LEXINGTON, Va. Nov. 10, 2025 — Virginia Military Institute was established Nov. 11, 1839, when 23 young Virginians were mustered into the service of the state and, in falling snow, the first cadet sentry — John B. Strange of Scottsville — took his post. This year VMI, the oldest state-supported military college in the country, celebrated the 186^th anniversary of its founding Friday, Nov. 7.

The morning began with Rat Olympics, the spirited culmination of Rat Challenge, the 10-week physical fitness program, held primarily in the Corps Physical Training Facility, with challenges also held on North Post obstacles. Events at Rat Olympics included relays, dodge ball, rope race, rock climbing, and culminated with a tug-of-war bracketed championship. The company that is named victor of Rat Olympics is the one that scores the most points. Additionally, the company that works the hardest and displays the best attitude is awarded the Stockwell Cup, named for the late Col. Bill Stockwell, and the cadet who has demonstrated the spirit, enthusiasm, and vision of Rat Challenge throughout the 10 weeks is presented the Col. James Coale award.

In the afternoon, the Corps of Cadets, along with faculty, staff, alumni, and special guests, convened in Cameron Hall to honor Eugene “Gene” Williams ’74, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, VMI Foundation’s highest honor. First presented in 1969, the Distinguished Service Award recognizes alumni and friends whose service to the Institute, dedication to the Foundation’s mission, and career achievements and distinctions are truly exceptional. Gene is the 77^th recipient of the award.

Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent, welcomed those gathered and stated VMI’s founders set out to create a school deeply entrenched in a strong sense of civic duty and honor. “One of the greatest testaments to the effectiveness of our educational model is our graduates. We have alumni who accomplished great feats in all walks of life. They live influential lives in their communities and have a service mindset. However, they do not do this for recognition, but because it is the right thing to do. Today, we are privileged to bestow one of VMI’s highest service honors, the Distinguished Service Award, on one of our graduates.” Furness then introduced the president of the VMI Foundation, John Williams ’88, who read the citation recognizing the achievements of Gene and his commitment to service, presented him with the award, and invited him to the lectern to address the audience who saluted him with a standing ovation.

Gene thanked family, friends, and his brother rats who traveled from Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and all corners of Virginia to pay homage to their BR. He shared his adoration for VMI.

“I love my school in many ways. I’m actually defined by my school. VMI molded my life into something of value.” He cited its principles, ideals, and its contributions to the country and the world. “However, our beloved school is not without blemish. VMI was very late tearing down barriers to racial justice as it was the last public college in Virginia to integrate, and I regret that. I have older relatives who would have benefited greatly from the rigor, the structure, and the character and leadership development that is fundamental to the VMI system. They would have also brought dignity and quality to this place, as I have tried to do during my cadetship and afterward. That opportunity was simply not permitted here between 1839 and 1968.” He added his words may sound hard, but they are the truth, and the truth must be told. “I am extremely proud that when our school eventually acted, it implemented the integration of the Corps with dignity, fairness, and determination that failure was not an option. No other school in the state of Virginia integrated more smoothly, fairly, and successfully than VMI. It repeated that performance in 1997 with the admission of women. Neither of these transformational events were flawless, and we are still work in progress, but we did demonstrate that we could do very well whatever we resolved to do.”

Gene implored the cadets to be truth seekers and oppose what is not honorable and not true, and to help make the world truly great.

“I know you cadets have the intellect, the backbone, and the strength of character to do this. It will take tremendous courage and foresight on your part, and the support of the leaders here at VMI.”

He continued by affirming he celebrates Founders Day with sincerity and with the acknowledgement of the high ideals of honor, discipline, and courage. “The foundational principles in 1839 that are still still true today. I celebrate this with the full knowledge that if I were alive in 1839, the best that I could have envisioned was being an enslaved worker here at VMI. I would have not been treated as a man created in the image of God, but as chattel. It would have been a living hell, because I would have longed to be free. I would have fought and died to be free. This is why this recognition today is so meaningful to me. This is also why I remain so hopeful and encouraged about the future.”

He further noted that efforts to sanitize history are wrong, dangerous, and unfair. “Truth has to be acknowledged, and it has to be reconciled. I have great faith that the majority of VMI people will be agents of what is right, just, and honorable. If that is the case, we’re going to be all right.”

He closed by stating despite whatever else has been going on in the affairs of VMI, including many issues that have caused him distress, he has always had confidence that the leaders of VMI were committed to developing healthy and honorable young leaders and having fidelity to the principles of the Institute. “I have faith that this will continue to be the case, and I pledge my support to Gen. Furness and his administration to be an advocate and supporter of VMI.”

Gene is founder and executive director of the College Orientation Workshop, Inc. (COW), a four-week challenging educational enrichment program, held each summer at VMI. Next year marks its 40^th year of transforming the lives of promising, male, minority and at-risk high school students.

He was in the third class of African American cadets at VMI. He received an athletic scholarship to play football and was dubbed “Mean” Gene on the gridiron. He played multiple positions including defensive safety, tight end, fullback, halfback, quarterback, and linebacker. He received All State, All Southern Conference, and All-American recognition, and was named an Outstanding College Athlete of America. He was selected to play in the All-American Bowl game in 1974 in Tampa, Florida, and sustained a serious injury in that game which ended his football career. That same year he received the Henry Fairfax Ayres Most Valuable Player Award and was inducted into Kappa Alpha Order. Within the Corps of Cadets, he attained the rank of lieutenant in Echo Company.

In 1978, Gene became the first African American and youngest appointee to the VMI Board of Visitors (BOV). He remained on the BOV for 10 years. He is a past member of the Keydet Club Board of Governors and the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees. He was inducted into the VMI Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, was keynote speaker for the 2001Virginia Commonwealth Games, and was the commencement speaker at VMI’s December graduation ceremony in 2017.

Following his speech, the Founders Day parade was held in which Gene took review of the parade alongside Furness. The Cadet Battery fired a 15-gun salute from the howitzers. Friday evening, the Institute Society Dinner was held in Marshall Hall where Gene was an honored guest, and Furness was keynote speaker.

Marianne Hause
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE