For 129 years, Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA) has provided its students with a world-class, values-based educational experience. Today, R-MA is more than just a leading U.S. college prep school – it is a flourishing community thriving on the success and growth of its members.
In particular, we are proud of the consistent success and achievements of our female cadets. With recent fundraising initiatives reaching unprecedented levels, R-MA is better positioned than ever to attain new standards of educational excellence—continuing to empower its community of young female learners. We measure performance and, by any standard, our female cadets have excelled!
Women Lead at R-MA
Leading the Corps of Cadets is a competitively selected privilege afforded to the most effective and strongest cadets in each senior class. We’d like to showcase the five remarkable women who earned the Corps Commander position between 2016 and 2020. Their achievements stand on the shoulders of Allyson (Doran) Shea, who became R-MA’s first female Corps Commander in 2011.
Five years later, Emma Bunker ‘16 rose through the ranks to become R-MA’s second female Corps Commander. Her time at R-MA helped her realize her ultimate goal: becoming a mechanical engineer. Emma majored in mechanical engineering at Norwich University and is now working as a manufacturing and design engineer. In 2017, Dongeun (Amy) Go became the first international student to earn the position of Corps Commander. Graduating as Valedictorian, Amy also commanded the drill team and helped lead the girls’ varsity soccer team to a conference championship.
Victoria Voellm, now attending UC San Diego, continued the trend of female Corps Commanders in 2018. Under her leadership, the school’s drill team became the 2018 Virginia State Drill Team Champions. The torch was passed on to Fatoumata (Rana) Diallo, who earned her position as the fourth consecutive female Corps Commander in 2019. She carried the AFJROTCVA-091 Drill Team to the state championship for a second time, won first place in the Duet Competition at Nationals, and was part of the conference-winning girls’ soccer team. Rana is currently attending the Virginia Military Institute.
Last year, Taylor Wreath became the fifth consecutive female Corps Commander – facing the challenge of keeping the corps together through the shift to remote learning during the global pandemic. Taylor is currently a student at Lord Fairfax Community College with plans to transfer to the University of Virginia. She supplemented her time at R-MA with an internship on Capitol Hill, Girls State, and starting her own business.
R-MA’s women have made extraordinary achievements, contributing to the school’s vibrant community and beyond. Ranked among the top 10 best boarding high schools in Virginia, R-MA works tirelessly towards preparing students for their future – ensuring that all students are positioned for success.
Would you like to make a donation to R-MA and support our cadets?
Contact the Advancement Team at 540-636-5484 or at advancement@rma.edu!