The Cadet wins Virginia's highest journalism award

The Virginia Press Association Award (VPA) for Journalistic Integrity and Community Service is the VPA's highest honor. The Journalistic Integrity and Community Service award was established in 1949 and stresses editorial leadership as well as community service above and beyond a member's circulation area. It is so selective that some years it is not awarded, and in its history, only 30 newspapers managed to win this award without sharing it with another professional publication. In its 75-year history, no student newspaper ever won this prestigious award coveted by professional journalists across Virginia and over 175-member newspaper magazines, universities, businesses, and individuals including such significant publications as The Washington Post, The Virginia-Pilot, The Lexington News-Gazette, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Daily Press, The Roanoke Times, The Washington Times and more. On May 6, 2023, that changed. To paraphrase the words of one of the Institute's most famous alumni, "the Institute was heard from today". The 2022 winner is The Cadet. (click the link to watch the video) The award stresses editorial leadership as well as community service above and beyond a member's circulation area. Entries were judged on evidence of a significant effort beyond the member's routine scope; the initiative of the member; use of editorials in connection with the project or projects; and results - what was accomplished? Richmond Magazine won the Award in 2018 for a commemorative issue dedicated to the life of Arthur Ashe. The Bristol Herald Courier was selected in 2019 for its investigative project on jail overcrowding in the region. InsideNoVa/Prince William was the 2020 winner for its coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on Northern Virginia. The Virginian-Pilot staff earned the top honor in the 2021 for its Dividing Lines series on the enduring legacy of racial segregation in Norfolk. Thanks to special friends of The Cadet in the Commandant's Office and Colonel Dave Smith working his exam schedule, Cadet Cody Bartmann '25 received the award, to a standing ovation, on behalf of The Cadet. He was joined on the award stage by 2LT James Mansfield '22, last year's Co-Editor-in-Chief with Cadet Claire Curtis '23. Together they led last year's staff in producing the entries for that period. Co-editors-in-Chief Russell Crouch '24 and Patrick Sexton '24 lead the staff this year with Managing Editor Gabi Woodward '23. Matt Paxton, publisher of the Lexington News-Gazette and Mr. Matt Miller, Chief of Staff to Congressman Ben Cline (R-Botetourt), accompanied Bartmann and Mansfield at the dinner to share in the celebration. The Journalistic Integrity and Community Service award is so selective that a single special judge is chosen from among a group of independent prestigious and qualified professional journalists specifically to review nominations and select the winner. The judge's narrative accompanying his decision to give the award solely to The Cadet, according to the VPA staff, was among the strongest and comprehensive they've received. Special Award Judge's narrative in presenting the Virginia Press Association Award for Journalistic Integrity and Community Service Winner: The Cadet, Virginia Military Institute (VMI), "Promoting open and productive dialogue on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)" "If there be time to expose through discussion, the falsehoods and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."- Louis D. Brandeis, Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court, 1916-1939 The application of The Cadet for this award details the efforts of its staff over a period of two academic years to insist that the implementation of the Diversity, Equity [Opportunity], and Inclusion (DEI [DOI]) program from the governor of Virginia be conducted in an open and transparent manner, one which took into account the voices and views of all the stakeholders in the process (the "VMI Family," as they call it, "consisting of alumni, Cadets, parents, faculty and staff"). It is important to remember that the staff of The Cadet is not comprised of professional journalists, secure in their careers, but rather student journalists. As cadets at a military academy preparing for careers in the U.S. military, they are subject to a rigor and scrutiny of their activities far greater than those of student journalists in traditional public and private universities around the country. Simply put, these young people put their academic and professional careers on the line for what they believed. And what were those beliefs? They included "balance between opposing sides" that resulted in movement "from a discussion to a debate and finally a dialogue," one that resulted in "a climate to enable informed and reasonable positive change," their supporting statement reads. This is as clear an operational definition of journalism fulfilling one of its primary functions by providing a public forum for the discussion of ideas important to the community it serves as I have heard. Journalists first adopted a "Canon of Ethics" just over a century ago, in 1922, in an attempt to establish standards of practice for the burgeoning media industry. It has since become codified in the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, which I used to analyze the work of The Cadet. Under the tenet "Seek Truth and Report It," The Cadet staff did "examine their own cultural values and avoid[ed] imposing those values on others," they did "give voice to the voiceless," and they did "distinguish between advocacy and news reporting." And perhaps most importantly, under the tenet "Act Independently," they were "vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable." The results of their efforts will not please everyone. It is likely that every stakeholder group at VMI has something with which they disagree in how the DEI [DOI] program was rolled out. But the staff of The Cadet made it possible for all the stakeholders to be heard, and that's what good journalists do. One last thought: It is clear from reading through the application that these student journalists were under tremendous pressure from a variety of sources as they pursued their objective "to seek truth and report it." But in addition to their work as journalists, they were also cadets in a highly demanding and competitive environment with pressures of its own. The word that comes to mind is "courage". These young people withstood all the combined pressures of their situation to pursue what they believed to be right. That is a credit to them, to their institution, and ultimately, to the country that they will serve upon graduation. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "One man with courage is a majority." As "the four" wrote in the May 201 edition of The Cadet when Cadets, with alumni asistanc, brought it back, This endeavor has not been without its challenges. In today's VMI there are permits to be requested, studies to be made, staffing to be conducted, "messaging" to be considered, and an increasing list of those inside and outside the institute seeking to "shape". The small dedicated group was also bombarded by opinions and, in some cases overt acts, to halt, delay and even influence persons and entities, the initiative itself and participants. In the end, while The Cadet continues to navigate through the appropriate processes in today's VMI, it was the support from members of the Class of 2021 to have a graduation issue and members of the lower classes to provide them that issue that spurred this small band to action. Once again, the bedrock of that which is VMI in the form of the corps and alumni came together trusting in the power of the corps and each other as products of the VMI ethos to do the right thing. The grand adventure began in late March 2021, when Cadets who wanted to restart The Cadet connected with a group of alumni interested in returning the experience The Cadet provided them and the voice it gave the Corps. "The Four", as they became known, were Cadets Johnathan Krauss '21, Darren Pitts '21, Richie O'Connell '22, and James Mansfield '22. Given the resistance to restarting the paper and, especially, working with alumni the Cadets experienced from the administration they asked how the project could move forward. In typical VMI fashion, the response was simple, "if you want The Cadet back for graduation, you will have The Cadet back." Less than six weeks later the graduation edition was published. The rest, as they say, is history. As the beneficiaries of their courage and recipients of this award, Cadets on The Cadet staff today salute "The Four." As the VPA special judge noted in his comments, the challenges, and sometimes outright attacks on The Cadet and its supporters since the restart have been many and severe, but alumni, and especially the Corps, continue to stand by The Cadet. As the VPA called out in its Press Release announcing the award to The Cadet: The Cadet insisted that the implementation of the DEI [DOI] 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 outcome resulted in robust dialogue among cadets and faculty without fear of expressing views to their peers through the newspaper; free speech and tolerance of alternative views increased after the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the Student Law Press Law Center issued violation warnings to VMI; and a reduction in the administration's attempts to suppress or control the student newspaper. This award is as much a recognition of their strength and commitment as it is of The Cadet's endurance. "Working on the Cadet was never easy, and to be recognized by the Virginia Press Association in such a way was unbelievably gratifying." said 2LT James Mansfield, academic year 2021 - 2022 Editor-in-Chief. "This award has reminded me that the critics who have said a student paper can't represent VMI and can't publish 'real news' are wrong. I am deeply proud of my fellow writers and editors who continued to write impartially and professionally. My confidence is solidified that The Cadet is in great hands and I am excited to see how it continues as the class of 2023 pass on their torch upon graduation!" "To be able to represent The Cadet alongside my dyke James Mansfield '22 at the Virginia Press Association Awards was a great honor for me," commented Cadet Cody Bartman '25. "It was because of him that I was introduced to The Cadet and the wonderful people involved, and I am beyond proud of the recognition the paper received this past weekend as a result of their efforts." "I am honored to be part of The Cadet," says Dyman Palmer '24. "Working on it and planning our next steps offers an amazing opportunity to see something so steeped in VMI history come alive. The Cadet is one of the premiere Virginia newspapers, and I am proud of my BRs [Borther Rats] and fellow writers." Congressman Ben Cline (R-Botetourt), whose district includes VMI, added his praise. "I want to congratulate the VMI student newspaper, The Cadet, for winning the Virginia Press Association's (VPA) highest award for Journalistic Integrity and Community Service; the first such time the award has gone to a student newspaper in its 75-year history," said Cline in a statement "I want to also recognize graduating Cadets Claire Curtis '23, Kolton Dobson '23, and Peyton Wiecking '23 for their leadership and dedication that led to the paper picking up seven additional journalistic awards. Your pursuit of the truth embodies the word "integrity" that is front and center on the VPA's award. Regardless of where life leads you after you graduate, I have no doubt the Cadets will continue to fight for the VMI values that have made it a great institution for the last 184 years." The Cadet staff is both humbled and proud by this singular honor. In accepting it, the staff is reminded of the words of The Cadet's editors in 1892 who wrote, &emsp;&emsp; Owing to our limited time it is hard to turn out a weekly that will come up to the standard of the best college weeklies, but nevertheless such is our aim. With the cooperation of all the classes this end will undoubtedly be attained…With their help we have every reason to believe that the [Cadet] will rank among the first in college weeklies. What we need is hearty cooperation and the right spirit. The Cadet staff, with its alumni and other supporters, and especially the Corps, have achieved their vision and reached beyond to now rank among the first of all newspapers in Virginia. In fulfilling the VMI ethos inscribed above what most will always regard as "Jackson Arch", the current staff and The Cadet's original founders are what they resolved to be. This years' VPA awards to The Cadet also included: First Place, Combination Picture and Story - The Legend of the sentinel box - Part 3: Das Tannenbaum es Kaput, by Dylan Palmer '24, Russell Crouch '24, Gabriele Woodward '24. First Place, Editorial Writing - A response to the Chief of Staff and the VMI administration, by Joseph Malazo '22 (First Jackson-Hope Medal winner) First Place, Feature Series or Continuing Story - The Legend of the sentinel box - Part 3: Das Tannenbaum es Kaput, by Dylan Palmer '24, Russell Crouch '24, Gabriele Woodward '24. First Place, In-depth or Investigative Reporting - Does VMI care about the well-being of Cadets? - A Cadet investigation, by Peyton Wiecking '23 Second Place, In-depth or Investigative Reporting - Initial Voice of the Corps Survey - A Cadet investigation, by James Mansfield '22 Third Place, Combination Picture and Story - Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets marches in the Virginia gubernatorial inaugural parade, by Emily Liska '22 and James Mansfield '22 Third Place, Feature Series or Continuing Story - Promoting open and transparent dialogue on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, by Kolton Dobson '23, Dylan Palmer '23, Patrick Sexton '24, Gabriele Woodward '24, Jackson Creach '25, Victoria Gurgos '25. The Cadet has returned to the Corps its voice as we look forward to next year and welcome all Cadets who want to join us on this grand adventure! UPDATE May 16, 2023. Governor Youngkin Recognizes The Cadet in his commencement address at VMI