Next-Generation Leaders

by ROCK ROSZAK '71

	(From left) Bob Archer ’69, Kelsey Ginn, and Jim Archer ’72

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets had great success in the recent comprehensive campaign, first eclipsing its original goal of $30 million and then surpassing the revised goal of $35 million adopted by the corps. The corps had three priorities for the campaign: funding for scholarships, the improvement of Lane Hall, and the Rice Center for Leader Development. All three areas are critical to the corps' future.

Brothers Bob Archer (marketing '69) and Jim Archer (industrial engineering '72) are excellent examples of alumni stepping forward to keep the corps' growth robust. They established the VTCC Archer Family Endowment, the earnings of which will fund the Archer Family Scholarship until construction begins on the hall. In their minds, it is hard to imagine the corps without Lane Hall, which links the corps to a proud past and points to a bright future of service.

Former Commandant of Cadets Gen. Jerrold Allen's vision, which is further evolving under the leadership of current Commandant of Cadets Gen. Randal Fullhart, proposes top-notch facilities to complement the world-class leadership program currently being taught in the Rice Center and in our outstanding ROTC detachments. Cadets deserve the best in residence and academic facilities so that the corps can continue to attract the best student leaders—leaders who will go on to great careers in both military and civilian fields.

The immediate beneficiary of the Archers' generosity is Kelsey Ginn, a Civilian-Leader Track cadet and the first recipient of the Archer Family Scholarship. Growing up in Salem, Va., Ginn attended Tech football games with her father. For her, the most memorable part was not the game but watching the cadets march down the road to the stadium.

Ginn has excelled in the corps, becoming a fire team leader as a sophomore and serving on the Golf Company training cadre as a junior. She is also active outside the corps, competing as a vault and floor specialist on Tech's gymnastics team. Ginn's opportunities exist because of the generosity of the Emerging Leader Scholarship that the Archer endowment funds.

Lane Hall will house the Rice Center for Leader Development, an existing program that is already benefitting from the campaign. The earnings from the $380,000 committed to the center during the campaign will improve our annual national leadership conference by increasing the number of invitations we extend, as well as allowing for additional activities for visiting cadets and developing a program for faculty delegates.

Exceeding our goals in the campaign will have lasting effects on the Corps of Cadets by way of scholarships, facilities, and leader development—and we're just getting started.

Col. Rock Roszak '71, U.S. Air Force (retired), is the alumni director for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.

	Winter 2011-12
	CORPS of CADETS
	www.vtcc.vt.edu

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