Lt. Gen. David Furness '87, superintendent (left) and John Williams '88, VMI Foundation president (right) present the VMI Foundation's Distinguished Service Award to Eugene "Gene" Williams '74.—Photo courtesy VMI Communications & Marketing.
VMI was established Nov. 11, 1839, when 23 young Virginians were mustered into the service of the state. This year, the Institute, the oldest state-supported military college in the country, celebrated the 186th anniversary of its founding Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
The morning began with Rat Olympics, the spirited culmination of Rat Challenge, the 10-week physical fitness program, held primarily in the Corps Physical Training Facility, with challenges also held on North Post obstacles.
In the afternoon, the Corps of Cadets, along with faculty, staff, alumni, and special guests, convened in Cameron Hall to honor Eugene “Gene” Williams ’74, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, VMI Foundation’s highest honor. First presented in 1969, the Distinguished Service Award recognizes alumni and friends whose service to the Institute, dedication to the Foundation’s mission, and career achievements and distinctions are truly exceptional. Williams is the 77th recipient of the award.
Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent, welcomed those gathered and stated VMI’s founders set out to create a school deeply entrenched in a strong sense of civic duty and honor. “One of the greatest testaments to the effectiveness of our educational model is our graduates. We have alumni who accomplished great feats in all walks of life. They live influential lives in their communities and have a service mindset. However, they do not do this for recognition, but because it is the right thing to do. Today, we are privileged to bestow one of VMI’s highest service honors, the Distinguished Service Award, on one of our graduates.” Furness then introduced the VMI Foundation president, John Williams ’88, who read the citation recognizing the achievements of Williams and his commitment to service, presented him with the award, and invited him to the lectern to address the audience, who saluted him with a standing ovation.
Williams thanked family, friends, and his brother rats who traveled from Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and all corners of Virginia to pay homage to their BR. He shared his adoration for VMI.
“I love my school in many ways. I’m actually defined by my school. VMI molded my life into something of value.” He cited its principles, ideals, and its contributions to the country and the world. “However, our beloved school is not without blemish. VMI was very late tearing down barriers to racial justice, as it was the last public college in Virginia to integrate, and I regret that. I have older relatives who would have benefited greatly from the rigor, the structure, and the character and leadership development that is fundamental to the VMI system. They would have also brought dignity and quality to this place, as I have tried to do during my cadetship and afterward. That opportunity was simply not permitted here between 1839 and 1968.” He added his words may sound hard, but they are the truth, and the truth must be told. “I am extremely proud that when our school eventually acted, it implemented the integration of the Corps with dignity, fairness, and determination that failure was not an option. No other school in the state of Virginia integrated more smoothly, fairly, and successfully than VMI. It repeated that performance in 1997 with the admission of women. Neither of these transformational events were flawless, and we are still a work in progress, but we did demonstrate that we could do very well whatever we resolved to do.”
Williams implored the cadets to be truth seekers, oppose what is not honorable and not true, and help make the world truly great.
“I know you cadets have the intellect, the backbone, and the strength of character to do this. It will take tremendous courage and foresight on your part, and the support of the leaders here at VMI.”
He continued by affirming he celebrates Founders Day with sincerity and with the acknowledgement of the high ideals of honor, discipline, and courage. “The foundational principles in 1839 are still true today. I celebrate this with the full knowledge that if I were alive in 1839, the best that I could have envisioned was being an enslaved worker here at VMI. I would have not been treated as a man created in the image of God, but as chattel. It would have been a living hell, because I would have longed to be free. I would have fought and died to be free. This is why this recognition today is so meaningful to me. This is also why I remain so hopeful and encouraged about the future.”
He further noted that efforts to sanitize history are wrong, dangerous, and unfair. “Truth has to be acknowledged, and it has to be reconciled. I have great faith that the majority of VMI people will be agents of what is right, just, and honorable. If that is the case, we’re going to be all right.”
He closed by stating despite whatever else has been going on in the affairs of VMI, including many issues that have caused him distress, he has always had confidence that the leaders of VMI were committed to developing healthy and honorable young leaders and having fidelity to the principles of the Institute. “I have faith that this will continue to be the case, and I pledge my support to General Furness and his administration to be an advocate and supporter of VMI.”
Williams is the founder and executive director of the College Orientation Workshop, Inc., a 4-week challenging educational enrichment program held each summer at VMI. Next year marks its 40th year of transforming the lives of promising, male, minority, and at-risk high school students.
Williams, who was in the third class of African American cadets at VMI, received an athletic scholarship to play football and was dubbed “Mean” Gene on the gridiron. In 1978, he became the first African American and youngest appointee to the VMI Board of Visitors and would go on to serve for 10 years. He is a past member of the Keydet Club Board of Governors and the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees.
Following Williams’ speech, the Founders Day parade was held, during which Williams took review of the parade alongside Furness and the Cadet Battery fired a 15-gun salute from the howitzers. Friday evening, the Institute Society Dinner was held in Marshall Hall, where Williams was an honored guest, and Furness was the keynote speaker.
Editor's Note: Story originally published by Virginia Military Institute.
