Tag: Class of 2026

The Vanguard series highlights cadets of Virginia Military Institute who exemplify promise, perseverance, and the true spirit of leadership. While they may not be the top-ranking students or those in prestigious positions, these individuals’ dedication, resilience, and growth embody the essence of being a VMI cadet. By sharing their stories, including the challenges they’ve faced and overcome, we shine a spotlight on the diverse paths to success at the Institute, proving that leadership and excellence come in many forms.   

Nat Lavender ’26 was sitting in class one day on her sixth page of notes when her hand started to cramp. She only had one thought — she was miserable as an economics and business major.  

“I thought to myself, I could do this, but do I really want to be miserable for the next three years?” she questioned. “I switched my major, and I went to English. It was always my favorite subject and I’d missed it my rat year since I tested out.” 

The switch created a fire in her. She became so passionate about her major and studies.

“I’m very humanities brained. The creativity and the complexity of connotations and literature and how words shape reality is so fascinating to me, especially because words are such a reflection of ourselves,” she said. “You read someone’s writing, you’re sharing their mind for a few minutes. I think it’s fascinating and beautiful. I think books are by far the most versatile form of entertainment of learning, because you could read the same book five different ways, depending on the layers of symbolism, you can’t do that with anything else.” 

The way Lavender speaks about writing and reading, anyone can see her dedication and desire for it. She explained that the ability to read a book in a completely different way than the person sitting next to her, just due to personal experience, is so intriguing to her.  

“We’re all just sharing and having a silent conversation,” she stated.  

Although Lavender doesn’t hold rank, she’s held a bevy of different jobs on post. For two years she worked as a history group study session facilitator. Most recently, she’s been working as the cadet in charge for the Daniel’s Library. She also works at the Writing Center, where she serves as a consultant for her peers.  

“I love that job,” she said of the Writing Center gig. “I’m not a very extroverted person, but I like to pick a couple things I’m passionate about and really commit.” 

In addition to being an exceptional student, she has also been an outstanding athlete, competing on VMI’s NCAA Division 1 Cross-Country and Track teams, lettering in all seven seasons. 

A self-proclaimed nerd, she finds solace in studying. 

“I enjoy locking myself away and reading and studying. Nobody’s really with me on that, which is understandable,” she said.  

She’s currently working on her thesis, which focuses on post-World War I Avant-garde art movements of Dadaism and Surrealism in their modern context and conversations and seeing if she can recreate that — if possible. Lavender’s goal is to see if the arts can be limited to a time period in its historical context or not.  

Col. Catharine Ingersoll, professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, said Lavender is a bright student who is disciplined and intensely curious.  

“If I have a stack of tests or papers to grade, I save hers to do last — like a dessert — because she always does such an excellent job on assignments,” she admitted. 

Ingersoll has seen this in the cadet’s work on her honors thesis and explained her project shows great promise and combines her enthusiasm for art history and studio art. Ingersoll went on to say that Lavender comes in for their meetings with innovative ideas that reveal how thoroughly she’s been thinking of how to convey the theme of her thesis. 

“Cadet Lavender always manages to fulfill her responsibilities to a high level of finish, even when she is feeling stressed or when she has a lot on her plate  — and even during times when she, herself, seems unconvinced that she can get everything done,” Ingersoll said. “She never lets things get away from her, even in the midst of the chaos of day-to-day life at VMI.” 

Lavender had not always been so committed to school, she admits. 

“I was not a good student in high school at all. I showed up 30 minutes late to class and sat in the back,” she said. “I mean, I did decent on my work, but I’d help my friends with their essays and turn mine in two days late. I was never that worried about it. It was kind of a shock coming here. 

She said being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 18 helped her realize the gaps in how she was able to study and figured out how her brain operated.  

Coming to VMI has allowed her to grow and discover herself.  

“I really thought I knew who I was in high school. I think most people do, and college is a place to grow from the bubble you’ve grown up in,” Lavender explained. “Here it’s just the absolute lack of anything that precedes your actual actions, words, and personality. It forces you to know who you are without the clothes or the car and those kinds of materialistic things. Without the materials, you have to look in the mirror. I’d say I’m much more aware and much better for it. I think the stress of this place really illuminates your flaws, and you’ve got to be like, okay, I can’t ignore this anymore.” 

At times she has found VMI to be lonely, but with being on the track team and the friendships she’s made with her roommates and through her major, she’s been able to surround herself with a close group. 

“I think my roommates are such a blessing. I love them so much. I’ve made so many connections here. I think the biggest thing is just knowing that even when you’re feeling lonely, it doesn’t mean you’re alone,” she said. 

She’s set to graduate early this December with Institute Honors; a B.A. in English; a minor in French; and concentrations in literary studies, philosophy, rhetoric and writing, and art history and visual culture. The need to be constantly moving pushed her to add extra classes to her schedule with the intent to drop them. Except, she never dropped them. She’s currently applying to graduate programs — most notably to be a Rhodes Scholar.  

Col. Emily Miller, professor of English and head of the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, describes Lavender as an outstanding student with a broad range of academic interests.  

“She has a remarkable amount of intellectual curiosity, which is evident in all of her endeavors,” Miller said. “For example, last November she presented a paper that she wrote in my honors seminar on Shakespeare at a professional conference (the South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference), and she revised it multiple times, thoughtfully working over each sentence until it captured her exact meaning. She did a superb job of presenting the paper and answering questions from the audience. Similarly, in class she always offered meaningful observations and questions about Shakespeare’s plays.” 

Miller said Lavender’s work ethic seems to arise very naturally from intellectual curiosity.  

“She is humble, thoughtful, and generous, always ready to help her fellow cadets however she can. With her excellent performance in all of the areas I have mentioned, she is a very strong candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship.” 

The Vanguard series highlights cadets of Virginia Military Institute who exemplify promise, perseverance, and the true spirit of leadership. While they may not be the top-ranking students or those in prestigious positions, these individuals’ dedication, resilience, and growth embody the essence of being a VMI cadet. By sharing their stories, including the challenges they’ve faced and overcome, we shine a spotlight on the diverse paths to success at the Institute, proving that leadership and excellence come in many forms.  

Coming to Virginia Military Institute wasn’t an easy adjustment for Matthew Atienza ’26. He was across the country, in an unfamiliar place, and unsure of it all.  

His original intent was to commission into the Air Force and be an international studies major. But that shifted when Atienza realized he wanted to be a teacher. It took one class during the Summer Transition Program (STP) to win him over and switch to be an English major.

“I loved what we learned. I loved learning about rhetoric in that class,” he explained. “And as I was going through the international studies major, I realized I didn’t really enjoy what I was doing I looked back through my post view, I have an A in every single English class I’ve ever taken. So why not do something I’m not only good at, but passionate about?” 

He was inspired by George Abry, instructor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, during that STP session. He credits Abry to his switch from international studies to English. Abry said Atienza has a quiet confidence about him, without the need for fanfare or recognition. 

“One thing I remember most about Matthew was the work he put into his essays,” Abry said. “If I recall, at times he struggled with his own writing structurally and at the sentence level, which means he worked hard to improve through conferencing, peer review, and revision. Ultimately, I think his own struggles with writing will make him a stronger teacher.” 

Atienza is the type of person to get things done early. He wants to finish a task the moment it’s assigned.  

“As a student, I always try to get on top of everything as quickly as I possibly can,” he said.  

He feels like he’s evolved, not only as a student, but also as a cadet.  

“I came here when I was 17 years old, skinny, unathletic, pretty lazy, grades were terrible, but I had a lot of good people behind me who supported me,” he admitted. “I think as a rat or as a 4th classman, I didn’t feel like I deserved to be a cadet.” 

Instead of having doubts overtake him, he was able to pick himself up and take control of his own life. By transferring out of Air Force ROTC and changing his major, he made huge life decisions. 

“I really put my career in my own hands. I’m on the Dean’s List now,” he said. “I think as a cadet, I have been very resilient. I faced a lot of hardships here. I am from across the country, so it’s lots of financial challenges and managing relationships from so far away.” 

It took some time, but Atienza can now reflect on his journey of becoming physically and mentally stronger. He remembers from his time on the Rat Line they were learning a drill maneuver called inspection arms, where they’d have to pull the bolt back on a rifle.  

“During that time, I was super weak, and I couldn’t do it. I was one of the only people that couldn’t do it,” he explained. “I remember my first sergeant at the end of training was like, ‘you either need to cut your bolt so it’s easier or get stronger.’” 

Atienza said for about two to three weeks, he practiced. He got stronger. And made sure it was perfect.  

“I remember one day we were supposed to drill outside, but it started raining, and we just did inspection arms for an hour straight, and I executed it perfectly every single time without messing up,” he stated. “I didn’t get any acknowledgement from it, but I was really proud of myself in that moment. And whenever I think I can’t do something, or I’m not as strong enough, or I don’t have the willpower to do this. I remember back when I was only 17 years old here. It seems so small, but it’s very significant.” 

He also had to learn how to live far away from his family. Originally from California’s Bay Area, he said it was a bit of a culture shock when he came to Lexington.  

“I lived in a place with different beliefs, different ideologies, and I guess more diverse,” he said. “I had a really rough time.” 

During his rat year, he said everything kind of fell apart. Two of his neighbors in barracks, who were some of his closest friends, ended up leaving VMI. Plus, all his roommates he had his rat year all left the school. 

“I was the only person left,” he said.  

The one thing that helped was getting rank — he served as part of the color guard. He said it allowed him to connect with more people. 

He also had some humbling moments at VMI. From what was easy in high school for him was shockingly challenging at the Institute.  

“There are levels to education that I was not aware of, and I struggled greatly my rat year to 3rd Class year. My GPA was below 2.5, my grades were bad. But I learned how to not procrastinate. I taught myself how to study. I think most importantly, I taught myself how to ask for help. That’s something I never did. It’s something that I was always scared to do.” 

Last summer, Atienza worked at Breakthrough Silicon Valley, a nonprofit focused on education equity. There he taught students from lower-income homes and immigrant backgrounds to close the education gap.  

“I was a 9th grade teacher and taught two English classes and one public speaking class,” he explained. “Working hands-on with my students opened my eyes to bigger issues in marginalized communities and gave me a new sense of duty. Working at Breakthrough has inspired me to not only continue a career in education, but to also be an active member in my community as an advocate for education equity.” 

At the end of his internship, he received the Americorps Segal Education Award, a scholarship of about $1,500. 

Col. Emily Miller, Professor of English and English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies department head, described Atienza as a conscientious, thoughtful, and reflective student. She said he contributes to class discussion with excellent comments and questions. His writing is strong. Miller cites that his essays explore works of literature in their cultural context. 

“He brings an intellectual curiosity to his classes that makes him a pleasure to have in class. He has a strong commitment to education and a passion to serve others,” she said. “He is an attentive listener, reflective reader, and a mature and independent thinker. He is humble but confident. He also has a great sense of humor.” 

As a 1st Class cadet, Atienza’s advice is to not be afraid of asking for help — or asking anything in general. 

“Don’t be afraid to reach out, in the sense of asking help from your professors. Or reaching out to your brother rat that lives next door to become friends,” he said.  

The Vanguard series highlights cadets of Virginia Military Institute who exemplify promise, perseverance, and the true spirit of leadership. While they may not be the top-ranking students or those in prestigious positions, these individuals’ dedication, resilience, and growth embody the essence of being a VMI cadet. By sharing their stories, including the challenges they’ve faced and overcome, we shine a spotlight on the diverse paths to success at the Institute, proving that leadership and excellence come in many forms. 

Writing is something that comes easily for Nickole Chavez ’26. She says she enjoys writing essays, which may seem like an odd thing, but when English and writing is something that comes easily, it’s a no-brainer. Science and math, she’s not a big fan. But, when she finds something she’s passionate about, it’s simple.  

“It’s always been something I’ve excelled at,” she admitted. “I feel like it comes naturally to me.”

It’s a trait that her professors have noticed. Lt. Col. Michelle Iten, associate professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, said Chavez is a highly focused, self-disciplined, and determined learner.  

“She prepares fully for each session, and her high level of attention and engagement in class activities show a determination to stay on task and to learn all she can,” Iten explained. “She has the same demanding schedule as her peers, but if she is ever fatigued, I would not know it from her demeanor and level of engagement in class; she is active and attentive from beginning to end. She stands out among her peers in the class with this tough constitution for learning.” 

Chavez is disciplined in her studies; she spends a lot of time in the library until the late hours trying to get ahead.  

“That’s mainly how I try to set up my week, just seeing what’s coming up soon, getting that done, and then, if there’s anything coming up on the weekend, I’ll try and get ahead on those assignments during the week.” 

She may not hold rank at Virginia Military Institute, but she tries to stay involved as much as possible. The English major has a minor in Spanish, along with concentrations in literary studies, art history and visual culture, and rhetoric and writing. She’s also the women’s soccer team manager and facilitates Spanish group study sessions. 

“I like the school. I like what it stands for, the values. I really try and play into the system as much as I can. I’m just a private and as much as I can, I try to be involved,” she said.

As a 3rd Class cadet, she said she’s seen her growth as a student.  

“I know I need to get my assignments done. I can’t stay in bed all day. Being here has helped me become more motivated and determined,” she said.  

Iten explained that Chavez stands out to her for her level-headedness. 

“In addition to having excellent stamina for learning, Nickole also stands out for her level-headedness and stable self-possession. If she encounters a tough spot or problem in her coursework, she remains calm, articulate, and solution-oriented,” she said. “Cadets can, understandably, get rocked off-balance by the demands of their coursework combined with navigating VMI, but not Nickole. I had a corporate career before becoming a professor, and Nickole is exactly the type of person I would have gladly hired for her capacity to stay grounded and articulate in fast-moving, high-pressure conditions.” 

The routine at VMI has been beneficial for Chavez. She said with the set schedule, it has not only benefitted her during her time at VMI, but outside of it.  

“I feel like I’m already on a set schedule. Even when I’m at home, I’m getting my day started early.” 

She said the schedule she and other cadets must keep has helped her become better with time management. 

“There’s a lot of stuff here we have to participate in, like practice parades, parades, meetings that we need to go to. I feel like just all that stuff kind of pushes you to manage your time a little bit better. During your day, if you get a break, take advantage of that break,” she said. 

Days can be overwhelming, but Chavez’s outlook remains steady. 

“I just try to take a step back and think about why I’m here, because this school can be stressful,” she said. “I just try to think back on why I’m here and what’s my purpose.”