The search committee for the next commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets invites the campus community to participate in open forum sessions for the three finalists who will take part in visits to Blacksburg later this month.

The Commandant of Cadets serves as the top leader of the 1,200+-member Corps of Cadets program, designed to develop exceptional officers for the armed services as well as civilian leaders who excel in non-military settings. As one of six senior military colleges embedded in a nationally respected university, the corps has a storied history of producing leaders of exemplary character who change society. The next commandant will have the opportunity to build on this singular legacy and to lead the Corps of Cadets to even greater accomplishments.

The new commandant will replace Maj. Gen. Randal Fullhart, who announced his retirement last September after 13 years in that role, the longest tenure of a commandant of cadets in corps history at Virginia Tech.

Frances Keene, vice president of student affairs and chair of the search committee, invites members of the campus community to meet the candidates in person or via Zoom during the forums. Links for the open forums will be posted on the senior search website on the morning of each forum. Candidates will share their perspectives on the role of the Corps of Cadets at a land-grant institution.

Brig. Gen. Kelly M. Dickerson, U.S. Army

  • Thursday, April 25, in the multipurpose room of the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, and on Zoom. Presentation and Q&A, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Reception, 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Currently the vice president of global seller risk at Paypal, Dickerson has also served as chief operating officer at software firm Katabat, venture capital firm QED Investors, and mortgage lender Privlo. He’s been a member of the U.S. Army since 1989, most recently acting as brigadier general in the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve. Dickerson holds a master's degree in strategic studies from the Army War College and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech. 

Maj. Gen. Brian T. Bishop, U.S. Air Force

  • Tuesday, April 30, in the Solitude Room at the Inn at Virginia Tech, and on Zoom. Presentation and Q&A, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Reception, 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Bishop is the president of Brian T. Bishop and Associates, a firm through which he offers consulting on leadership and high-performance team building. Previously he served as commander for the Spaatz Center for Officer Education and commandant of the Air War College; deputy chief of staff of United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea; and deputy director of western hemisphere politico-military affairs for the Department of Defense. A retired major general in the U.S. Air Force, Bishop holds a master's degree in business administration from Oklahoma City University and a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Maj. Gen. William “Bill” H. Seely III, U.S. Marine Corps

  • Thursday, May 2, in the multipurpose room of the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, and on Zoom. Presentation and Q&A, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Reception, 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Seely is the commandant for the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. A major general in the U.S. Marine Corps, he previously served as director of the information intelligence division for Marine Corps headquarters in the Pentagon; as commandant of the Joint Forces Staff College at the National Defense University in Norfolk, Virginia; and as director of the joint operations center for U.S. Central Command in Iraq. Seely holds a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University, a master’s in national security and strategic studies from Naval War College, a master’s in strategic intelligence from National Intelligence University, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from American University.

The commandant of the Corps of Cadets position description, application/nomination process, and search updates are posted and available on the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost website.

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