About Our Program
THE BASICS
Virginia Tech cadets are trained and educated to be exemplary leaders of character. The Corps is committed to their academic and leadership development success.
Virginia Tech is one of the nation’s six senior military colleges and one of only two with a corps of cadets within a larger, public university.
Virginia Tech’s ROTC programs are separate from the Corps.
- ROTC programs are federal and part of their respective military services.
- The Corps is part of the state university.
Questions related to the ROTC programs, medical issues, and commissioning should be directed to members of those staffs.
University policy states that a student enrolled in ROTC must also be in the Corps, but a cadet can be in the Corps without joining ROTC.
We offer two tracks, and cadets can shift between tracks if their career goals or circumstances change.
- The Military-Leader Track prepares cadets to commission into one of the services.
- The Citizen-Leader Track allows cadets to apply their Corps leadership experience directly to careers in the private and public sectors.
CORPS ORGANIZATION
The deputy commandants work directly for the commandant of cadets, and each is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of one of the four cadet battalions.
As a family member, your most direct point of contact with the commandant’s staff is your cadet’s deputy commandant. Email is the preferred method of contact.
The deputy commandant is an advisor, mentor, counselor, supervisor, and disciplinarian. As university officials, they are bound by the Federal Privacy Act (FERPA) and university policies on student confidentiality. They cannot divulge grades or health information without the cadet’s consent. They cannot compel a cadet to go to class. However, they will work with you and your cadet to balance university, Corps, and family demands.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
FAFSA
For your cadet to receive a scholarship, you must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually, even if no other form of financial aid is being received. Details can be found on these pages: studentaid.gov or finaid.vt.edu.
Corps Named Scholarships
Corps Named Scholarships are offered to cadets and are renewable each year. The base scholarship is $1,000 per year. Recipients must be in good standing with a finalized FAFSA every year. Departure prior to the end of a semester will result in the entire semester’s amount being revoked. Also, Corps Named Scholarships may also be revoked because of disciplinary action.
Major General and Mrs. Randy Fullhart Horizon Fund
Rising juniors and seniors in select leadership positions with a GPA of 3.0 or higher may be eligible for additional scholarship dollars. Scholarships vary based on position. Cadets must be in good standing with a finalized FAFSA on file.
Commandant Response Fund
The Commandant’s Response Scholarship Fund exists to aid cadets experiencing unforeseen financial crisis due to emergency situations. These are one-time grants and are made at the discretion of the Commandant.
Philanthropy
Many cadets benefit from scholarships thanks to dedicated alumni, friends, and families of the Corps. If you are interested in supporting the Corps through scholarship support, or exploring other philanthropic opportunities, please contact Kelley Corvin at kcorvin@vt.edu