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Women in the Corps of Cadets

Significant Dates for Women in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech

1959 - Commissioning of Patricia Ann Miller
1973 - First Women to Join the Corps of Cadets Form the L Squadron
1977 - Marilyn Helmeyer is the first woman in the Highty Tighties
1987 - Denise Shuster (IS '88) earns the Corps' highest rank of regimental commander
1987 - CPT Debbie Cheslow (AOE '87) is the first Virginia Tech female to become an Air Force pilot
1922 - Lori Keck (LASC '92) becomes the regimental band's first female drum major

Original "L" Squadron

Upper-Class

Deborah Noss Ayers - 1rst Commander
Cheryl Butler McDonald - 2nd Commander
Laurel O'Conner Harris
Sue Minor
Diane Wheeler Benroth
Ginnie Anthony Alumbaugh
Shirley Burnette Sypolt

Under-Class

Emily Pillsbury Davis - 3rd Commander
Fran Hart
Kim Pogue Snider
Mary Gallagher Bird
Paula Kahle Curle
Lesley Nelson Henneberger
Virginia Ligon Vroegop
Caryl Christian
Lisa Lahler Coulter
Marilyn Helmeyer Hamilton
Janet James Escobido - 4th Commander
Katherine Buckles
Barbara Jesse Aldridge
Beckie Foy Morrissey
Jeannie Waldrop
Pam Kelly Jenkins
Debra Boozer

Joined In Mid-Stream

Nancy Bishop
Cyndi Williams
De Dodson Morris
Maureen Kirby Leister
Bobbi Brown Samples
Meg Guerrin Birdseye
Jodie Hoff
Kristy Haught

Women in the Corps of Cadets Digital Materials

Virginia Tech Female Cadets Scrapbook
Oral History Interview with Cheryl Butler MacDonald, "L" Squadron Commander in 1974-1975
Emily Pillsbury Davis transcript, "L" Squadron Commander in 1975-1976
"L" Squadron photographs, c.1973-1979
"Formal Versus Informal Power in "L" Squadron: How, Why, and a Possible Solution to the Problem," c.1976
"Corps Life Challenging for First Women," 1996
"Women in Blue and Gray: More Than Two Decades of Women in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets," c.1996
"More than a few good women: 25th class of females enter corps," 1999
The History of Women at Virginia Tech digital project also includes resources relating to the history of women's roles in the Corps of Cadets