Cadets Jacob Heil, Ian Donaher, and Megan Watkins will receive the flags at Thursday night’s football game against Georgia Tech.

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and the Virginia Tech football team continue their proud partnership to highlight the colors during the pre-game ceremony at every football game.

Three football players, chosen because of their performance in the last game or at practice, carry the American flag, the state flag, and the team’s spirit flag as they lead the team onto the field. They deliver the flags to cadets at the south end of the field. 

The cadets, also selected based on their performance in the corps, render honor to the flags and carry them off the field. At home games, three first-year cadets are selected, and one or two upper-class cadets travel with the team and receive the flags at away games. 

Heil, a first-year cadet majoring in national security and foreign affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was chosen for his outstanding morale, positive attitude, and dedication within the corps. He is the recipient of a corps’ Emerging Leader Scholarship and in Army OTC.

Donaher, a first-year cadet majoring in general engineering in the College of Engineering, was chosen for his professional and innate leadership abilities. He stands out among his classmates through his initiative and adaptability. He is the recipient of an Emerging Leader Scholarship and in Navy ROTC.

Watkins, a first-year cadet majoring in marketing in the Pamplin College of Business, was chosen for her drive to succeed as a cadet. Last year as a freshman student, she was so impressed by everything she saw in the corps that she decided to join this year. She uses her previous knowledge of campus to help out her cadet classmates. She is the recipient of an Emerging Leader Scholarship and in the Citizen-Leader Track.

Written by Christie Shufran, of Ashburn, Virginia, a senior majoring in human development in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.