Cadet leaders from each college also attended discussion sessions addressing peer accountability, recruiting and retention, and character development, giving them an opportunity to mold their programs from a student viewpoint.
Virginia Tech Cadet Alex Arriza, a national security and foreign affairs major in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and the highest-ranking member of the corps’ junior class, attended the event.
“The SMC conference was a unique experience. I had the opportunity to get to know the cadet leadership from other schools and build bonds between our institutions. The cadets were very professional, and I really enjoyed talking with them and learning about how their organization is run,” Arriza said.
“The curriculum covered multiple topics that we all deal with in some way at our schools. It was interesting to hear how the other senior military colleges share similar situations with us at Virginia Tech. We were able dig into those topics and share ways to better ourselves moving forward,” Arriza said.
During staff sessions, Chris Wise, assistant vice president for health and wellness, spoke about Virginia Tech’s Residential Well-being initiative and Matt Holt shared how Virgina Tech Advantage is providing resources and removing financial barriers for students. Virginia Tech Advantage, a universitywide priority set by President Tim Sands and the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, addresses unmet and basic student needs, while focusing on transformational learning opportunities, career preparation, and increasing university scholarships.
Laura Freeman, deputy director of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute, also spoke during the conference, highlighting the collaborative efforts between institute and the Corps of Cadets.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Jamie McGrath, director of the Maj. Gen. W. Thomas Rice Center for Leader Development, coordinated this year’s gathering. “Hosting the SMC conference at Virginia Tech allowed us to highlight the amazing cooperation the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has with partners across campus. It is this cooperation, along with that of our ROTC partners, that demonstrates why Virginia Tech provides the best opportunity for our cadets to succeed in the military or civilian work force,” said McGrath.
