiment of the Institute. The following members of the Class of 2026 will take charge of the Corps for the 2025-26 academic year:

Regimental Staff

Regimental Commander (RCO) – Devin C. Auzenne
Regimental Executive Officer (XO) – Mark E. Stann
Regimental Chief of Staff – Heaton O. Lawrence

S1 Captain – Avan M. Johnson
S2 Captain – Nolan J. Savard
S3 Captain – Michael R. Ferrara
S4 Captain – Ella J. Davenport
S5 Captain – Andrew Flores
S6 Captain – Amber L. Strapponi
S7 Captain – Anna Grace Adams
S8 Captain – John K. McWilliams
S9 Captain – Cadee L. Hegarty

1st Battalion2nd Battalion3rd Battalion
Commander (CO) – Samantha J. Waters
Executive Officer (XO) – Kristopher E. Ruth Lieutenants: S1 – Macallister J. Clark
S2 – Charles K. McLaughlin
S3 – Jackson E. Rogers
S4 – Nicole M. Samella
S5 – Howard B. Link III  
S6 – John A. Gorski
S7 – Daniel C. Walker
S8 – Dylan G. Holbach
S9 – Rachel E. Bearz		Commander (CO) – Sarah E. Woosley
Executive Officer (XO) – Taylor L. Hill Lieutenants: S1 – Kaiden N. Minter
S2 – Cameron G. Owens
S3 – Zachariah T. Arnold
S4 – Reese E. Lassiter
S5 – Skyleigh R. D’Ambrosia
S6 – Sydney W. Smith
S7 – Juan S. Gonzalez
S8 – Joshua P. Oludoyi
S9 – Owen S. Ham		Commander (CO) – Anastasia M. Herrell
Executive Officer (XO) – Dylan L. Apo Lieutenants: S1 – Nicholas S. Eynon
S2 – Liam D. Smith
S3 – Bonnoreakneath  Sin
S4 – William J. Cronin
S5 – Blake A. Darmante
S6 – Rechnna T. Sok
S7 – Andrew P. Kohan
S8 – Zachary C. Crowder
S9 – Luke A. Schalow
Alpha CompanyBravo CompanyCharlie Company
CO – Seth K. Patterson
XO – Susan P. Hickman
1st PL- Lawrence C. Norman
2nd PL – Alexander E. MacFarlane
3rd PL – Luke W. Hanks
4th PL – Zachary T. Farmer		CO – Michael J. Hatfield
XO – Dariyan P. Behnam
1st PL – Cody D. Thomas
2nd PL – Parker T. Brown
3rd PL – Timothy R. Olshaskie
4th PL – Donald A. Dieffenbach		CO – Cadlee L. Jarvis
XO – Paphawin Setasawatpong
1st PL – Savannah J. Patterson
2nd PL – John M. Gibson
3rd PL – Alyssa M. Cacace
4th PL – Nicholas J. Feher
Delta CompanyEcho CompanyFoxtrot Company
CO – Emma C. Thompson
XO – Benjamin C. Barry
1st PL- Sebastian T. Ziegler
2nd PL – Jacob R. Greentree
3rd PL – Dakota C. Jones
4th PL – John B. Worley		CO – Jonah M. S. Ibanez
XO – Jason R. Drivas
1st PL- Amiel G. D. Diaz
2nd PL – William T. Gilbert
3rd PL – Fabiana S. Pajaro
4th PL – Tyrus D. James		CO – Matthew A. Kleinschuster
XO – Shane P. McKenna
1st PL – Jackson M. Pelt
2nd PL – Noelle E. Tong
3rd PL – Yeong C. Shyu
4th PL – John R. Perez
Golf CompanyHotel CompanyIndia Company
CO – Kern W. Aughinbaugh
XO – John W. Collier
1st PL- Edward A. Menton
2nd PL – Jacob B. English
3rd PL – Benjamin C. Davis
4th PL – Michael F. Ball		CO – Sadie F. Smith
XO – Robert A. Bunting
1st PL – Jai D. Vijayan
2nd PL – Katlyn I. Layman
3rd PL – Zaccheri J. Fricchione 
4th PL – Noah G. Montalvo		CO – Grant S. Rose
XO – Owen E. Brunk
1st PL – Evan P. Moore
2nd PL – Caelan A. Patel
3rd PL – Adrianna D. Sanders
4th PL – Finnigan R. James
Band Company
CO – Julia T. Ward
XO – Alden K. Rhodes
1st PL – Thor W. Alewine
2nd PL – Benjamin F. Bowen
3rd PL – Connor G. Wolfe
4th PL – Ethan T. Aldridge

CO = Commander | XO – Executive Officer | PL = Platoon Lieutenant

VMI’s Col. Andrew Luna Sets Record with Fifth SAIR Best Paper Award

Col. Andrew Luna, director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) at Virginia Military Institute, holds the distinct honor of being the only person to receive the Southern Association of Institutional Research’s (SAIR) Best Paper Award five times since its inception in 1980. Luna presented the most recent paper at the annual SAIR conference last September, but was only recently notified of his winning achievement.

Luna co-authored the paper titled, “The Matrix Revisited: How a Popular Assessment Tool Can Be Used in Higher Education,” with Jodi Carrier, a doctoral student and schoolteacher in Clarksville, Tennessee.

According to Luna, the paper describes how the Boston Consulting Group Matrix, a successful business strategy tool used since the 1970s, can identify both market growth and market share of academic programs.

“For example, in the soft drink industry, market growth relates to how a particular company’s soft drink sales do against its competitors. With market share, the company is interested in how their soft drink sales compare to other products they sell. For attaining a degree of higher learning, market growth relates to how a college’s degree attainment compares against attaining the same degree in the same subject among other comparative colleges. Within market share, we compare degree attainment in a certain subject with the other degrees the college offers. This can reveal the internal and external strengths of each academic program. This type of analysis can help a college strategize for future growth and success,” Luna explained.

As part of the Best Paper recognition, both Luna and Carrier have been invited to present the paper at the national Association for Institutional Research’s annual conference in Orlando, Florida, in May.

“This is quite an honor, and I am very thankful that I was able to work on the paper with a very good graduate student. I am also excited that colleges and universities across the country are realizing the significance of our paper,” shared Luna.

Luna came to VMI last September and also serves as the Institute’s liaison officer during VMI’s comprehensive review process every 10 years to maintain accreditation. The mission of the OIE is to promote a culture of continuous improvement at VMI by providing evidence-based information for the purposes of decision making, planning, and resource allocation.

Marianne HauseCommunications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

Cadets Visit the West Wing

Ten Virginia Military Institute cadets and three history professors embarked on a three-day visit to Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas recently as part of a joint venture between the VMI chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta (PAT) national history honor society, the Department of History (DoH), and the John A. Adams ’71 Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis.

Col. M. Houston Johnson V, DoH head and professor, Maj. Madeleine Ramsey, assistant professor in the DoH, and Maj. Liz Schroepfer, assistant professor in the DoH, were the faculty members who led the trip. According to Ramsey, who serves as co-advisor with Schroepfer for PAT, the trip is conducted annually with the purpose of introducing cadets to the federal and public history programs in the national capital region. “Cadets increase their understanding of the utility of history in educating the public through intimate discussions with historians at a variety of museums. Additionally, this experience serves as an opportunity for cadets to network and contemplate their own futures and consider pursuing similar professional careers as historians,” she said.

The trip included a visit to the World War I Memorial; a “spy tour” of the Dupont Circle and Embassy Row neighborhoods, led by a former CIA case officer; a tour of the Pentagon where they met with the historians in the Joint History and Research Office who advise the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and a visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, where Bane London ’25, a history major from Roanoke, interned last summer.

London remarked that the trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity. “Thanks to the efforts of both our faculty and alumni, we had the chance to visit places and organizations not easily accessible to the public. Our hosts at each site were more than welcoming and provided cadets with information that we otherwise would not be privy to. Our time in D.C. was invaluable, not only as a great memory but also as a learning opportunity.”

Alumnus Ben Kincaid ’99, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, facilitated a tour at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, for the group. From there, they traveled to the White House where they visited with another alumnus, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz ’96 and his staff in the West Wing. In true VMI spirit, Waltz challenged the cadets to a pushup competition just outside the situation room.

Riley Malone ’25, a history major and from Zion Crossroads, Virginia, who also serves as cadet-in-charge for PAT, said, “It was a great opportunity to go and see the inner workings of the defense, intelligence, and government organizations as well as seeing how history can be applied outside of the classroom.” 

Marianne HauseCommunications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

VMI Remembers Jonathan Daniels ’61

March 4 was a day of remembrance at Virginia Military Institute, as the Institute commemorated Jonathan Daniels ’61, alumnus and Episcopal seminarian who responded to the pleas from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. for clergy to become more actively involved in the civil rights movement, and traveled to Alabama to assist with voter registration efforts in the South. 

Events at VMI began with the 4th Class cadets viewing the film, “Here I Am, Send Me: The Story of Jonathan Daniels.” Col. Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of the VMI Museum System, introduced the film telling the cadets, “The next 45 minutes may be the most important of your cadetship.”  

Immediately after the film, a wreath laying ceremony was held in the Daniels Courtyard. Col. Ley Havird ’90, commandant, gave a brief speech of Daniels’ selfless service, followed by a prayer offered by Col. John Casper ’04, Institute chaplain, and the playing of “Amazing Grace” by bagpiper Alden Rhodes ’26. Classes were cancelled for the day.  

In August 1965, Daniels and 22 others were arrested for participating in a voter rights demonstration in Fort Deposit, Alabama, and transferred to the county jail in nearby Hayneville. Shortly after being released on August 20, Richard Morrisroe, a Catholic priest, and Daniels, accompanied two African American teenagers, Joyce Bailey and Ruby Sales, to a Hayneville store to buy a soda. They were met on the steps by Tom Coleman, a construction worker and part-time deputy sheriff, who was carrying a shotgun. Coleman aimed his gun at 16-year-old Ruby Sales, and Daniels pushed her to the ground to protect her, saving her life. The shotgun blast killed Daniels instantly and Morrisroe was seriously wounded. When King heard of the tragedy, he said “one of the most heroic Christian deeds of which I have heard in my entire ministry was performed by Jonathan Daniels.”