LEXINGTON, Va., May 11 -- Virginia Military Institute issued the following news release:
LEXINGTON, Va., May 11, 2026-The Department of Modern Language and Cultures (DoMC) at Virginia Military Institute announced the suspension of the German program with the retirement of Col. Donald Sunnen, professor of German. A gathering of department members, both past and present, was held recently to observe the ending of the program and reminisce about the professors who taught German at the Institute since J.T.L. Preston in 1839. Though there was a hiatus of more than 30 years, German returned to the curriculum in 1873 and has been taught nearly continuously since.
At the event, memories were shared by Col. Travis Homiak '95, VMI's chief of staff,...