The Virginia Press Association’s top honor, the 2022 VPA Journalistic Integrity and Community Service Award was awarded to The Cadet during the association’s annual VPA News and Advertising Conference at the Short Pump Hilton on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
This award, coveted by professional journalists, has never been awarded to a student newspaper. Past winners include The Richmond Times Dispatch, The Roanoke Times, The Washington Times, and The Daily Press.
The award recognized The Cadet’s reporting on the implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at VMI and this publication’s promotion of open and productive dialogue. The Cadet insisted that the implementation of the DEI program from Virginia’s governor be conducted in an open and transparent manner and consider the voices and views of all stakeholders – alumni, cadets, parents, faculty, and staff, the entire VMI Family.
The Cadet earned seven additional awards for investigative and feature reporting, four first place, a second place, and two third place. For a student newspaper this type of recognition is unprecedented, and complements nicely Major General Win’s Compete to Win initiative. The Spirit of VMI is happy to see outstanding achievements by cadets in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in community service. Cadets are standing up for the First Amendment and we could not be happier.
This achievement by the cadets who produce this publication is without equal in the history of The Cadet and is an example of the quality of the Corps of Cadets. It is an achievement that should be celebrated by the entire VMI family. The Spirit of VMI PAC encourages all to contact the VMI Director of Communications and Marketing, Colonel Bill Wyatt, at 540-464-7170 or [email protected] and find out how you can support these cadets and the Cadet Newspaper.
The Spirit of VMI salutes and congratulates The Cadet and is proud of our association with this publication. The Cadet represents the finest traditions of journalism, traditions that are today unfortunately hard to find. Well done!
