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Faculty Advisors
For general information about VMI’s cadets pursuing postgraduate opportunities, contact Col. Rob McDonald, Associate Dead for Academic Affairs at mcdonaldrl@vmi.edu.
For information regarding the particular scholarships below, contact the faculty advisor.
Gates Cambridge Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Maj. Christopher M. Blunda, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of History
blundacm@vmi.edu
Maj. Blunda teaches advanced courses on the history of the ancient Mediterranean and the two-semester World History course. Before joining the History Department at VMI, he received a bachelor’s degree in Classics from Cornell University, a master’s degree in the History of Christianity from Harvard Divinity School, and a doctorate in History from the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the cultural and intellectual history of the late Roman Empire, particularly asceticism in southern Gaul during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries A.D.
Marshall Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Lt. Col. Patrick Eichholz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies
eichholzpj@vmi.edu
Lt. Col. Eichholz graduated with a BA in English from the University of Dallas in 2006. He worked five years as a Firefighter-Paramedic in Corsicana, Texas, before enrolling in the graduate program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012. After earning his Ph.D. in 2018, he joined the English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies Department at VMI. Besides serving as the Institute's Marshall Advisor, he teaches courses in British literature and literary theory.
Goldwater Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Col. David Feinauer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
feinauerdm@vmi.edu
Dr. Feinauer is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Military Institute, Campus Representative for the Goldwater Scholarship, Chair of the Institute Honors Committee, and Director of Research for VMI Research Labs. His scholarly work spans several areas including: automation and control theory, system identification, machine learning applications, energy infrastructure resilience, first-year engineering education experiences, engineering design education, incorporating innovation and entrepreneurship in the engineering classroom, and P-12 engineering outreach. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky.
Truman Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Vera Heuer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of International Studies and Political Science
heuerv@vmi.edu
Dr. Vera Heuer is a professor of international studies and the Director of the Asian Studies Minor Program at VMI. Specializing in contentious politics as well as South Asia, Dr. Heuer teaches courses on protest and social movements, activism, and South Asian politics. Dr. Heuer, originally from Berlin (Germany), received a Ph.D. and M.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a MA from the Free University Berlin. She has extensive experience in mentoring and supporting cadet research. Her own research agenda focuses on social mobilization and the relationship between state actors and social movement organizations as well as how these dynamics are framed in the public sphere. Her scholarly work has been published among others in Research in Social Movement, Conflict and Change, The Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, and Nationalism and Ethnic Politics.
Fulbright Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Col. Jeff Kendrick, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Global Education
Professor, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
kendrickjw@vmi.edu
Col. Kendrick is Director of Global Education and Professor of French at VMI. An advocate of international education, Col. Kendrick regularly directs study abroad programs and supervises cadet applications for competitive international scholarships and fellowships such as Fulbright, Boren, Critical Language Scholarship and Gilman/Gilman-McCain. He has also worked with cadets on international summer undergraduate research projects on propaganda and polemic in the French Wars of Religion and connections between 16th and 20th century French poetry.
Rhodes Scholarship Faculty Advisor
Col. Steven E. Knepper, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies
knepperse@vmi.edu
A recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award and holder of the Bruce C. Gottwald, Jr. ’81 Chair for Academic Excellence, Col. Knepper teaches a range of literature, writing, and philosophy courses at VMI, including an honors seminar on the epic and a course on Moby-Dick. He is the author of Wonder Strikes: Approaching Aesthetics and Literature with William Desmond, co-author of Byung-Chul Han: A Critical Introduction, and founding editor of New Verse Review: A Journal of Lyric and Narrative Poetry. Col. Knepper has directed student research projects on a variety of topics, from the poetry of Langston Hughes to the philosophy of Simone Weil, from Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic conventions to J.R.R. Tolkien's translation of the Book of Jonah.
Pre-Professional Program Advisor: Health Professions
Maj. Alison K. Burke, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
burkeak@vmi.edu
Maj. Alison Burke serves as the Health Professions Advisor at Virginia Military Institute. She helps cadets explore and prepare for careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and other health fields. She provides personalized guidance on academic planning, application strategies, and professional development. MAJ Burke also maintains partnerships and articulation agreements with programs at Eastern Virginia Medical School at ODU, Virginia Commonwealth University, Mary Baldwin University, and Texas A&M University to expand opportunities for cadets. A molecular microbiologist by training, she is passionate about helping students discover their paths in the health professions. MAJ Burke’s goal is to connect every interested cadet with the resources, experiences, and mentorship they need to succeed in competitive health programs.
Pre-Professional Program Advisor: Law
Maj. Timothy Passmore, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and Political Science
passmoretj@vmi.edu
Lt. Col. Passmore specializes in international law and organizations, conflict management, and U.S. foreign policy and national security. His current research addresses the ability of the United Nations to mobilize resources for peacekeeping operations.