Support Agencies

VMI Alumni Agencies’ Missions

VMI Alumni Agencies (“Agencies”) are comprised of four organizations that share the common purpose of raising funds, investing funds, and performing other activities on behalf of VMI alumni and other donors in support of Virginia Military Institute (VMI). The individual organizations comprising the Agencies and their purposes are as follows:

VMI Alumni Association

The mission of the VMI Alumni Association is to organize alumni and old cadets of VMI into one general body to keep alive the memories of Institute life and by their united efforts promote the general welfare of the Institute and the successful prosecution of its educational purposes. 

VMI Foundation

The mission of the VMI Foundation is to raise, steward and invest the funds entrusted to it for the sole purpose of advancing the Virginia Military Institute.

VMI Keydet Club

The mission of the VMI Keydet Club is to contribute to the spirit and development of a successful Division I athletic program that benefits the whole of Virginia Military Institute.

VMI Alumni Agencies Board, Incorporated (formerly VMI Development Board, Incorporated)

The mission of the VMI Alumni Agencies Board, Inc. is exercising the best practices possible to deliver superior institutional advancement to support the Virginia Military Institute and the Alumni Agencies

VMI Alumni Agencies Personnel

VMI Parents Council

The VMI Parents Council was formed in 1957 to provide information and assistance to the parents of cadets attending VMI. Members of the Parents Council are selected from parents of cadets in the upper three classes. The purposes of the Parents Council are to develop closer ties between parents and VMI; to help parents serve as ambassadors for VMI; and to assist the Institute in providing for the welfare and development of cadets. The Council is to be a sounding board to help cadets and their families gain the most from VMI. If the Council can help a parent understand VMI and provide a ready source of information to all cadets and parents, then it has met its challenge. The Parents Council meets formally twice a year at VMI. The fall meeting is held on Parents Weekend. Council representatives regularly attend VMI events to answer questions and act as hosts and hostesses.

VMI Research Laboratories

VMI Research Laboratories, Inc. was established in 1963 by General George Shell, Superintendent. The mission of VMIRL is to facilitate the pursuit of research by faculty members at VMI through the administration of grants and contracts and sponsorship of research activities. The VMIRL Board of Directors oversees the activities of the labs and meets on an annual basis to review the yearly activities. Day-to-day administration of VMIRL is conducted by the Officers of the Corporation.

Since its inception, VMIRL has administered more than 260 grants and contracts totaling nearly $10,000,000. Faculty researchers at VMI have obtained financial support for their projects from federal sources such as NSF, NIH, NEH, Agricultural Research Service of the USDA, DOD, and the Army Research Institute, as well as from state resources, e.g., VDOT, Va. Department of Environmental Quality, Center for Innovative Technology, Va. Department of Health, Va. Department of Information Technology, and Va. Department of Technology Planning, and from private corporations such as Babcock and Wilcox, Jeffress Memorial Trust, Emhart Glass, Research Corp. of America, Ford Motor Corporation, and the Harrington Corporation.

Additionally, conferences such as Environment Virginia, COVITS, Virginia Transportation Conference, and Energy Virginia have been made possible in part through VMIRL sponsorship. Additionally, VMIRL administers the Stanley Wetmore Fund which provides monetary support for cadet research. VMIRL also sponsors two awards. The Maury and Hinman awards each recognize outstanding achievement in the area of faculty and cadet research efforts at the Institute.