Civil Engineering Stories

Having the goal of flying in the military, Curran Workman ’27 knew he had to put in the hard work. This summer, he will be holding two separate internships — one as an aviation engineering intern with Garver in Denver, Colorado, and another at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Air Station in Elizabeth City.

Hunter Sipe ’26 entered Virginia Military Institute with one goal — find a job in bridge engineering. However, the more classes he took, the more his interests shifted.

What started as a visit to Post turned into a transformative decision for Tazewell Rae ’28. Now balancing civil engineering studies, cadet duties, and shot put training, he’s discovered a community that pushes him to be better every day. At VMI, he’s found both structure and a place to belong.

Pedro Robertson ’27 came to VMI unsure of what to expect, but the challenge and “don’t do ordinary” mindset quickly drew him in. Now a civil engineering major, platoon sergeant, and swimmer on track to commission into the Air Force, he’s thriving in the competitive environment he sought.

In October, VMI Football player Kouri Crump was named the recipient of the prestigious Defender of the Nation Award. Monday Dec. 8, Crump, his family and select teammates attended the Bronko Nagurski Banquet presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club where he was officially presented with the award.

Woongchan Oh ’25 had considered a military path during high school. But it was a soccer scholarship to Virginia Military Institute that solidified his decision.

Kevin Garroway ’25 wanted a challenge. All it took was one visit to Virginia Military Institute and he could see how different it was from other schools. He was sold.

Time management is a common theme for many cadets, especially as a cadet-athlete. Caden Plummer ’25 is no stranger to figuring out his time and schedule.

Jillian Sisk ’27 followed her passion for math and science to VMI, where she discovered her love for civil engineering after initially exploring other STEM paths. In addition to her rigorous academic schedule, Sisk is a dedicated long-distance runner on VMI’s track and field team.

It’s a mental game for Dyson Dunham ’26, not just while he’s wrestling, but during his day-to-day. He sacrifices a lot when cutting weight for matches, staying on top of assignments, and fitting in his cadet duties. On the mat, he says he’s doing it for himself.

From overcoming setbacks to rekindling her love for swimming, Val Tonnu ’26 found strength in structure, camaraderie, and character. She’s using her voice to uplift others, proving that true success is built on resilience and determination.

Patrick Jordon ’27 has found purpose and resilience through the challenges of wrestling and life at VMI. Balancing the demands of being a cadet-athlete and a civil engineering major, he thrives on discipline, problem-solving, and overcoming procrastination.

Woongchan Oh ’25, a civil engineering major and cadet-athlete at VMI, balances the demanding cadet lifestyle with his passion for soccer. From Korea’s pro-soccer academies to VMI’s soccer team, he’s learned the value of teamwork, time management, and dedication.

Serving as cadet operations sergeant for Band Company her 2nd Class year, Annie Townsend ’24 was able to set up a cadet guard team, which would perform the security for barracks at Virginia Military Institute. The team would oversee locking gates, coordination during emergency situations, enforcing uniform or disciplinary standards within the Corps, and posting members of the guard team for the security of the Corps of Cadets.   As her experience grew in that capacity, it piqued her interest in the security of barracks. Specifically, the interaction of infrastructure with the implementation of security. “In conjunction with my interest in […]

Joseph Addison Hagan V ’24 always admired the men in his family who attended Virginia Military Institute. It was a part of his family history he wanted to claim.