Maddie Mitcham of Virginia Beach, a sophomore double majoring in geography and international studies, has been inducted into the inaugural cohort of Keystone Fellows. The organization recognizes Virginia Tech students who embody the Aspirations for Student Learning and personify a commitment to learning, self-improvement, and a desire to better the world around them.

Mitcham, a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and a class of 2018 officer, was recognized along with 14 of her peers for the impact she is making at Virginia Tech and beyond. She is a part of the Esprit de Corps, a team of cadets whose goal is to ignite excitement during football games. As a class officer, she works behind the scenes, designing the class ring and organizing the ring dance. She also serves as an orientation leader and a Hokie Camp counselor. Off campus, she volunteers with Operation Smile, an international charity that provides surgeries for children born with cleft lip or cleft palate.

For Mitcham, service to Virginia Tech and her community is second nature. Her “This I Believe” statement, required in her Keystone Fellows application packet, explained her firm belief that “little things can have a big impact” and that everyone should do the most that they can for others, regardless of the resources they have available.

Mitcham plans to continue her tradition of service by commissioning into the U.S. Army upon graduating. She credits her educational and extracurricular opportunities at Virginia Tech with shaping her commitment to service, noting, “without Virginia Tech, I might not have grown to be who I am today.”

Contact: