by Dick Hall-Sizemore

Because I have no personal contact or knowledge of VMI, I have been loath to weigh in on the debates that have been raging on this blog. However, last week, I had the opportunity to have an extended conversation with a recent VMI graduate, which I found enlightening.

Here is some background about the graduate in order to provide some context for his remarks:

• He is white.
• He and his family are moderate Democrats, very critical of Donald Trump.
• Although his parents supported him, VMI would not have been their choice of a college for him.
• He did not choose to enter the active military after graduation.
• He is on a path for a successful career.

He was dismissive of the proposed actions of the General Assembly and took issue with the charge that there is racism at VMI. He felt the core of the problems lay with athletes who were recruited by the school. They agreed to come to VMI because they wanted to play for a Division I school, not because they were attracted by the culture of VMI. On the contrary, they disliked being at the school. He pointed out that every cadet gets a copy of the “blue book”, which sets out the rules that cadets must follow. Every cadet, even athletes, is expected to follow those rules. Many of the athletes did not like being at the school and certainly did not like being bound by the strict rules. As a result, they often did not follow them. Consequently, they were disciplined and they complained.

In response to my question about Confederate heritage, the recent graduate replied that he did not see any emphasis on it at all.

He lavished praise on the academics of VMI. Each class has about 15 students. The classes are all taught by faculty members, not teaching assistants. The faculty members are well versed in their fields, but prefer a small college, teaching environment rather than a larger, research institution. Faculty members are readily available for consultation with their students. He related how one of his teachers had been especially helpful in helping him decide on his career path.

In summary, he recognized that the VMI experience was not suitable for everyone, but “it was good for me.”