Work — Virginia Military Institute
Equipping a timeless institution to tell a timely story
Project Scope
“It’s just for people who want to fight in the military,” for example, or “VMI cadets are rigid and cold.” The question: How can this venerable institution portray its modern relevancy without losing its strong sense of mission and history?
SimpsonScarborough conducted a comprehensive research study with more than 1,000 people that revealed a consistent trend: attributes that current cadets and VMI faculty and staff want the institution to emphasize—such as academic quality and a more nuanced picture of VMI cadets—are also highly valued by prospective cadets and their parents.
The research also found that both current and prospective cadets value having a career in which they can make a difference more than having a highly structured military life.
We mobilized around these insights and developed a strategy integrating the Institute’s long-held values of honor and discipline with the deep desire to do good in the world, which is often overlooked in the VMI experience.