About the Corps of Cadets

First-year cadets in Delta Company pose for a group photo.

Everyone is looking for great leaders. The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets’ mission is to help nurture and create them. This is why exceptional men and women are drawn to the Corps in increasing numbers.

A significant part of the university since its establishment in 1872, we have evolved into a world-class leader development program that understands that at the root of great leaders is great character.

This involves more than just classroom work. This is a four-year commitment to strive 24/7 to develop practical, ethical leadership skills. Beyond our military tradition, our uniforms allow cadets to make a statement that they have committed to a course of study, a set of high standards, and a way of life not chosen by all.

Cadet Honor Code

The Cadet Honor Code represents the minimum ethical standard to which all cadets are expected to adhere.

The code is expressed as a series of prohibitions: “A cadet will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do.”

The goal of the code is that cadets:

Learn and practice the essential leader responsibilities of establishing a healthy ethical climate within a unit.
Develop an understanding of the importance of integrity as an essential aspect of leadership.
Foster a desire to maintain an honorable lifestyle in the spirit of the code.
Achieve the level of commitment to honorable conduct necessary to prepare them for greater challenges to their integrity throughout a lifetime of service.
Develop the character required of those who voluntarily take full responsibility for their decisions and actions.
Be moral and ethical examples worthy of emulation by all students and faculty at Virginia Tech.

A Few Accomplishments

In the spirit of Virginia Tech's motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), cadets performed 2,104 hours of community service during the 2022-2023 academic year.

The Corps’ combined GPA has been above a 3.0 for over a decade.

The Corps' spring 2023 graduates included:

91 commissioned into the U.S. Army
30 commissioned into the U.S. Navy
38 commissioned into the U.S. Air Force
10 commissioned into the U.S Marine Corps
55 in the Citizen-Leader Track program