Institute Awards Highlight Achievements for the Academic Year

LEXINGTON, Va., May 19, 2025—Each May, numerous awards recognizing the accomplishments of cadets, faculty, and staff across multiple fields and disciplines are presented at VMI's Institute Awards ceremony. These awards are provided by the Institute, by civic groups, and by the Institute's ROTC units.

Congratulations to the 2025 recipients:

AWARD

RECIPIENT

Intercollegiate Sports Awards

Jacob Owen Prince '26

Intercollegiate Sports Awards

Luke Alexander Rusterucci '25

Intercollegiate Sports Awards

Courtney Nicole Novotny '25

Institute Writing Program Thesis Awards: Engineering & Science

Courtney Nicole Novotny '25

Institute Writing Program Thesis Awards: Engineering & Science

Maj. Molly Kent

Institute Writing Program Thesis Awards: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences                                               

Gabriel Patrick Williams '25

Institute Writing Program Thesis Awards: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences                                               

Maj. Megan Roosevelt

Lieutenant General Edward Mallory Almond 1915  Award

Joshua Jackson Evans '25

General Withers A. Burress Marksmanship Awards (Men's Rifle Team)

Ryan Charles Harlow '25

General Withers A. Burress Marksmanship Awards (Women's Rifle Team)

Darian Elizabeth Tweedell '27

100th Infantry Division Lieutenant General Withers A. Burress Scholarship Fund Awards  (Rising 1st)                                                                

Dylan Louis Apo '26

100th Infantry Division Lieutenant General Withers A. Burress Scholarship Fund Awards (Rising 1st)

James Oliver Aldinger '26

100th Infantry Division Lieutenant General Withers A. Burress Scholarship Fund Awards (Rising 2nd)                                                 

Victor Angel Austin McBride '27

100th Infantry Division Lieutenant General Withers A. Burress Scholarship Fund Awards (Rising 2nd)

Rafe Michael Clendenin '27

Major General Stephen Sewell, Jr. 1960  Award

Meagan Marie Riding '27

Colonel Thomas St. John Arnold Award

Nathan Andrew Franchebois '25

The Lieutenant John H. Lattin 1966 Award

Jonah Michael Jurack '25

International Studies Award                               

Jonah Michael Jurack '25

Lieutenant Mark R. Wilson, Sr. Midshipman Award

Anna Yemelianova ’25     

The Chief of Naval Operations Distinguished Midshipman Graduate Award

Anna Yemelianova ’25     

General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. Sixth Marine Division Awards

Jack Chrisman Fletcher '25

General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr, Sixth Marine Division Awards

Trey Robert McGee '25

Chesty Puller Award, First Marine Division

Trey Robert McGee '25

Chesty Puller Scholarship, First Marine Division

Amiel George D. Diaz '26

Chesty Puller Scholarship, First Marine Division

Steven Charles Parkinson Jr. '27

Naval Submarine League: Admiral Frederick B. Warder Award

Louis Brandt Wiltenmuth '25

Superintendent William H. Milton, Jr. Class of 1920 Award

Louis Brandt Wiltenmuth '25

Brigadier General Alonzo J. Walter 1949B Award

Elana Cadhla Gutierrez '25

General Douglas MacArthur Cadet Award

Melina Karise Bulger '25

Earl L. Valentine Jr. Award

Patrick John Simmons '25

Alan D'Andelot Belin Memorial Prize

Anthony Wayne Allen Jr. '28

John Ryd Bush Award

Titus Mitchell Royl '28

Commander Harry Millard Mason Military Proficiency Award

Connor Dawson Cherry '25

Charles H. Dayhuff Jr. 1931 First Captain Award

Devin Christopher Auzenne '26

Class of 1964 New Market Legacy Award

Cameron Joseph Dabu '25

Marshall Citizen-Soldier Award

John Edward Covert '25

Faculty Scholarships for Merit

Aiden James Psczulkoski '27

Faculty Scholarships for Merit

Alyssa Madylaine Cacace '26

Faculty Scholarships for Merit

Macallister Jennings Clark '26

Faculty Scholarships for Merit

Alexander Joseph Riley '27

Francis H.  Smith Award

Sarah Elizabeth Woosley '26

The New Market Scholar-in-Residence Award

Jamie Angelina Rodriguez '28

The Colonel Daniel T. Ingram 1921 – Castle Heights Military Academy Award

Suzanne Jeanne Peck Leaptrot '25

Award for Excellence in Physics

Nathan Angelo Vanness '25

Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury Award                                                                     

Kevin Joseph Dougherty '25

Alfred H. Knowles Award

James Andrew Boynewicz '25

The Floyd D. Gottwald Jr 1943 Award in Chemistry

Caleb Owen Staples '25

Civil Engineering Award

Kenna Jaye McAllister '25

Brigadier General Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. 1979 Cyber Medal

Kephner Clinton Etienne '25

Stewart W. Anderson 1908 Memorial Award           

Cole S. Bowyer '25

The John W. and Jane M. Roberts Award

Traylor Alexander Duval '25

Lieutenant Randolph T. Townsend Award

Zachary Thomas Poche' '25

Thomas S. Baur 1975 Award for Excellence in Exercise Science

Caroline Marie Lassalle '25

Bruce C. Gottwald Jr. 1981 Award

Simon Delano Roberts Moore III '25

Adolpho Ponzanelli Award                                 

Charles Lowell Downs III '25

Adolpho Ponzanelli Award                                 

Joshua Daniel Palmer '25

Charles R. Martin 1955 Award

Rachel Joy Roberson '25

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award

Life Sciences

Rachel Joy Roberson '25

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award

Life Sciences  

Lt. Col. Jillian L. Stuart

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award 

Arts & Humanities

Jack Irish Conley '25

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award

Arts & Humanities  

Maj. Christopher M. Blunda

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award Natural Sciences

Hai-Hsin Huang '25

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award Natural Sciences 

Lt. Col. Meagan C. Herald

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award Engineering

Cate Fay Dowden '25

The Wilbur S. Hinman Jr., 1926 Research Award Engineering  

Capt. Robert L. McMasters

Sir Moses Ezekiel Award

Gretal Yvette Shank '25

Colonel Herbert Nash Dillard 1934 Award

Gretal Yvette Shank '25

Asa S. Dearing Award

Gretal Yvette Shank '25

The Nathaniel W. Pendleton 1922 Distinguished Coaching Award          

Gary S. Thacker Jr.

The VMI Distinguished Service Award

Mary Laura Kludy

The VMI Distinguished Service Award

Jay M. Shafer

The VMI Distinguished Service Award

Capt. Heather J. Williams

The Dr. D. Rae Carpenter Award

Col. Paul R. Moosman Jr.

The Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award

Dr. Sherif E. Abdelhamid

The VMI Distinguished Teaching Award                                                                         

Col. Timothy C. Dowling

The Jackson-Hope VMIRL Matthew Fontaine Maury Prize for Excellence in Research

Col. R. Geoffrey Jensen

The Jackson-Hope Prize for Excellence in Published Scholarly Work, Humanities & Social Sciences

Col. Spencer D. Bakich

The Jackson-Hope Prize for Excellence in Published Scholarly Work, Science & Engineering

Maj. Christopher N. Shingledecker

The Jackson-Hope Prize for Excellence in Academic Advancement                                                                                             

Col. Kathleen D. Bulger-Barnett

Benjamin H. Powell Jr., 1936 Institute Professorship in Engineering

Col. Joseph R. Blandino

General Edwin Cox 1920 Institute Professorship in History and Economics

Col. Jeffrey S. Smith

Charles S. Luck, Jr., 1920 Institute Professorship in Engineering

Col. Charles D. Newhouse

John C. Allen 1962 Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry

Col. Stanton Q. Smith

Henry King Burgwyn Jr., Boy Colonel of the Confederacy, Chair of Military History

Col. Timothy C. Dowling

Colonel Beverly M. Read 1941 Institute Professorship in Arts and Sciences

Col. Scott T. Frein

Jackson-Hope Distinguished Chair in Natural Sciences

Col. John A. David


Explanations of each award are available in the May 2025 Institute Awards Program and photos are available on the VMI Flickr account.

- VMI -