Nation’s only all-female cadet corps celebrates 20 years

The nation’s only all-female corps of cadets has marked its 20th anniversary.

The Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College celebrated the milestone Friday with a parade, reception and military ball.

The program started with 42 cadets. Since then, 379 women have graduated from the institute, attaining leadership positions in all branches of the United States Armed Forces as well as in the public and private sectors.

The institute was established while a lawsuit challenging Virginia Military Institute’s exclusion of women was pending. It continued after VMI began admitting females in 1997.