LEXINGTON, Va. Jan. 16, 2024 — Col. Jeff Kendrick, professor of French in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at Virginia Military Institute, and Michelle Murphy, executive assistant for intercollegiate athletics, were recognized recently by Michael Cross, Southern Conference league commissioner for being named members of the All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team for the 2023-24 academic year. With two representatives chosen from each of the Southern Conference’s 10 member schools, the All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team recognizes individuals who have demonstrated service to their schools and made contributions to campus life and the local community.

“The Southern Conference is proud to publicly recognize the exceptional faculty and staff members at our institutions. Each of the selected honorees are leaders and mentors at their respective institutions and we celebrate their service and commitment. We thank them for fostering the special and unique environments found across the ten SoCon campuses and serving as pillars in their communities,” said Cross. Kendrick and Murphy will be officially recognized during halftime at the Jan. 20 home basketball game against The Citadel Bulldogs in Cameron Hall. 

Since his arrival at VMI, Kendrick has co-developed an entirely new French curriculum that emphasizes written, oral, and cross-cultural communication across a French major’s cadetship. In addition, Kendrick devotes significant time and energy developing cadets outside the classroom. He co-directs the VMI in Paris summer study abroad program and serves as Project Global Officer’s Mandarin Chinese program (2022) and resident director (2023) in Taiwan and has worked with cadets on Summer Undergraduate Research Institute projects. Kendrick’s primary research interests include polemic and violence in the French Wars of Religion, gender in sixteenth century French devotional poetry, and the integration of classroom technology with language learning. He has published and presented on Marguerite de Navarre, Joachim DuBellay, polemic and politics in the French Wars of Religion, using sitcoms in the French classroom, student-centered learning and flipping the language classroom.  

Murphy provides front-line administrative support for the athletics executive-level staff and coaches, serves as departmental coordinator for meetings, and also manages travel authorizations, reimbursements, and procurement. She is payroll supervisor for athletics hourly employees, and provides additional human resources support to the associate athletic director for internal operations. She is the departmental athletics awards administrator and serves as a notary public. Prior to joining athletics, Murphy was a member of the VMI Registrar’s Office as office manager and scheduling coordinator for 15 years. She received the VMI Distinguished Service Award in 2014, the Marshall New Market Battalion Appreciation Award in 2012, and has achieved a Recognition of Service from VMI on three separate occasions. Murphy supports the VMI mission through her professionalism and is frequently noted for her positive approach. She takes pride in watching all cadets grow and succeed, and can often be found cheering loudly in the stands for the Keydets. 

Marianne Hause
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE