The Class of 2020
Congratulations to all our 2020 graduates (and new second lieutenants and ensigns). And good luck to the cadets of the Class of 2021 as they prepare to lead the regiment this fall.
Meet a few of the graduates
Before leaving campus for spring break, Megan Dennis ’20 said “see you next week” to her friends. Spring break was the week Virginia Tech moved all classes online because of the coronavirus pandemic and began the process of canceling all in-person spring and summer events.
“Suddenly, unexpectedly, I had to wrap my brain around a new way of life and a disappointing ending,” Dennis says. “I’ve found consolation in this, however, by knowing that everybody across the country, and even the world, is in the same situation. It’s comforting to mourn and problem solve with others. I also know that this is not by any means the last curve ball life will throw at us.”
She wrote this poem, which has been shared widely with the Virginia Tech community.
Linear
Maybe like you I’m a next step person
Maybe like you I had expectations
I assumed that life was linear so I got in line
I waited for my time
I waited for my turn
I waited in line to get what I worked so hard to earn
But soon the line curved
Confused, concerned, I’m unnerved
Annoyed I stammered “but it’s what I deserved!”
Right now we live in a state of straight.
College is a greenhouse for making good things, great.
I won’t say easy, but definitely aided,
We’ve been given opportunities that can’t be recreated
We’re elated, soon to be graduated…
Yet, angry at the loss of things we never even appreciated.
Long nights at the library, crying with friends.
Waiting for hours at Turner or West End
End? Wait this can’t be the end?
This line should still be going straight — it wasn’t supposed to bend.
But I forgot that curves are what make art
And maybe we only see one part
Trust the painter’s bigger picture, our sole segment isn’t all,
Because maybe we’re just one dolomite slab in a beautiful Burruss Hall.
Our class coined the term “from the same stone,”
because though all uniquely made, we share the same home.
And if you feel as small as I in this time,
lean on another who’s in this same crazy line.
An open handed Hokie is a key with grooves and bumps,
So as this time cuts deep, lets open doors with the ruts.
We’ve proven we will prevail time and time again,
We are Virginia Tech so united let’s stand.
Daniel Felkel ’20 and his wife, Katriona, find purpose in their faith and responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through community service.
“As Christians and as a future leader in the U.S. Army, the direction forward became pretty clear,” he says. “Don’t panic, don’t be scared, and figure out how we can help”
They have collected food for the Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry, maintained a list of volunteer opportunities in the community, and started a weekly online life group for their church to provide community.
Christopher Volk ’20, the spring commander for Kilo Battery, says Felkel “made the choice to help out his community through service to others at a time when watching TV all day was quite acceptable. He definitely chose the path less traveled.”
Thomas Kosar ’20 was named the 2020 Corps Company Commander of the Year for his leadership, positive attitude, and ability to build trust and relationships.
Kosar volunteered to move from Alpha Company to take command of Bravo Company during the spring semester.
“The thing I am going to remember most about my senior year is being able to help mentor fellow cadets,” he says. “Being in senior-level leadership positions allowed me to help younger cadets to grow as people and develop themselves as leaders. Seeing the growth of those fellow cadets, and watching them go on to achieve their goals was by far the most rewarding aspect of my senior year.”
When Hannah Santus ’20 decided to train for her first marathon, she wanted the experience to be about more than just her own accomplishment. She also raised money for Hope for the Warriors, a nonprofit that provides assistance to service members wounded in combat and their families.
In November 2019, Santus completed the New York City Marathon in 4:05 and raised $4,236.
“Despite how much it hurt, it was awesome to know that finishing the marathon also meant contributing to a cause greater than myself,” she says.
In the future, she’d like to run another marathon. “I know I can definitely perform better, too,” she says. “Right now, though, I am continuing to run just for fun, and I’d like to focus on some half marathons instead.”
Caroline Sullivan ’20 came to the Corps’ Citizen-Leader Track program because she had her sights set on a career in as a therapist working with veterans and she wanted to get the most out of her four years of college.
This fall, she will continue her education with the University of Denver’s master’s program in forensic psychology.
“I would like to specialize my studies around mental health law within the military,” she says. “The Corps of Cadets prepared me for my next steps in my career and I will miss the military environment, the other cadets, and my mentors who have helped me grow to the person I am today.”
The Class of 2020
JACOB ABEL
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Software Systems
YEA IN AHN
Foxtrot Company, Army, Clinical Neuroscience
CHARLES ALEXANDER
Lima Company, Navy, Mechanical Engineering
RYAN ALFALAIJ
Foxtrot Company, Army, Biological Sciences
DOMINIC ANGELO
Charlie Company, Air Force, Civil Engineering
ABIGAIL AVERNA
Bravo Company, Navy, Industrial and Systems Engineering
EMILY BARRETT
Echo Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Forestry
RYAN BASS
Golf Company, Marines, National Security and Foreign Affairs
THOMAS BASSFORD
Delta Company, Army, History
ROBERT BEAUCHAMP JR.
Delta Company, Army, International Studies
MICHAEL BEGUN
Hotel Company, Army, Building Construction
BENJAMIN BLATCHFORD
Echo Company, Air Force, Meteorology
JACOB BLYCHER
Foxtrot Company, Navy, Physics
MICHAEL BOPP
Golf Company, Air Force, Aerospace Engineering
PARKER BOTT
Hotel Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
NYAIMA BRACKNER
Charlie Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Russian and National Security and Foreign Affairs
MITCHELL BRAUN
Alpha Company, Army, Environmental Science
EMMA BROWN
Alpha Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Biological Sciences
ALEX BRUNWORTH
Hotel Company, Air Force, Industrial and Systems Engineering
ROBERT BUCHANAN
Bravo Company, Navy, Civil Engineering
ALEXIS BUTT
India Company, Air Force, Management
KATHRYN CALDERONE
Echo Company, Army, Political Science
PAUL CAMERINO
Alpha Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Geography
ASHLEY CAMPBELL
Alpha Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Mathematics
KARL CANBY
Bravo Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
COREY CAPEHART
Hotel Company, Army, Sustainable Biomaterials
JOHN CARROLL
Echo Company, Air Force, Meteorology
DOMINIC CASTELLI
Alpha Company, Navy, , Mathematics
JAH’MARIUS CHISOLM-MURRAY
Echo Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Criminology
ERIC CHOMICKI
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Management
BRIAN CHUNG
Alpha Company, Army, Construction Engineering and Management
JUSTIN CLIPSON
Bravo Company, Air Force, International Studies and Russian
WILLIAM COALE
Hotel Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Industrial Design
VICTORIA CONLIN
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Criminology and Sociology
MATTHEW COOPER
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Computer Science
COLLIN COUTURE
Alpha Company, Air Force, Engineering Science and Mechanics
STEPHEN COX
Lima Company, Air Force, Criminology
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM
Hotel Company, Marines, Accounting and Information Systems
KYLE DAVIS
Bravo Company, Army, Public and Urban Affairs
PATRICK DAVIS
Echo Company, Navy, Aerospace Engineering
MARSDEN DAVIS III
Golf Company, Navy, Mathematics
BENJAMIN DEAN
Foxtrot Company, Navy, Building Construction
JACOB DECKER
Delta Company, Army, Political Science
WILLIAM DEFFET
Hotel Company, Army, Industrial Design
NELSON DEMAREST II
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Civil Engineering
MEGAN DENNIS
India Company, Army, Multimedia Journalism
TERESA DEVINO
Alpha Company, Navy, Civil Engineering
EVAN DIXON
Charlie Company, Navy, Physics
ANDREW DOUGLAS
Bravo Company, Navy, Biological Sciences
JAMES ERDELY
India Company, Army, Political Science
RYAN EXNER
Kilo Battery, Air Force, Criminology
ROBERT FECONDA
India Company, Navy, Computational and Systems Neuroscience
DANIEL FELKEL
Kilo Battery, Army, Radio Frequency and Microwave
DYLAN FITZGERALD
Golf Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Computational Modeling and Data Analytics
CHASE FLETCHER
Charlie Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
MICHAEL FOLEY
Hotel Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Criminology and Sociology
RYAN FOLEY
Kilo Battery, Air Force, Meteorology
THOMAS FRANKLIN
Golf Company, Air Force, Finance
DAMION FREEMAN
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Meteorology
WILLIAM FRESCHI
Charlie Company, Army, Finance
CARSON GANN
Hotel Company, Army, Political Science
STEPHEN GEDRA
Lima Company, Army, Finance
CHARLES GIVEN
Echo Company, Army, Applied Economic Management
ISABELLA GOSCHINSKI
Kilo Battery, Army, Psychology
JACOB GRAY
Echo Company, Navy, Economics
AUSTIN GRAY
Foxtrot Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
BRANDON GRIMALDI
Alpha Company, Army, Criminology
RAHUL GUPTA
Hotel Company, Navy, Aerospace Engineering
ANNIE HA
Hotel Company, Air Force, Construction Engineering and Management
ABDELRAHMAN HAMMAD JR.
Lima Company, Army, Computational Modeling and Data Analytics
DANIEL HAMMEL
Hotel Company, Army, Political Science
BRANDON HARALDSEN
Lima Company, Army, Mining Engineering
KRISTIN HARDY
Alpha Company, Army, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
HOWARD HARRIS III
Alpha Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Meteorology
NOAH HARRISON-ELLIS
Foxtrot Company, Air Force, Criminology
RYAN HASEGAWA
Kilo Battery, Air Force, Aerospace Engineering
NATHANAEL HASKINS
Golf Company, Army, Marketing Management
ADAM HEIL
Kilo Battery, Army, Criminology and Sociology
AARON HERZER
Alpha Company, Navy, Ocean Engineering
GARRETT HIGGINS
Golf Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
KATHERINE HOEFT
India Company, Navy, Biological Sciences
RYAN HOLLOWAY
Hotel Company, Navy, Industrial and Systems Engineering
JOSEPH HOOD
Lima Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Systems Biology
RYAN HORD
Hotel Company, Marines, Economics and International Studies
DEVIN HUDSON
Lima Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Microbiology
JENNA (BENDER) HUGHES
India Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Criminology
ANDREW HUMPTON
Lima Company, Army, Applied Economic Management
HENRY HUTCHESON
Foxtrot Company, Navy, Civil Engineering
MICHAEL JOHNSON
Foxtrot Company, Army, International Studies
BENJAMIN JONES
Echo Company, Army, Business Information Technology
SAMUEL JUBON
Lima Company, Navy, Aerospace Engineering
CASEY JUNG
Highty-Tighties, Citizen-Leader Track, Engineering Science and Mechanics
STEVE KANG
India Company, Air Force, Criminology
DYLAN KANNAPELL
Alpha Company, Army, Construction Engineering and Management
SIDNEY KASSEL
Charlie Company, Air Force, Russian and Political Science
AUSTIN KASSMAN
Lima Company, Marines, Political Science
KEITH KELLEY
India Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Computer Science
HENRY KESTING
India Company, Navy, Nanoscience
ALEXANDER KIM
Echo Company, Air Force, Meteorology
TRAVIS KNOTT
Golf Company, Air Force, Meteorology
MATTHEW KOLB
Kilo Battery, Navy, Building Construction
THOMAS KOSAR
Bravo Company, Navy, Political Science
ALEXANDER KOYLE
Alpha Company, Army, Biological Sciences
MICHAEL KRAIMAN
Foxtrot Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Radio Frequency and Microwave
AIDAN KUESTER
Kilo Battery, Marines, History and Political Science
JUNHYUK KWON
Charlie Company, Army, Real Estate
JOSEPH LABIANCA
Foxtrot Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
TAYLOR LACROIX
Hotel Company, Army, Construction Engineering and Management
DOUGLAS LAMB
Lima Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Aerospace Engineering
ANTHONY LATTANZE
Delta Company, Army, Building Construction
NOAH LAY
Echo Company, Air Force, Meteorology
CHRISTOPHER LEE
Foxtrot Company, Army, Business Information Technology
WILLIAM LEHMAN
Kilo Battery, Army, Economics
KATLEEN LEOSK
Bravo Company, Navy, Biological Sciences
RUDOLPH LEVINSKI
Golf Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Industrial and Systems Engineering
NATHAN LEWIS
Golf Company, Army, Management
CHASE LIDDON
India Company, Navy, Russian
AUSTIN LOEFFLER
Lima Company, Navy, Chemical Engineering
STEPHEN LOFFERT
India Company, Army, Physics
GABRIEL LOPEZ
Highty-Tighties, Citizen-Leader Track, National Security and Foreign Affairs and Russian
THOMAS LOWERRE
Highty-Tighties, Navy, Biological Sciences
MICHAEL MALHEREK
Bravo Company, Army, Political Science
LUIS MARIN
Hotel Company, Navy, Meteorology
JOHN MARIN
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, International Studies
DAVID MARTIN
Highty-Tighties, Navy, Aerospace Engineering
WILLIAM MAURER
Echo Company, Navy, Meteorology
WYATT MCCRANIE
Highty-Tighties, Citizen-Leader Track, National Security and Foreign Affairs
ROBERT MCGROARTY
Highty-Tighties, Navy, Clinical Neuroscience
OLIVER MCKELLIPS
Golf Company, Marines, National Security and Foreign Affairs and Russian
DELANEY MCQUADE
Foxtrot Company, Navy, Meteorology
DEANNA MEYER
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Computer Science
JOHN MILAUSKAS SR.
Hotel Company, Army, Building Construction
EVAN MILES
Delta Company, Air Force, Meteorology
MICHAEL MILLER
Lima Company, Army, Criminology
ROSS MILLNER
Charlie Company, Army, Business Information Technology
JESSICA MINGO
Golf Company, Army, Civil Engineering
STEVEN MIRELES
Hotel Company, Army, Criminology
JOHN MITCHELL
Bravo Company, Army, Building Construction
NICHOLAS MONACO
Golf Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Economics
COLE MOYER
Charlie Company, Army, Business Information Technology
KRISTEN MUKAI
Lima Company, Army, Political Science
CALVIN MURAMOTO
Echo Company, Air Force, Computational Modeling and Data Analytics and Economics
JESSICA MUZO
Hotel Company, Army, Criminology and Sociology
JAMES MYERS JR.
Lima Company, Army, Management
BRANDON MYRICK
Alpha Company, Navy, Mechanical Engineering
BRUCE NAYLOR
Echo Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
MEREDITH OAKES
Charlie Company, Army, International Studies and Russian
ADAM OLSZEWSKI
Charlie Company, Citizen-Leader Track, National Security and Foreign Affairs and Russian
JOHN OWENS
Echo Company, Army, Agribusiness
WESLEY PAN
Bravo Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Biological Sciences
JARED PARISEN
Charlie Company, Army, Building Construction
TREVOR PATTERSON
Golf Company, Army, Business Information Technology
ISAAC PATTERSON
Highty-Tighties, Citizen-Leader Track, International Studies and Russian
PAUL PECHIE
Charlie Company, Marines, Political Science
DANE PEDERSEN
India Company, Army, Political Science
JOSHUA PELECH
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Aerospace Engineering
ANNA PFUND
Bravo Company, Air Force, Meteorology
JACOB PILKINS
Charlie Company, Army, Criminology and Sociology
JASON PIXLEY
Delta Company, Navy, History
JACOB POUDRIER
Foxtrot Company, Army, Animal and Poultry Sciences
NICHOLAS PRICE
India Company, Army, Criminology and Sociology
DIANA PRINCIPI
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Criminology
CHARLES PRUETT
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
NICHOLAS RACINE
India Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs and Russian
SARAFINA RAMALHO
Delta Company, Army, Political Science
AUSTIN REYNOLDS
Kilo Battery, Air Force, Biochemistry
BRENT REYNOLDS
Delta Company, Air Force, Civil Engineering
PETER RHODES
Golf Company, Army, Management
ETHAN RICHIE
Foxtrot Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Political Science
ROBERT RIELAGE
Hotel Company, Navy, Computer Science
JULISSA RIOS
Echo Company, Army, Animal and Poultry Sciences
LUIS RODRIGUEZ JR.
Golf Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
TYLER ROILAND
Highty-Tighties, Air Force, Meteorology
DANIEL RULAND
Lima Company, Army, Building Construction and Real Estate
JOHN RUSSELL
Charlie Company, Marines, Mining Engineering
DAVID SAM
Golf Company, Navy, Computer Engineering
MICHAEL SAMPSON
Charlie Company, Air Force, Meteorology
BENJAMIN SANDERS
Hotel Company, Army, Political Science
HANNAH SANTUS
Kilo Battery, Navy, Building Construction
ERIN SAYLOR
Lima Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Wildlife Conservation
NICHOLAS SCHAEFFER
Golf Company, Army, History
MATTHEW SCHIEFER JR.
Kilo Battery, Citizen-Leader Track, Building Construction
CEDRIC SCHULZ
Charlie Company, Navy, Mechanical Engineering
KEMPER SCOTT
Alpha Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Computational and Systems Neuroscience
ALEC SEKELSKY
Hotel Company, Air Force, Computational Modeling and Data Analytics
THOMAS SHANAHAN
Lima Company, Marines, Psychology
BOBBY SHERRILL
Alpha Company, Air Force, National Security and Foreign Affairs
TIMOTHY SHIVELY II
Charlie Company, Army, Criminology and Sociology
CHRISTOPHER SILVA
Golf Company, Air Force, Economics
OLIVER SMEETON
Delta Company, Navy, History
SAMANTHA SMITH
India Company, Air Force, Civil Engineering
SATYASARAN SREEHARIKESAN
Golf Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Mechanical Engineering and Nanoscience
TREVOR STACK
Delta Company, Army, Mechanical Engineering
BENJAMIN STADLER
Hotel Company, Air Force, Civil Engineering
JACOB STEBLEIN
Kilo Battery, Army, Marketing Management
CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Charlie Company, Army, Business Information Technology
NICHOLAS STOLL
Charlie Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Packaging Systems and Design
ADAM STRASSER
Golf Company, Army, Building Construction
CAROLINE SULLIVAN
Delta Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Psychology
HEATH SULLIVAN
Foxtrot Company, Army, Political Science
HUNTER TETTELBACH
Golf Company, Navy, Environmental Science
SYDNEY TINKER
India Company, Air Force, National Security and Foreign Affairs
AUSTIN TOMAIKO
Lima Company, Army, Real Estate
SAMUEL TYSON
Charlie Company, Air Force, Russian
CYRUS UNVALA
India Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Photonics
DONALD VAN HOOK
Lima Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
WILLIAM VIDOVICH
India Company, Army, Criminology
THOMAS VINTER
Echo Company, Army, Construction Engineering and Management
CHRISTOPHER VOLK
Kilo Battery, Army, Applied Economic Management
MARK WAGE
Alpha Company, Army, National Security and Foreign Affairs
REAGAN WAMPLER
Golf Company, Army, Political Science
KYLE WIGGINS
Kilo Battery, Army, Electrical Engineering
NATHANIEL WILSON
Alpha Company, Air Force, Computer Engineering
CATHERINE WILSON
Hotel Company, Air Force, Meteorology
MICHAEL WINTERS
Hotel Company, Army, History
CONNOR WIRT
Charlie Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Criminology
ERYN WOLFE
Lima Company, Army, Natural Resources Conservation
MARK WOLTER
Lima Company, Air Force, Russian and History
AUSTIN WYDAJEWSKI
Lima Company, Navy, Civil Engineering
ERIK YAMADA
Delta Company, Air Force, Mathematics
KEVIN YANG
Hotel Company, Army, Political Science
CHARLES YOUNG IV
Foxtrot Company, Army, Business Information Technology
CHLOE YOUNG
Lima Company, Army, Criminology and Sociology
DONALD ZIMMERMAN
India Company, Citizen-Leader Track, Communications & Networking
LAUREN ZUCHOWSKI
Lima Company, Air Force, Political Science
MARIAH ZWIRB
Highty-Tighties, Citizen-Leader Track, Economics