Burr Powell Harrison was a Virginia lawyer, judge and Democratic politician who was a member of the Byrd Organization and served as U.S. As of 2010, VMI had graduated 11 Rhodes Scholars since 1921. VMI is spending another $200 million to build the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics, to be used by cadets, Washington and Lee University students, and other U.S. and international students. [118] Private support covers more than 31 percent of VMI's operating budget; state funds, 26 percent. In 1871 he helped found a bank at Charles Town, West Virginia, which he served for many years. In the overall rankings we add non-academic prominence and alumni popularity indicators. [30] With few exceptions, there have been sentinels posted at VMI every hour of every day of the school year since 11 November 1839. Over 2,100 ASTP members studied at VMI during the war. Muha also was an umpire in the NFL from 1956 through 1971. Naval officer. So, instead of the mix of military and liberal education imagined by Preston, the board created a military and engineering school offering the most thorough engineering curriculum in America, outside of West Point. The VMI campus covers 134 acres (54ha), 12 of which are designated as the Virginia Military Institute Historic District, a designated National Historic Landmark District. Previously, he had worked as Washington correspondent for various media. His New First Army was known as the "Best Army under heaven" and credited with effectively confronting Japanese troops in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai and in the Burma Campaign, 19431944. As the Virginia Military Institute continues to march toward the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion programming on campus . So many served under Jackson that just before his famous flank attack on the Union army at Chancellorsville in 1863, . Following the war, Matthew Fontaine Maury, the pioneering oceanographer known as the "Pathfinder of the Seas", accepted a teaching position at VMI, holding the physics chair. Fifteen graduates rose to the rank of general in the Confederate Army, and one rose to this rank in the Union Army. VMI offers 14 major and 23 minor areas of study,[62] grouped into engineering, liberal arts, humanities, and the sciences. BS, Civil Engineering. of the Pacific, 194042, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (194967), United States Attorney General (194549), Senior resident superior court judge in western, Confederate Colonel; Member of U.S. House of Representatives and Virginia House of Delegates, Confederate major general, Member of Virginia House of Delegates, U.S. List of Virginia Military Institute alumni. Northam, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 40th lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 prior to winning the governorship against Republican nominee Ed Gillespie in the 2017 election. Alpha Tau Omega fraternity was founded by VMI cadets Otis Allan Glazebrook, Alfred Marshall, and Erskine Mayo Ross at Richmond, Virginia on 11 September 1865 while the school was closed for reconstruction. The 1976 squad advanced within one game of the Final Four before bowing to undefeated Rutgers in the East Regional Final, and in 1977 VMI finished with 26 wins and just four losses, still a school record, and reached the "Sweet 16" round of the NCAA tournament. The cadets responded in kind calling the neighboring students "Minks" perhaps because many of them were from wealthy backgrounds. After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work. Virginia Military Institute Historic District, Founding of the Virginia Military Institute Museum, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of Virginia Military Institute alumni, "History of the VMI Coat of Arms, Motto, Seal & Spider Logo", U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2021 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY20 to FY21, "Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins '85 to lead Virginia Military Institute", "College Navigator - Virginia Military Institute", "Virginia Military Institute: Quick Facts", "Best Colleges Virginia Military Institute", "Virginia Military Institute Faculty Handbook", "J.T.L. Joseph Edward Willard was an American politician, philanthropist, and diplomat. Thomas Troy Handy was a United States Army four-star general who served as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army from 1944 to 1947; Commanding General, Fourth United States Army from 1947 to 1949; Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1949 to 1952; Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group in 1952; and Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1952 to 1954. Flowers was born in Pennsylvania and resided in several areas of the world as his family moved during his father's military career. James Henry Binford "Binnie" Peay III is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a state-funded military academy founded in 1839. . Jules James,, was a career U.S. During their junior year, cadets receive class rings at a ring presentation ceremony followed by a formal dance. The VMI Foundations mission is simple: raise, steward, and invest the funds entrusted to it for the sole purpose of advancing Virginia Military Institute. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Virginia Military Institute. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harry F. Byrd Sr. His public service spanned thirty-six years, while he was a publisher of several Virginia newspapers. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a master's degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University. On June 12, 1864, the museum was destroyed by General David Hunter, but reopened in 1870. General Clark Louis Ruffner was a senior officer in the United States Army who served in World War II and the Korean War. They must be unmarried, and have no legal dependents, be physically fit for enrollment in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and be graduates of an accredited secondary school or have completed an approved homeschool curriculum. Samuel Lutz Howard was a United States Marine Corps general who served with distinction in the Marine Corps for thirty-eight years. This list answers the questions Which famous people went to Virginia Military Institute? and Which celebrities are Virginia Military Institute alumni?, Television producer, Theatrical producer, Film Producer, Famous Virginia Military Institute Alumni. Sun Li-jen was a Chinese Nationalist (KMT) general, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. The combination of the warm relationship with the Dykes and the harshness of the school system, with countless push-ups, sweat parties, and runs, is calculated to instill the required military outlook and competence on everyday tasks in the Rats. Twelve of the fifteen superintendents were graduates of VMI. [14] The cadets are a military corps (the Corps of Cadets) under the command of the superintendent and under the administration of the Commandant of Cadets, and constitute the guard of the institute. General John C. Breckinridge, the commanding Southern general, held the cadets in reserve and did not use them until Union troops broke through the Confederate lines. Other notable alumni include Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, actor Chris Pratt, and NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor. [91] Most cadets get two rings, a formal ring and a combat ring; some choose to have the combat ring for everyday wear, and the formal for special occasions. Registrar functions include student services and academic records management, course scheduling, degree certification and diploma processing, registration, grading and evaluations, transcript processing, academic standards review, out processing, statistical reporting and support of ad hoc requests, FERPA compliance, continued development of technology and post-wide availability of data to the . In 2021 VMI ranked fourth nationally, after the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy, in the U.S. News & World Report rankings' "Top Public Schools, National Liberal Arts Colleges" category. The VMI ratline is a tough, old-fashioned indoctrination-system which dates back to the institute's founding. Colston was among a handful of former Confederates who served in Egypt following the war. (later "Stonewall") Jackson and his household on the eve of Civil War. Prominent graduates from Virginia Military Institute include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. - first president of Normal and Industrial School for Women (now James Madison University); eighth president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State . Thomas Goode Jones was an Alabama lawyer and politician and military officer. Leonard Townsend Gerow was a general in the United States Army who served with distinction in both World War I and World War II. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2018 and succeeded Ron DeSantis, who went on to be elected the 46th governor of Florida. Seven Medal of Honor . Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky, Yiddish: ; June 28, 1926) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, and composer. He is the founder and president of the Future of Freedom Foundation. Upon seeing the tide of battle turning in favor of the Union forces, Breckinridge stated, "Put the boys inand may God forgive me for the order. [8], While Abraham Lincoln first called VMI "The West Point of the South"[9] because of its role during the American Civil War, the nickname has remained because VMI has produced more Army generals than any ROTC program in the United States. [71] The VMI class of 2017 graduated 300 cadets, 172 (or 57 percent) of whom were commissioned as officers in the United States military.[72]. The students reported a threat of lynching, attacks on social media, and a staff member promoting "an inaccurate and dangerous 'Lost Cause' version of Virginia's history. After the war, he became a merchant and later served for decades as a commissioner in chancery (probate official) in Harrisonburg. This is the structure that received most of the damage when Union forces shelled and burned the institute in June 1864. Major General William Peterkin Upshur was the recipient of the United States' highest military decorationthe Medal of Honorfor his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign. [14] Current law makes provision for officers of the Virginia Militia to be subject to orders of the governor. VMI offers undergraduate degree programs in engineering, computer . In a series of three anonymous letters in the Lexington Gazette in 1835, he proposed replacing the arsenal guard with students living under military discipline, receiving some military education, as well as a liberal education. Visit our news pages and follow VMI on social media to learn more. The four other institutes are: The Citadel for the Battle of Secessionville and the Battle of Tulifinny, Florida State for the Battle of Natural Bridge, William and Mary for the Siege of Yorktown, and the University of Hawaii for the Hawaiian Islands Campaign. Early burned the town of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was in retaliation for the destruction of VMI.[42]. He is best remembered for his independence from the party and for coining the term "gobbledygook" for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language. is composed of four organizations that share the common purpose of raising funds, investing funds, and performing other activities on behalf of VMI alumni and other donors in support of Virginia Military Institute. List of famous alumni from Virginia Military Institute, with photos when available. He is known as a creator of broad film farces and comedic, Frederick Charles Willard (September 8, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is a retired captain in the United States Army. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau. VMI has the second-smallest NCAA Division I enrollment of any FCS football college, after Presbyterian College. [80], After VMI won its case in U.S. District Court, the case went through several appeals until 26 June 1996, when the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 71 decision in United States v. Virginia, found that it was unconstitutional for a school supported by public funds to exclude women. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the US Army under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, then served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense under Truman. Campbell Bascom Slemp was an American Republican politician. Founded in 1839, VMI has provided higher education and an entry into the US armed forces for cadets. VMI cadets and alumni played instrumental roles in the American Civil War. He was a six-time United States congressman from Virginia's 9th congressional district from 1907 to 1923 and served as the presidential secretary to President Calvin Coolidge. Although VMI alumni are placed in chapters based on the address associated with your constituent record, we encourage our alumni to participate in any chapter events you would like to attend. One of the first Asian cadets was Sun Li-jen, the Chinese National Revolutionary Army general, who graduated in 1927. The one-game season was a 42 loss to Washington and Lee University. Naval forces in Bermuda and then later oversaw the construction of a large number of U.S. Navy ships while commanding the Sixth Naval District. "[19][20] In 1834, the Franklin Society, a local literary and debate society, debated, "Would it be politic for the State to establish a military school, at the Arsenal, near Lexington, in connection with Washington College, on the plan of the West Point Academy?" Below is a listing of the . [14][18], In the years after the War of 1812, the Commonwealth of Virginia built and maintained several arsenals to store weapons intended for use by the state militia in the event of invasion or slave revolt. Captured by the Japanese at Corregidor, he was forced to march many miles to a prison camp where he was held as a prisoner of war from 1942 until being liberated in 1945. The Lexington campus reopened for classes on 17 October 1865. After Smith agreed to accept the Superintendent's position, Preston applied to join the faculty, and was hired as Professor of Languages. Lapthe Chau Flora is a major general in the United States Army who is a special assistant to the director of the Army National Guard. In the 1950s, Rats from each company would be packed into a corner room in the barracks and brawl their way out through the upperclassmen. It does not list alumni who did not graduate from the school, such as General George S. Patton and General Sam S. Walker, and the many VMI graduates who served or still serve as four-star generals in foreign nations such as Thailand, China, and Taiwan. [102][103] Although VMI prohibited cadet membership in fraternal organizations starting in 1885, VMI cadets were instrumental in starting several fraternities. Lieutenant General Edward Mallory Almond was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, where he commanded the 92nd Infantry Division, and the Korean War, where he commanded the U.S. X Corps. Stanley Onyekachukwu Okoye is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for Zaragoza of the Liga ACB. Varsity sports include baseball, basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, lacrosse, men's and women's rifle, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's track & field, and wrestling. It is a state military college modeled on the U.S. service academies. He earned the nickname "Stonewall Jim" for his days as commander of the famed Stonewall Brigade. During Hell Week, Rats also meet the members of various cadet-run organizations and learn the functions of each. The army had 5,941 men, the navy 1,059 men, 110 in the Marine Corps, 29 in the Merchant Marine, 23 in the Coast Guard, and one in the Royal Air Force. He was the grandfather of World War II general George S. Patton. Taylor previously was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to the rank of major general and becoming a national hero as a result of his victories in the MexicanAmerican War. Darren Wayne McDew is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the Commander of United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. George Catlett Marshall Jr. was an American army officer and statesman. Beginning in the 1960s, Benedictine adopted the U.S. Army JROTC program, which continued at the school until 2016. All "Rats" refer to their classmates, male or female, as "Brother Rats." In September 2007, Meehan was injured in an IED strike during the Battle of Baqubah. Under this system, the Rats face numerous mental and physical challenges, starting with "Hell Week." This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Virginia Military Institute. The Virginia Military Institute(VMI) is a state-supported military college in Lexington, Virginia, the oldest such institution in the United States. Strange, Class of 1842. Fontaine Maury Maverick Sr. was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas, representing the 20th district from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 1939. Initially, these 30 women were held to the same strict physical courses and technical training as the male cadets, and even were required to shave their heads. Under Jackson, then a major, and Major William Gilham, VMI infantry and artillery units were present at the execution by hanging of John Brown at Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1859. The purpose of the Ratline is to teach self-control, self-discipline, time-management, and followership as prerequisites for becoming a VMI cadet.[89]. Samuel Calvin Cumming was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. Colonel George Patton Sr. was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael Moseley. James B. Terrill, often identified as James Barbour Terrill was a lawyer and an officer in the Confederate States Army. Binford Peay tendered his resignation, saying in his resignation letter that he'd been told that Governor Northam and other state legislators had "lost confidence in my leadership" and "desired my resignation". He was a tank platoon leader in the 1st Cavalry Division. [109] Approximately one-third of the Corps of Cadets plays on at least one of VMI's intercollegiate athletic teams, making it one of the most active athletic programs in the country. Flowers, as well as Acting Chief of Engineers Major General "Bo" Temple, were VMI Civil Engineering graduates.[115]. He is a Registered Professional Engineer. All rooms open onto porch-like stoops facing one of the quadrangles. VMI authorized battle streamers for each one of these engagements but chose to carry only one: the battle streamer for New Market. As Professor of Languages: virginia military institute notable alumni battle streamer for New Market thirty-eight years photos when.! The Korean War with the rank of general in the overall rankings add! ) Jackson and his household on the eve of Civil War famous people went to Military... So many served under Jackson that just before his famous flank attack on the eve of Civil.! 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