Institute Honors Program - Academics - Virginia Military Institute MyVMI Offices A-Z Calendar Give Academic Program Departments Majors and Minors Summer Programs Honors Honors Research in the News Senior Thesis Presentations Library Research Institute Scholars Peay Merit Scholarships Support Clubs and Societies Postgraduate and Pre-Professional Institute Honors Program The Institute Honors Program enriches the academic experience of VMI's outstanding cadets through activities that encourage an affinity for intellectual inquiry and develop the capacity for sophisticated engagement of issues and problems, whether ethical, civic, or professional. Honors Cadets benefit from special offerings by other enrichment programs like the VMI Center for Undergraduate Research and Institute Writing Program. Special opportunities, including meetings with distinguished guests on Post and trips to sites of interest, are organized especially for them. Honors Cadets are carefully mentored for academic success and post-graduate aspirations. They are prime candidates for prestigious postgraduate awards such as the Marshall, Rhodes, Gates Cambridge, Truman, and Goldwater scholarships, as well as admissions agreements with top-tier graduate programs in law and medicine. Those who complete the program are certified as Distinguished Graduates with Institute Honors at commencement. Admission / Continuance Admission to the program is guaranteed for Institute Scholars and open by application to any current cadet with a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.5 and who has completed at least one but not more than four semesters of study at the time of application. Continuance in the program requires maintenance of a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.5 and satisfactory engagement in program activities. Requirements HN 100 – Honors Forum – every semester One HNS elective (3 credits): Honors Seminar in Science or Engineering One HNL elective (3 credits):  Honors Seminar in the Humanities or Social Sciences Senior Honors Project/Thesis (6 credits) Program admission decisions for incoming cadets are made after matriculation. Applicants will be contacted in August for interviews. INSTITUTE HONORS APPLICATION Honors Program in the News Find out more about the cadet research projects and the Honors program in recent VMI news Bott Designs Retractable Boat Anchor Connor Bott ’26, a mechanical engineering major at Virginia Military Institute, has designed a modern adaptation for an ancient devise with his honors senior thesis project, “Design and Analysis of an Electromechanical Marine Wreck Anchor.” Bowen Explores Creative Writing Devices Ben Bowen ’26, an English major at Virginia Military Institute, introduced his honors presentation by disclosing that it is not intended to prove an esthetic point or make a literary argument. Related Links Dean of the Faculty Academic Catalog Study Abroad Critical Dates & Academic Calendar Contact Col. Robert McDonald Associate Dean for Academic Affairs P: 540-464-7212 mcdonaldrl@vmi.edu Institute Honors 210 Smith Hall Mailing Address: For USPS: NAME (If to an individual) Institute Honors 510 Burma Road P.O. Box 1839 Lexington, VA, 24450 For Other Carriers: NAME (If to an individual) Institute Honors 510 Burma Road Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA, 24450 VMI: Forging 21st Century Leaders