It has been fifty years since I was a rat in the Corps of Cadets. A long time ago for sure, but to this day I can remember so many things that happened during that special time of my life. The friends, the memories, the pride I felt and confidence I gained during that Corps experience has remained with me. Now as a member of the steering committee for this extraordinary campaign I reflect back and I feel so fortunate. The Corps played such an important role in my own development, and I want to give back. In fact as I think about my own blessings and try matching them up with how I can pass them on, the VTCC stands out clearly. Why? It stands out because today the Corps is successfully pursuing its mission of training and graduating future leaders of industry, corporations, government and of the military. These leaders of tomorrow are the reason for me to give back. What could be a better use of contributions, be they outright gifts or by will or trust. The ELS (Emerging Leader Scholarship) is an endowment that provides income for the VTCC, which means that these funds are set aside in perpetuity and invested wisely through the active oversight of the VT Foundation. This concept of supporting cadets from now on gives me great satisfaction. I hope many more feel the same and will consider the opportunity to fund an ELS during the campaign.