The Cadet seeks scholarships in Honor of VMI Journalism Heroes

Working with The Cadet Foundation, founded by cadets and alumni to support the journalistic pursuits of the cadets, The Cadet has begun exploratory and formative work to set up a scholarship to honor alumni of The Cadet who made significant contributions to the field of Freedom of Speech and journalism. The intent of the scholarship program is to support cadets interested in journalism and related fields and who commit to working on The Cadet during their cadetship. The Scholarship program's working title is currently The Cadet Freedom of Speech Scholarship. The scholarship honors VMI journalist alumni such as Frank Frosch '64, James Hanney '56 and Robert Jere Real '56. Jesse Frank Frosch '64 was Editor in Chief of The Cadet, a role in which he fiercely defended the rights of his peers to exercise their right to free speech. Frosch reported for United Press International (UPI) as chief of the Phnom Penh bureau during the Vietnam War and on the 28th of October, Frosch along with Japanese Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Kyoichi Sawada, were captured and murdered by insurgents while covering hostilities in Cambodia. James Hanney '56, Editor-in-Chief of The Cadet wrote the first opinion in The Cadet condemning segregation and calling for VMI to integrate. He was fired the same day by the VMI administration and replaced by Jere Real '56. Mr. Real, undaunted, continued the work in The Cadet that significantly contributed to the Corps of Cadets pushing more and more for integration. Mr. Real also became a renowned journalist in his own right, covering the Selma riots and other important events in the Civil Rights movement. The scholarship will give students the opportunity to continue this legacy by developing and enhancing skills to include, but are not limited, to: Open Mindedness, Ethics, Persistence, Research Skills, Technical Skills, and Storytelling that will enable to them to conduct informed and objective inquiry then report it on the issues of the time and especially those within and important to the corps of Cadets. In working opportunities to set up the program The Cadet Foundation and The Cadet are working with the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond and exploring other potential partners. Those interested in assisting in the establishment or funding of the Journalism Scholarship Program should contact The Cadet and The Cadet Foundation at info@cadetnewspaper.org. Originally founded by cadets working with alumni as a magazine in 1871, prior to transitioning to its current newspaper format in 1907, The Cadet in its current form today remains one of the oldest independent student newspapers in Virginia.