THEVOLUME INSTITUTE XXX, NUMBERREPORT, 7,MAY APRIL/MAY, 31, 2004, 2003PAGE 1 Volume XXXI, Number 8 May 31, 2004 Chairman Tells VMI Grads Nation Needs Their Leadership The two hundred and thirty-five “You don’t have to wear a cadets who received degrees uniform to serve,” he said. “There during the Institute’s are plenty of ways to serve. But for commencement exercise May 15 those of you who took the oath of enter a world that needs the office yesterday, much will be leadership they will provide. asked of you.” That was among the messages He was referring to the 93 cadets given them by Air Force Gen. who were commissioned as Richard B. Myers, chairman of the officers in the U.S. armed forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his the day prior to graduation. In commencement address in a addition, seven international crowded Cameron Hall. cadets were commissioned in the “This moment in the history of military services of their native our nation is far too important,” countries. he said. “The stakes are incredibly Cadet Matthew York ’04 General Richard Myers Myers said their talents as leaders high. We are fighting a war against will be needed in the military extremists who use terror as their preferred weapon.” service. He predicted many of the new graduates who enter military Speaking just two days after returning from a visit to Iraq, Myers said service will be deployed and will be asked to serve in harm’s way. he had confidence in Americans serving in the military and their leaders. Whether in the armed forces or in civilian lives, he said, the education He added that there was never a more important time for Americans to they received at VMI will stand them in good stead because they have serve their country. Continued on page 12 Students to Attend Junior War College As many as 300 high school students from across America will come to Lexington during the summer to participate in the first-ever Junior War College, according to Col. Floyd Duncan, Roberts Professor of Free Enterprise Economics and director of the program. “The students who attend the Junior War College are truly unique,” Duncan said. “Almost all of the students who accept this invitation are interested in a military career — many are enrolled in JROTC pro- grams.” Sponsored by the national non-profit organization LeadAmerica, the program consists of three sessions lasting 10 days each. The first ses- sion begins June 27 and the last session ends July 30. As many as 100 Little Sorrel, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s warhorse, is man- students will participate in each session, and they will use facilities at handled up the steps of the Marshall Museum to its temporary both VMI and Washington and Lee University. exhibit space. The horse died in 1886 and its hide was mounted LeadAmerica sponsors a variety of invitational leadership conferences on a wood-and-plaster frame. Little Sorrel was moved May 24 as for young people with leadership potential. Through briefings and the VMI Museum is being cleared for renovations that will begin Continued on page 11 early next year. PAGE 2, THE INSTITUTE REPORT, MAY 31, 2004 Warfare Specialist to Take Biggs Chair Dr. Geoffrey Jensen, an expert on counterinsurgency and modern European military history, will join the fac- ulty in August to take the prestigious John Biggs ’30 Cin- cinnati Chair in Military History. Jensen is currently an associate professor of history at University of Southern Mississippi. “Geoff Jensen is one of the most brilliant historians received Mellon, Fulbright, and MacArthur Foundation working in the areas of counterinsurgency and modern Fellowships. Jensen has begun a book-length study of military history, and I am very eager to have him at VMI Spanish colonial policies in North Africa. and working with our cadets,” said Brig. Gen. Charles F. “I’m very excited about coming to VMI,” Jensen said. Brower IV, deputy superintendent and dean of the fac- “I especially look forward to teaching the Institute’s ulty. “Military history is a natural and valued niche for cadets and joining such a strong history department. I VMI, and by joining our faculty Geoff provides additional have always been impressed with VMI’s strong sense of luster to that aspect of our curriculum.” tradition and history, and I feel honored to become a A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University, Jensen part of it.” earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees at Yale. During 1999- Jensen’s courses this fall at VMI will be “A Broken World: Europe 2000, he was a visiting senior lecturer at Great Britain’s Royal Military from 1919-1945,” and “Modern Spain: Civil War and Colonial Con- Academy, Sandhurst. flict.” He also expects to involve cadets in his research program, perhaps Jensen is an internationally respected scholar whose primary aca- including archival research in Spain and elsewhere in Europe during demic interest is modern European military history. He is author of the the summers. He plans to continue his research into, and teaching of, forthcoming biography, Franco: Soldier, Commander, Dictator. His European counterinsurgency in North Africa and its relationship to simi- other major publications include Irrational Triumph: Cultural De- lar campaigns elsewhere. spair, Military Nationalism, and the Ideological Origins of Franco’s In addition to his teaching duties, Jensen will continue as editor of Spain and War in the Age of Technology: The Myriad Faces of Mod- Society for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies Bulletin, an ern Armed Conflict, co-edited with Andrew Wiest. important journal with an international readership that he will bring He has also published articles or chapters in the SSPHS Bulletin, La with him to VMI. Historia en el 92, and the Journal of Contemporary History. He has NSF Funds Planning for Chemistry Consortium The National Science Foundation has provided $50,000 to plan for an Undergraduate Research Center in Chemistry by a consortium of educational institutions that includes VMI, said Col. Henry Schreiber, outgoing head of the Department of Chemistry. Schreiber credited Dr. Rob Granger of Sweet Briar College and principal investigator for the project, for pulling together a proposal that was well received at the NSF. Granger taught at VMI from 1993 to 1999. A detailed proposal seeking as much as $1 million over several years to implement the project will be produced with the planning grant, and is expected to be submitted in time for consideration by NSF in January. The consortium will allow each institution to draw on the strengths of other members. The institutions have had a combined total of 43 summer undergraduate researchers in chemistry. Implementation of the project will allow that number to be doubled within five years, and will allow for the placement of 20 additional students each summer either in an internship or in a cooperative experience. In addition, the consortium will help provide improvements to facilities and instrumentation at the member institutions, as well as create a formal network of stakeholders and new partnerships with industry and K-12 schools in the region. Other members of the consortium are Lynchburg College, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Hampden-Sydney College, Washington and Lee University, and Hollins University. Additionally, faculty at Central Virginia Community College and the Central Virginia Governor’s School for Math and Science have expressed and interest in participating in the consortium. Report to Investors and Honor Roll of Donors On-Line The Institute Report Office of Communications and Marketing The VMI Alumni Agencies’ Report to Investors and the Honor Col. Ken White, Director Lt. Col. Stewart MacInnis, Associate Director Roll of Donors for Fiscal Year 2003 remain available on the VMI Burton Floyd, Publications Manager website. Links to both publications can be found on the homepage Other Contributors: of the VMI Foundation: www.vmi.edu/show.asp?durki=774. Both are Chris Clark; Kevin Remington; Scott Belliveau ’83; Capt. Kristin L. Galloway, USAF; presented in Adobe PDF format. CDR Timothy McElhannon, USN; Maj. John Wranek, USA ’85; Wade Branner ’83; A printed version of the Honor Roll of Donors will appear in the Amy DeHart; Cadets Joel Andrus ’04. forthcoming edition of the VMI Alumni Review. An unbound, printed Printing – The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va. The Institute Report is published by the VMI Office of Communications and Marketing. Eight version of the Report to Investors is available as well. Requests issues are printed during the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, news items, or address should be directed to Scott Belliveau ’83, the VMI Foundation’s di- changes should be directed to Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Communications and Marketing, Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304. Current and past issues are available on the world wide web at: rector of communications. He may be reached by telephone at (800) http://new.vmi.edu/show.asp?durki=458 444-1839, extension 242, or via e-mail at [email protected]. Telephone 540-464-7207 Fax 540-464-7443 E-Mail:[email protected] THE INSTITUTE REPORT, MAY 31, 2004, PAGE 3 Reveille: Down the Stretch It Comes! In the months of May and June, even casual sports fans are aware of $200 a year for five years, it would mean $2 million for VMI over the running of the storied Triple Crown. Undeniably, the most thrilling the next five years and do a lot to fulfill Reveille’s overarching part of a race, like the Preakness, comes when the horses pound down goal: to accelerate the progress of every program at VMI.” the stretch toward the finish line. Now, Reveille: A Call to Excel is in its own home stretch with the Keep Up with Reveille finish line of June 30 in sight.