The Vanguard – Virginia Military Institute

The Vanguard — Gracie Harlow ’27

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.

When Gracie Harlow ’27 started her collegiate career, she felt like she was going through the motions and not obtaining any growth. She started at Hollins University, an all-female college near Roanoke, but ended up transferring to Virginia Military Institute after two years.

“There was no challenge. I was just living,” she admitted. “I wanted a challenge. My brother went to The Citadel and I come from a military family. I wanted something different. I knew I could get somewhere from here.”

The transfer as a junior didn’t mean she’d end up a 2nd Class cadet. She went directly to the Rat Line and started over.

“You can’t skip it,” she said of the Rat Line. She turned 21 right after Breakout.

“It was kind of rough in the beginning. I struggled a lot. My dyke helped me a lot,” she stated. “It took a lot of getting used to, but I feel like everything I went through and I have been through so far has helped me grow in these couple years.”

Harlow also knew she needed financial assistance for school. She received a scholarship for track and field, which she participated in her first two years as a cadet. All of her aid is covered by VMI scholarships, either from the school or alumni.

“These have been crucial to me getting through school due to my financial situation at home,” she explained. “Having those opportunities that are free or I have an avenue to make it free means a lot.”

She has her plate full. A history and English double major, she also has several writing and photography extracurricular activities. Originally, she started out as an international studies major, but felt uninspired and was looking for something she enjoyed more. She switched to history, but found she needed to fill more classes.

“I had a lot of schedule to fill, so I picked up the double major in English. That has helped me branch out and meet people,” she commented.

Maj. Madeleine Ramsey, assistant professor of history and Harlow’s academic advisor, has worked closely with Harlow for the past two years. Although she hasn’t taught her, she’s heard her colleagues speak about Harlow’s influence in the classroom. Ramsey noted Harlow’s academic diligence as even more impressive because she’s been able to achieve it while participating in a DI sport of track and field and the demanding regimental system.

“She is always prepared, ready to engage with the material at hand, and willing to participate actively in classroom discussions. She is a committed student, as I have seen firsthand through the numerous visits to both my colleagues’ offices and mine, to ask questions and seek assistance with her papers,” Ramsey commented. “As she has done throughout her academic career, Ms. Harlow applies the same discipline and dedication to VMI’s Corps of Cadets. She excels both inside and outside the classroom and now holds rank as a corporal.”

The dive into history and English allowed her the opportunity for an internship with the American Battle Monuments Commission where she was given the opportunity to research for them. She also traveled to France to present her research with the commission.

Being involved has been a huge goal for Harlow.

Gracie Harlow with her brother rat in the dining hall.

“I like trying new things, but I feel like VMI has given me more opportunities to do that,” she said. “Hard work is more recognized here than a lot of colleges. I know we have the uniforms that look the same, but you can always tell the difference.”

She will be studying abroad this summer in Spain, spending four weeks at the University of Alcalá. She previously went to Poland in the summer of 2024 through the MirYam Institute’s program, I-SAP (Israel Strategy & Policy) tour, which is designed for U.S. military cadets to travel, learn about a country, its place among the nations, and its relationship with the United States.

Despite any shortcomings Harlow has faced in her personal life, Ramsey said she’s been able to hold numerous part-time jobs and also received an internship from John A. Adams ’71 Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis to travel to Normandy.

“Quite simply, Ms. Harlow is one of the hardest -working cadets I have encountered at VMI, a place where hard work is a part of everyday life,” Ramsey said.

As a student, she’s improved with planning things out. She used to be more sporadic with things and the regiment of VMI has pushed her to become more solid in her foundation.

“I feel like I literally have to plan out everything. I’m a big planner,” she stated.

Ramsey said that Harlow is one of the most organized and disciplined students she’s ever met.

“She arrives promptly for every meeting and is always prepared. She has faced a variety of challenging circumstances in her life that for many would have been reason to seek an easier path,” Ramsey stated. “Ms. Harlow sought out, and has excelled in, one of the most challenging systems in higher education, which speaks to her strength of character.”

Her roommate calls her OCD because she’s very strict about her uniform and how tidy their room is. She prides herself on never having any demerits.

“I hate being in trouble. I just do my best to avoid it.”

She tends to be more quiet in the classroom but will always speak up if she needs help.

“I try to do my hardest to work with my professors and get the help I need. I lean a lot on my roommate. My dyke helped me a lot my rat year. I still talk to her a lot. I met my boyfriend here,” Harlow said. “The whole support system is how I buckle down and deal with it. VMI teaches you to move forward no matter what’s in your way right now. You have to get past it. And having that support system to get past it helps.”

The Vanguard — Sofia Fleming ’28

Sofia Fleming ’28 describes her older sister as a trailblazer. It just so happens a big part of that is because she graduated from Virginia Military Institute. Although it was before Fleming was born, she grew up idolizing her.

“She was very goal-oriented, very driven,” she said. “I have looked up to her my entire life, so it really inspired me to follow her path here.”

Fleming wasn’t sure what her plans would be after high school — if she would attend community college or a four-year institution. She was faced with a big decision.

“I wanted to get the most out of school. I looked into some other four-year colleges, and I wanted a school that would define me or be a defining experience in my life that set me up for a future career,” she explained. “I saw that in VMI. I saw it could give me more than any other school that I looked into could. And it really has … I’ve seen the changes it’s made.”

She compromised though. Before coming to the Institute, she did a year at community college. This served as a good transition from high school — she was homeschooled — and allowed her to overcome any difficulties.

“Going into classes and having to sit and listen to professors was one thing I wasn’t accustomed to,” she admitted. “I have met some really amazing professors here. I’ve enjoyed the experience of getting to know different professors, getting to have the experience of different teachers, which is something that I never had in high school. It’s shaped me and how I do academically.”

The English major said the past year at VMI has made her more resilient.

“It’s definitely pushed me beyond my limits. I feel like I have come so far and such a long way from when I first came here on Matriculation Day,” she said. “It’s given me better time management skills, self-discipline, and it’s testing me academically in so many ways.”

She said that VMI’s most challenging part is academics.

“Even though it’s something that I excel in, it’s also something I struggled to adjust to, but something I’ve been able to overcome as time has gone on at VMI,” she explained.

Despite VMI’s rigorous academic program, Fleming was able to achieve a 4.0 GPA as a 4th Class cadet. She credits her professors in pushing her academically and helping her improve her writing skills. She also began working at VMI’s Writing Center as a peer writing consultant.

Sofia Fleming '28 with her brother rats outside of barracks at Virginia Military Institute.

As a disciplined student, Fleming likes to get her work done ahead of time, opting to get started on her work right away.

“I’m very methodical about my work. I like to write it, let it sit for a while, come back to it, and then work on it again,” she stated. “In high school I’d always do it last minute. Here, I learned that it doesn’t work like that, especially since I want to get good grades. I have changed my style of how I write and how I work as a student.”

Col. Steven Knepper, professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, agreed on her dedication as a student.

“Sofia is a diligent, high-achieving cadet who excels in the classroom and beyond. She is an excellent writer and an incisive thinker,” he said.

Fleming does lean on her professors for extra help if she gets overwhelmed. To get over the first struggles and nervousness she faced while on the Rat Line, she wrote a poem and attached illustrations to it. It started out with lines like “this rat wants a protein shake,” with an illustration of a cartoon rat drinking a shake. She sent it to her parents and they suggested making a children’s book around it.

“VMI’s funny title for freshman inspired me to write a children’s book on the VMI Rat Line called ‘This Rat … A Military College Story.’ I created each drawing as an actual rodent, completing different activities to add levity to the challenging VMI Rat Line,” Fleming explained. “Each drawing was based on a memory that I have about the Rat Line. It feels nostalgic since I broke out just a year ago. Every time I see one of my drawings, it makes me smile because it reminds me of all the funny moments and good times that I had during that challenge.”

She’s self-publishing the book and is in talks with the VMI Museum for them to carry it.

“Cadets lead busy lives, but Sofia found the time to write and illustrate a children’s book,” Knepper commented. “I expect it will be a hit. It’s very well done. Sofia continues to write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction beyond her coursework and Corps responsibilities. She has rare talent and skill, but she also consistently puts in the work.”

Despite the difficulties she has faced and will continue to face at VMI, she likes the structure of her day-to-day.

“There’s certain times for me to work out and rest. I’ve really found that helps me a lot in getting things done,” she said. “I was really amazed that the schedule and the structure that VMI has made such an impact on me, and that’s increased my productivity in so many ways.”

She says she wouldn’t have been able to experience such a wide array of opportunities anywhere else. Last year, she was a member of the pistol team, where she competed in a national college level competition. She’s active in VMI’s Newman’s Society, the aviation club, and became a Matriculation Week corporal to train the next class of rats.

Col. Mary “Polly” Stewart Atwell, associate professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, described Fleming as extremely engaged, thoughtful, and conscientious.

“She always goes the extra mile with her assignments on top of what is required. She’s willing to take constructive criticism and wants to learn and improve,” Atwell said. “Although Sofia is a 3rd Class cadet, she always holds her own in class discussions when she is one of the younger students in the class. I think she shows great promise as a writer and a scholar.”

The Vanguard — Jackson Geisendaffer ’28

Playing a part in the bigger picture was one of Jackson Geisendaffer’s ’28 goals when he came to Virginia Military Institute. He wanted a school that would challenge him to be the best leader and prepare him to move forward, especially when those plans are to commission into the U.S. Army.

“I saw that to become that leader of value, I would have to go through challenges and struggle with myself,” he said.

His father was a VMI graduate. Growing up, he learned of his time at the Institute and said it was a big determining factor in attending versus enlisting.

It’s also the reason he became a corporal in the Old Corps. Geisendaffer said he wanted to be part of the team and serve as a leader, while taking accountability and ensuring everyone is responsible and doing their best.

“I take accountability for everybody that’s in my squad, make sure that their uniform appearance is up to standard and make sure that people are doing what they’re supposed to do in my company,” he explained.

Originally entering the Institute on the cross country team, Geisendaffer switched to Ranger Challenge, which is described as an Army ROTC varsity sport. Teams form early in the semester and train nearly every morning of the week all the way up until the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point in mid-spring.

“I think the biggest factor is being able to work within a team. When I was in high school, I was doing sports throughout. I had a hard time expressing my ideas and my thoughts within a group, and hearing out other people’s ideas,” he said. “But here, you have a job to do, so you must get along, and be able to communicate in a way other people understand. I think fundamentally, that’s probably one of the biggest things for officers to have. I think it sets me up for success.”

The English major is forward thinking. He grew up reading and loved literature, especially classics like Charles Dickens’ novels. It was something he was naturally good at and was drawn to. He also saw the merit of choosing that major.

“I feel like having an English degree is going to give me the skills to be an effective communicator as an officer and as a team leader in general,” he said.

Maj. Adam Cody, assistant professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, describes Geisendaffer as insightful and inventive, with a strong work ethic, precise attention to detail, and a productive rapport with peers.

During an in-class peer review workshop, Cody said Geisendaffer showed great promise in his leadership skills. He had a constructive and conscientious approach to peer mentorship, where he was patient and attentive with his classmates and his instructor, and his feedback on his peers’ writing reflected a diligent commitment to helping others improve their writing skills.

“Cadet Geisendaffer may consistently be relied upon for his keen understanding and thoughtful judgment,” Cody said. “In class, he displays a tendency to notice key details that other students overlook, and his critical and lateral thinking skills enable him to make connections between ideas and to integrate unfamiliar concepts into a coherent system of knowledge.”

Cadet Jackson Geisendaffer with his brother rat outside of barracks at Virginia Military Institute.

Geisendaffer prefers not to procrastinate, which is a complete departure from his days in high school. Admitting that he was below average in high school, he didn’t take pride in his grades or think he was going to college. He decided he needed to make a change. Since coming to VMI, he’s disciplined and on the ball.

“I kind of blew a lot of the stuff off and went by doing the bare minimum,” he stated. “Then I got here, and I realized that there’s more opportunities that come when you actually dedicate yourself to the grades and to these challenges. I found when I applied myself and I studied hard, I got the results that I wanted and the results that I deserved because of the changes that I made.

“I stayed on top of everything, especially during rat year, and I saw results, so I just kept sticking with it,” he continued. “I keep a detailed schedule of where I need to be, when I need to be there. I ask questions. I don’t waste time.”

Lt. Col. Jochen Arndt, associate professor in the Department of History, has known Geisendaffer since he was a rat and enrolled in his world history course. He was impressed with his vigor for learning and his ability to earn high marks.

“Cadet Geisendaffer navigated the Rat Line with aplomb and performed in the top ten percent of my course, earning an ‘A’ for that semester — far above the average grade of a ‘C,’” he said. “He paid attention to detail, completed the assigned readings, came to class ready to participate, and took good notes. Given the amount of work required to perform well in this class, I am sure Cadet Geisendaffer had to work many late hours, especially in preparation for the course’s two research paper assignments and the 3-hour final exam, all of which he completed with superior grades.”

Arndt also noted that he uses his skills well by becoming a writing center consultant, where he’s able to help his peers become better writers and students. It was something that set him apart from his classmates.

“Cadet Geisendaffer struck me always as modest in spite of his superior performance. He went about his work in a professional manner, with seemingly no drama and no wasted energy,” he commented. “When he showed up at my door to discuss his paper assignments, for instance, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he came well prepared with completed drafts ready for my review. When I suggested changes, he listened carefully, asked good questions, and then implemented the required changes.”

Dr. Luke McNulty, adjunct professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies, said of his 57 students in a course where the current average grade is a C, Geisendaffer is one of 12 currently sitting at an A.

“I can rely upon Cadet Geisendaffer to have read and understood these difficult materials before our class meetings, and to share his thoughts as a leading participant in our group discussions,” he said. “He has served me as a valuable interlocutor, and he has served his peers as a model of clear, careful thinking and speaking. I hasten to add that he has also been a model of character in his willingness publicly to express and defend his ethical principles.”

The Vanguard — Bianca Marlang ’27

From staying on friends’ couches to graduating early from Virginia Military Institute, Bianca Marlang’s ’27 path has never been a straight line. She faced adversity within her family, but persevered.

“Coming from a Filipino background, as a firstborn daughter, too, I felt trapped and not listened to. I had to make a way for myself,” she explained. “It’s a lot of pressure but in that, I pulled myself up.”

Graduating high school during COVID-19, she wasn’t on good terms with her parents. She spent much of that time bouncing back and forth to friends’ houses and exploring college options.

“I was practically homeless … I was living with whoever would take me in, friends at the time,” she admitted. “I didn’t have contact with my family for about two or three years.”

She got to VMI thanks to her uncle’s help. But she hit a wall with financial aid. Sitting outside the alumni building on the benches with her uncle, she thought there would be no way she could attend the Institute. She said with a lot of annoyance from her side, she attained enough information and assistance to figure it out.

“I wanted to come here because of the honor system and the most important point: I like the fact that the Rat Line evens everybody out. I can come from the background that I came from, and I meet people with completely opposite backgrounds,” she stated. “It’s really interesting that we’re all going through the same thing, and we’re all leveled out by this one adversity.”

Col. Sara Whipple, professor in the Department of Psychology, said she met Marlang as a prospective cadet and remembers being impressed by her even then.

“I have now had the opportunity to get to know her across multiple contexts — in class, as an advisee, and as an ambassador to the VMI Civil Discourse Initiative. Bianca takes her academic work seriously and devotes herself to a number of extracurriculars. At the same time though, she is humble and has a great sense of humor,” Whipple explained.

Coming to VMI as a 21-year-old was intimidating. She didn’t want to be known as the old cadet. Her other college experiences prior to attending the Institute included going to Old Dominion University and community college. That ended up in her favor, having several prerequisites already completed.

“It’s been ingrained in me that education is the one thing that people can’t take away from you, even at the grave. That comes with you,” she stated.

Those extra credits also have allowed her to graduate in the spring, a year ahead of schedule. From there she plans on attending Austin Peay University in Tennessee to complete her prerequisites for a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DTP) program. She hopes she can commission into the armed forces through that program.

“Bianca is the kind of student every professor hopes to see on the roster the first day of class — cheerful, curious, and unafraid to ask tough questions,” Col. Glenn Sullivan, professor in the Department of Psychology, said.

The psychology major has already taken steps towards her medical career by being a cadet emergency medical technician (EMT). She was inspired by her mother, who is a nurse, and her uncle, who is a doctor.

“I think seeing the Rat Line from behind the scenes and seeing everything from a third point of view is interesting,” she said. “As cadre, you’re too in it, because people are yelling at you; you’re yelling at people. And as a rat, it’s the same thing. But as an EMT, I kind of took a step back.”

Bianca Marlang works as a cadet EMT during a Corps exercise in barracks at Virginia Military Institute.

Marlang also serves as an ambassador for Braver Angels and the VMI Civil Discourse Initiative (CDI), which holds debates teaching civil discourse.

“We try to get people to engage in these debates. I feel like people don’t want to talk or even listen, which is what we need right now,” she explained.

As a rat, Marlang said that she began as more closed off, but her time at VMI has broadened that.

“I think I’ve become more open minded because I’ve heard other people’s points of view. It’s made me stronger in my beliefs, but at the same time, it’s made me more tolerable and respectful of other people’s point of view,” she said.

Whipple could see that right away. She was particularly impressed with Marlang as a rat when she spoke at one of the CDI debates.

“Her speech was not prepared in advance but rather came out of her own interest in, and reaction to, others’ thoughts,” Whipple said. “Bianca is willing to speak her mind, but she also makes a concerted effort to listen and understand others. As such, she has been an incredible leader within the VMI CDI.”

Marlang feels the VMI system has prepared her for the future. She has noticed the changes that the Institute has instilled in her.

“It makes you fail on purpose,” she commented. “I realized that a lot of me has changed when I went home. Normally, whenever I would get criticized or yelled at, I’d have a visceral reaction. But I kind of got used to it. I think the recovery part from failures is what VMI has helped me with a lot.”

Describing her as highly inquisitive, not only academically, but on a personal level, Whipple said that Marlang is genuinely interested in others and knowing their stories.

“Whenever she drops by my office, it’s a welcome visit because I know that in one sitting, we can go from academic discussions to the completely inane,” Whipple continued. “She has had personal challenges during her time at VMI, but manages to keep her goals central during these times. I think that type of focus and commitment are major contributors to her perseverance. Last year she made up her mind that she wanted to graduate a year early, and she is doing it.”

The Vanguard —Sara Mihalovich ’26

A NARP is a common term around college campuses — a non-athletic regular person — and a way Sara Mihalovich ’26 describes herself, but she is far from ‘regular.’ Although she can be laid back, the 1st Class cadet at Virginia Military Institute is determined and excels at whatever she puts her mind to.

It’s something her professors and peers notice.

“Cadet Mihalovich stands out to me because she can really sustain long-term attention to research, learning, and writing, which of course produces superior work,” Col. Michelle Iten, professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies (ERHS), commented. “I also admire her authenticity. She does hard things, such as the half Ironman and writing powerful papers, but she feels no need to make sure everyone knows she is doing hard things. She walks the walk, as they say.”

From working at the library, participating in the literary journal Cadence, being the triathlon club cadet in charge to serving on the Rat Disciplinary Committee (RDC), Mihalovich has taken advantage of what VMI sets cadets up with — a foundation for achievement.

“I was very quiet when I first got here. I was very uncomfortable in probably every single situation possible I was put in,” she admitted. “I think being uncomfortable in those situations has made me grow. Now you can put me in any situation, and I will do a lot better. I was able to be uncomfortable and it pushed me over the edge a little bit.”

Col. Mary “Polly” Stewart Atwell, associate professor in the Department of ERHS, has taught Mihalovich in four different classes and said she’s distinguished herself in each one.

“She’s actively engaged in class discussion, and though she’s generally a quiet person, it’s clear that her classmates respect her and listen when she talks,” Atwell explained. “She’s an incredibly talented writer, and won first prize in both the fiction and poetry categories in the Cadence journal’s Creative Arts Contest — something I’ve never seen before in 11 years at VMI. I always appreciate her intelligent, measured, and thoughtful participation in class.”

Cadet Sarah Mihalovich rucks with her brother rats at Virginia Military Institute.

Mihalovich puts herself out there. She’s more involved.

“I was mostly a ghost my rat year and 3rd Class year. I didn’t really know what the school was all about yet. I had to figure my way through life a little bit,” she said.

Taking a position with the RDC got her involved at a higher level. She was one of two female cadets chosen to take a spot.

“I like how intense the RDC is. I wanted to be part of the Rat Line in some way my senior year. Then I could be part of the it when my rat is also going through it,” she explained.

The experience allowed her to bond with her rat but also keep tabs on the upcoming class. She was able to get workouts in and stay active, too.

“I’m very physically active, so already that’s a big part of the RDC. We do a lot of physical activity with them, and I’d be able to keep up,” she said.

Physical activity is a must for Mihalovich. She’s participated in triathlons since she was 8 years old. In the fall, she completed a half Ironman. That’s a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13 mile run.

Since Mihalovich knows structure thanks to VMI, her triathlon and half Ironman training regime was easy to come by. From spending hours on the bike, going from long runs, and taking time in the pool, she felt prepared to do her first half Ironman. She also fed off the energy of her fellow racers.

Cadet Sara Mihalovich rides a bike. — Md5: 9aaf5eec177b7c4acb545f8738a2213e

“Everybody really wanted to do it. It was a very cool environment to be in. Finishing was insane, because I enjoyed every single second,” she said. “The crowds were insane. You didn’t need music at all. You were just listening to everybody cheering for you. The finish line was obviously the loudest, through the big arch, and you feel like you’re going to collapse, but then other people are holding you up. It was an amazing experience.”

Committed to schedule, Mihalovich likes to have all her daily tasks done by 10:30 p.m.

“I like getting my sleep, so I try to do all my homework and everything during the day,” she said. “My day is very, very busy.”

She’s thought ahead, too. Frontloading her class schedule in her first years at VMI has helped. In her last semester, she’s taking 14 credits.“I’m good in any high stress situation. Time management is a huge thing, too. Having 18 credit hours per semester was insane and then having triathlon stuff on top of that was just a crazy workload for an 18- to 20-year-old to have,” she stated.

Mihalovich admits the academics have been challenging for her.

“We take a lot more credit hours than most people, and we don’t have as much time to complete everything,” she said. “We have our inspections, we have our mandatory games, we have our ROTC time, we have PT [physical training], we have all that.”

The English major is currently focusing a lot of her energy on her senior capstone project — a 12 to 15-page research paper focusing on French artist Fragonard, looking at his paintings and how he paints desire and love through a narrative.

“She is willing to wrestle with her ideas and with uncertainty, to dig deep into her research, and to draft and revise many times. I really admire this trait as sustained focus is increasingly hard for all of us,” Iten continued. “Cadet Mihalovich’s capacity to remain engaged over a long process of research and writing shows great promise. I know she will take this intellectual endurance into planning and problem-solving in her service as an officer in the USMC.”

Col. Steven Knepper, professor in the Department of ERHS, agreed that Mihalovich is skilled at bringing research and analysis together.

“This is evident in her excellent senior capstone about the paintings of Jean-Honoré Fragonard,” he said. “She does impressive academic work, and she also helps her fellow cadets. She gives pointed but encouraging feedback in class discussions and in peer review.”

She spent last semester doing the bulk of her research for her capstone, so she’s now in full research paper writing mode. The idea for her thesis was sparked from one painting that caught her eye early on — “The Swing.”

“I built off what key aspects were in that painting,” she said. “I looked at some of his other paintings and how he portrayed similar themes within the other ones. It took off from there.”

Mihalovich plans to attend Marine Corps Officer Candidate Course, with the intent to commission. It took several different other ventures into VMI’s ROTC branches for her to land on the Marines.

“I like the structure of the Marine Corps, their morals and their mission,” she said. “I like how they’re smaller, more compact team.”

The Vanguard — Diego Henao Ospina ’28

When Diego Henao Ospina ’28 first considered life after high school, he weighed several paths within the armed forces. Enlisting seemed like a possibility, but advice from others who knew Virginia Military Institute helped shift his focus.

A former Navy pilot whose son attended VMI spoke highly of the Institute, and soon after, a graduate from his own high school — now a 2nd Class cadet — returned for a recruiting visit. The way that cadet carried himself, sharp in his uniform and confident, left a lasting impression on Henao Ospina.

Entering the Institute, Henao Ospina began as a history major. He enjoyed his time in the history department but found more of an interest in economics and business. He also plans on commissioning into the United States Air Force.

“I’m very thankful to the history department. I really enjoyed it. But ultimately, I want to do something in the management sector, whether it’s logistics in the military or in the civilian world,” he explained. “Once I get out, I want to get into the corporate world. And economics, in my opinion, has always had that right amount of math where it’s very applicable.”

Choosing the Air Force as his branch was another intentional decision. Many of the service members he spoke with before VMI were Air Force officers and enlistees, and he admired the long-term career paths available.

“The Air Force seems like the best career,” he said.

Diego Henao Ospina with his brother rats at a football game at Virginia Military Institute.

At VMI, he describes himself as a steady student — disciplined in habits, punctual with work, and willing to seek help when needed. Asking for help wasn’t always easy. He said at first, he resisted asking for help, but by the end of high school, he had learned that leaning on others could make all the difference.

“There’s nothing shameful in that,” he said. “My main advice that I would give others is to seek help when they need it.”

As a cadet, he holds himself to high standards, striving to lead by example and instruct others. In Hotel Company, he serves as an alternate cadre corporal, managing an Old Corps squad during inspections and accountability checks, and assisting with rat training events. For him, the role was about belonging and contributing to the company that gave him his first sense of identity at VMI. A conversation with one of his own cadre corporals during the Rat Line solidified that calling.

“That sense of belonging really impacted me,” he said.

The journey hasn’t been without challenges. He admits that time management has been one of the steepest learning curves. Balancing academics, military duties, and the personal tasks of daily life, from making phone calls home to working through difficulties outside of VMI.

“It can be overwhelming,” he shared. To cope, he leans on his mother for advice and strength, and grounds himself in his faith.

Over the years, he says he’s grown vastly as a cadet. From struggling with basic drill movements on Matriculation Day to embracing the philosophy that “you get out what you put in,” he’s learned to see VMI as a system that rewards effort and resilience. Each duty — academic, military, or personal — has become an opportunity for improvement.

Cadets perform physical training activities on post at Virginia Military Institute.

Mentorship has also shaped his time. Col. John Cerkey from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures has been a guiding influence since his rat year, both in the classroom and in supporting his ambitions to pursue a summer research project.

Cerkey said he first had Henao Ospina in a literature class that focuses on Medieval and Renaissance Periods.

“This was his first semester, rat year. These two literary periods are very challenging, and for most students, it was the first time that they had been introduced to literary and/or analytical techniques,” Cerkey explained. “With all the pressures that rats already have, Diego was outstanding. He, as well as the others, had to absorb and implement these new ways of thinking— he accomplished this to a superlative degree. He demonstrated originality of thought and clearly invested the effort to strive for excellence in this process. The result was that he was far and above, the best student in the class.”

Born in Colombia, Henao Ospina eventually moved to the U.S. with his mother. He has faced several challenges, but Cerkey pointed out that Henao Ospina was able to overcome a lot.

“Diego has remained focused and dedicated to achieving the goals that his education is making available to him. He doesn’t complain; he embraces all his challenges, crosses, and trials, with a good heart,” Cerkey said. “And at the center of his good heart, is his unwavering dedication to his Catholic faith, which strengthens him in his daily challenges, and keeps him Christ-centered.”

Looking back, Henao Ospina sees VMI not as a finished process, but as a constant evolution.

“You get out of the system what you put into it, and then you’re growing every day,” he said. “From the way I see it, it doesn’t end. It evolves. And it’s an opportunity to just continue learning, continue growing, despite the difficulties. The system is going to push you through difficulties, because there’s room for improvement.”

The Vanguard — Aidan Carman ’27

Aidan Carman ’27 can be described as committed to whatever Virginia Military Institute can do for him. His professor, Col. John David, professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Jackson-Hope Distinguished Professor of Natural Science, said Carman is trying to get everything he can from his time at the Institute — utilizing his math degree track and plans of commissioning into the U.S. Navy.

“I feel like there’ s been a lot of good Naval officers come out of our department, and I think he’s going to be another one,” David said. “I think beyond his effort and hard work is the fact that he seems to fit in well with his [brother rats] and other math majors. He’s a great kid. My job would be easy if they were all like him.”

Carman says he’s focused and confident in himself, but he’s still trying to improve himself. The math major said he’s academically sound.

“I’m fortunate that I can grasp a lot of material. Not to say that I don’t have to put in any work, but it seems, for the most part, I pick up things pretty quickly, so that’s good. I’ve been able to keep good grades,” he admitted.

There was a bit of a learning curve in his first year, especially when it came to time management.

“That was a very big shock coming here, especially throughout the Rat Line, was learning how to manage my time,” he stated. “As a high school student, I didn’t have to put any effort at all into it. I never brought home homework. It was all done by the end of the day. I didn’t have labs. So, learning how to balance school with also getting sleep and managing all that time to do the little in between things.

“The biggest thing I had to learn was not doing homework the night before it was due, but when it was assigned,” he said. “Procrastination is what really gets people. All the little things start to add up. Once I started just getting the smaller stuff out of the way, I had a lot more time for bigger projects and tests.”

Aiden Carmen with his brother rats at a football game at Virginia Military Institute.

One of the biggest lessons Carman has learned is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

“Throughout the Rat Line, just some of the mental challenge of not quitting when that’s the easy way out, and even if something’s harder to do, still doing it and just grit your teeth and do it,” he explained. “I feel like I was not that way before coming here. I was the, ‘take the easy way out,’ but that changed when I got here. I learned to just grit my teeth and do the hard way over the easy.”

As a platoon sergeant for the Old Corps, his day begins and ends with accountability.

“Mostly it’s just being accountable at formations,” he explained. “For BRC [breakfast role call] and SRC [supper role call] every morning and evening, I stand out in front, get accountability, report it back, and then march down.”

But even with a system in place, each year at VMI brought its own unique challenges.

“As a rat, you just do what you’re told and go where you’re told — you’ve got your dyke (senior mentor) to support you,” he said. “By 2nd Class year, you know the people who will have your back, and you know the school a lot better. Third Class year, though, is tricky. You’re not completely alone, but it feels like it sometimes. You’re trying to figure out your support system, both personally and academically, and really learn what works for you and what doesn’t.”

Aiden Carman with his brother rats in barracks at Virginia Military Institute.

One of the places he found direction was in the math department, where he got involved in research opportunities. Through the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI), there’s a program called AIM, or Applied Industry Mathematics. Carman explained that it’s focused on working with local businesses or even departments at VMI. He’s worked with VMI’s financial aid and administration office, but most recently he partnered with a company in Buena Vista.

Those experiences gave him something more than classroom learning — real-world work experience.

“You get credits, a stipend, and, most importantly, the chance to apply what you’ve learned to actual problems. Sometimes in class you’re just solving for a number,” he explained. “I feel like I got a very wide breadth of experience from working with different entities in a professional line of work and applied the things I’ve learned in class and put them into practice to see how they can solve real world problems. That’s a valuable skill.”

“He always does what he’s supposed to do,” David, director of the AIM program, said.

Carman has enrolled in three of David’s classes and in 2024, did research to help VMI’s admissions and financial aid offices analyze what factors best predict whether cadets will stay at the Institute and ultimately graduate.

“He just seems to be really committed to getting everything he can out of his time at VMI,” David commented.

The Vanguard — Caleb Chandler ’27

Caleb Chandler ’27 wanted a challenge when it came to deciding what language to study at Virginia Military Institute.

“When I saw the different language options, I didn’t want to take Chinese, I didn’t want to take Spanish or French, I kind of thought they were too basic,” the modern languages and cultures major admitted. “I wanted that challenge of Arabic, and I’m glad I did.”

He was inspired to explore Arabic after observing his father, an aviation mechanic in the U.S. Navy during the War on Terror. He said that area of the world had consumed his father’s life, so it was really all he knew growing up.

Chandler originally set his sights on VMI because he was recruited for the wrestling team. Growing up in a military family, the Institute was appealing to him. But he left the team last year and decided the club rugby team was more up his alley.

“Being a NCAA athlete is not for the weak,” he said.

Instead, he’s taken on more roles for the Corps, like being elected the class historian, which means he’s in charge of housing for all the cadets.

“If there’s ever room disputes or anything like that, usually I’m the primary mediator,” he explained. “Or if the room does need to be changed, I’ll change it and make sure all parties are on the same side, as well as the commandant staff. That’s my primary job.”

By being part of the General Committee, if there are violations of the class system or the white book, he is part of the committee that prosecutes.

Chandler’s passion for Arabic earned him a scholarship for the Project Global Officer (Project GO) program last year, which provides ROTC students with opportunities to study strategic languages and cultures abroad. The scholarship is funded by the Department of Defense and the experience lasts about two months, specifically for critical language speakers, Chandler said.

Cadets in a classroom at Virginia Military Institute.

“That could be anything from Arabic, Chinese, Swahili, Russian, those types of languages that the government deems necessary for young officers to speak,” he said. “You basically spend two months there in intensive learning.”

He said that sometimes he’d be in the classroom for four hours or even up to eight hours — all Arabic instruction with culture lessons mixed in.

While participating, Chandler said he visited eight cities in Morocco, rode a camel in the Sahara Desert, all while expanding his language capabilities.

“I got used to hearing [Arabic] from native speakers, because there’s only so much you can do in the classroom,” he stated. “When you have hours that you can dive into it and you can see what your weaknesses are, you can become better. My speaking became better, my listening, my comprehension, everything.”

His studies were centered at the American Language Center, which was close to his host family. His host mother didn’t speak any English, and he had to communicate entirely in Arabic at home, unless his host brothers were there to help.

“I was nervous initially. I had only completed the 100 level of the language by this point. I could do basic greetings and stuff like that,” he admitted. “I’d say about by the halfway point, I had kind of gotten a schedule down, and most things that my host mother would ask me, I would be able to understand.”

Maj. Hicham Assaoui, assistant professor of Arabic in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, said studying and living in Morocco was a rigorous and immersive experience, one that Chandler not only met, but thrived in.

“He quickly adapted to his host family, developed meaningful relationships, and served as what I can only consider as a cultural bridge between American and Moroccan communities,” Assaoui explained. “He is both mature and resilient. In terms of academic promise, his strong performance in the Moroccan history and culture course and his growth in Arabic proficiency signal a strong potential for future success.”

His commitment to the study of Arabic continues on post. An active participant in the Group Study Session (GSS) tutor group, he holds group study sessions once a week for the 101 or 102 levels of Arabic. He’ll also attend lower-level Arabic classes to understand what each class is working on so he can tailor his study sessions to best fit those who need help.

“I’ll write down notes to myself and what they need to work on in conjunction with the professor, and when we come in to the group study sessions, we’ll spend that entire hour, maybe on verb conjugation or reviewing vocabulary — it’s completely what they want,” he said. “I try and make it as close to possible to what helped me succeed.”

Caleb Chandler on a camel in the desert.

According to Lt. Col. Jason Schroepfer, assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Culture, the way Chandler approaches learning Arabic has stood out to him. He describes him as a leader to those wishing to learn Arabic, where his fellow cadets look to him for guidance.

“In communication activities, he quietly takes stock of the task at hand by actively taking notes. He then applies the knowledge undeterred by the fear of making mistakes. He also takes feedback on some areas of improvement, if need be,” Schroepfer said. “In Arabic reading tasks, he’s also not afraid to take measured risks by making educated guesses on the meanings of words and structures that are just a little bit more advanced than his current level. These hallmarks of a motivated, independent student, more often than not, payoff for him. Most importantly, these are traits that are shared by highly successful people in general.”

Mohammed Shihab, Arabic professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Culture, said Chandler possesses a proactive drive to serve. Shihab has observed him during study and tutoring sessions with other cadets where Chandler doesn’t give them the answers, instead he guides them on how to study, breaking down difficult course material into understandable segments.

“His initiative in seeking out those in need of help and his selfless dedication to their success is a rare and valuable trait that speaks directly to his character and potential as a leader of character,” Shihab said. “Cadet Chandler is the complete package: a brilliant and diligent student, a born leader, and a person of profound integrity. He is precisely the type of individual — one who leads with intelligence, compassion, and unwavering reliability.”

Chandler said he’s grown more as a person while being at VMI. He started out as a shy individual, but with the roles he’s taken on and embrace, he’s become more confident.

“I have to assert myself, and I’ve become so much more confident, and I can actually believe what I’m saying,” he stated. “I don’t get as nervous as much. Public speaking always killed me, but now it’s just something that’s required. I kind of just evolved.”

He admits he enjoys every second of VMI, something he’s said others may find a little weird.

“These are some of the best memories in the world,” he commented. “Like nights when you’re just staying up with the roommates, doing homework until maybe one or two in the morning. But you can just look back and it all makes it worth it. Just the bonds here.”

He says he’s grown as a student.

“I want to learn as much as possible, but I find it frustrating that there’s not enough class time for me to dive into it. I get so passionate about it,” he said.

Chandler will be commissioning into the U.S. Army with the hopes to be a military intelligence officer, utilizing his love of Arabic.

Assaoui has observed Chandler’s work in multiple contexts. Every week Chandler helps man the Arabic language table, he was also Assaoui’s student for study abroad in Morocco, and currently he’s enrolled in his upper-level Arabic 302 class.

Assaoui said Chandler exemplifies the kind of cadet that VMI strives to cultivate.

“He stands out for his initiative, adaptability, and genuine passion for learning,” he explained. “While many students are content to meet expectations, he consistently goes above and beyond to excel. His ability to build rapport with classmates, instructors, and host families reflects strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.”

The Vanguard — Nat Lavender ’26

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.

Nat Lavender with her brother rats at Virginia Military Institute outside barracks.

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.

Nat Lavender with her family during family day at Virginia Military Institute.

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 — Matthew Atienza ’26

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.

Matthew Atienza with his brother rats at Virginia Military Institute in barracks.

“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.

Matthew Atienza with his brother rats at Virginia Military Institute.

“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.

Tag: The Vanguard