Cadets Devan Edward Eppes, of Farmville, Virginia; Liam Rupkey, of Amelia, Virginia; and Jillian Skahill, of Bear, Delaware, will receive the flags at this week’s football game against Clemson.

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 them to cadets at the south end of the field. 

The cadets, also selected based on their performance during training, render honor to the flags and then 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. 

Eppes, a first-year cadet majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences with a minor in leadership studies from the corps’ Rice Center for Leader Development, was chosen for going above and beyond and setting the example of an ideal first-year cadet. He is in Army ROTC.

Rupkey, a first-year cadet majoring in engineering in the College of Engineering with a minor in leadership studies, was chosen for showing extreme dedication to his studies and corps duties. He is the recipient of an Emerging Leader Scholarship and is in Navy ROTC.

Skahill, a first-year cadet majoring in national security and foreign affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences with a minor in leadership studies, was chosen for being an exemplary model of the university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). She is the recipient of an Emerging Leader Scholarship and is in Army ROTC.

Written by Jazmine Lewis, of Edgewater Park, New Jersey, a senior majoring in criminology in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

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