Scholarship Bonds Berry Sisters: “The Best Decision Ever” By Mary Price, Associate Editor
with a biology major and Spanish minor. “VMI is the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Maddie. “I’ve had so many different opportunities that people I know from back home could never have had.” As a rat, far from home and without her parents and siblings, Maddie drew comfort from the fact that even if people didn’t know her, they knew her sister and remembered her with respect and fondness. “When I got to VMI, everyone was very supportive of me,” said Maddie. “Because they knew that I was Catie’s little sister—they could take one look at me. And they’re like—you’re a Berry. And it made me feel so much better because I knew that someone was looking out for me.” As her cadetship advanced, Maddie found her footing and forged a path of her own. She’d thought about becoming a member of the S5 staff like her sister, but in the end, she found her place as a cadet EMT. “I’m going to make my own route, and I’m going to do my own thing,” said Maddie of her decision to become an EMT. “And [Catie] was completely supportive the entire time. She always was in my corner.” If it hadn’t been for water polo, a sport only available to high schoolers in some states, the Berry sisters might have lived their entire lives without ever having heard of VMI, much less have matriculated there. That awareness began when their older sister, Maggie, was recruited to play the sport at VMI. She ultimately chose a different school, but suddenly, a small college on the East Coast was on the family’s radar. Next up was Catie, the middle sister. At first, VMI didn’t seem a likely choice—she’d told her parents she wasn’t interested in a military school. Without Catie’s knowledge, though, Mark Berry, her father, had sent the Institute’s water polo coach a video of his daughter in the pool. That video turned into an invitation to come East and visit. “And I said, all right, I’ll come because I just want a free trip to Virginia,” said Catie. She arrived on post just in time to see a rat workout in progress, with cadre yelling and rats doing pushups. The first thoughts of “what on Earth have I gotten myself into,” though, were quickly replaced by an appreciation of the bond that VMI women in particular share. “But as I got to know the women specifically at VMI, [there] was this bond and this union, and they’re all well accomplished,” Catie stated. “They’re all smart. They’re all driven. And that is what I wanted out of myself. That was the end result I wanted to feel after college. I wanted to feel that camaraderie. … I found Cadet Madeleine “Maddie” Berry ’22, a biology major minoring in Spanish, plans to commy tribe with the water polo team.” mission in the Army upon graduating from VMI in 2022.—Photo courtesy Madeleine Berry. The youngest Berry sister has likewise felt that
You’d never pick them as the typical VMI family. They’re from Northern California, and no one in their family had attended the Institute before the current generation. But on post—especially in the area of water sports—the name “Berry” has come to mean something. U.S. Army 1st Lt. Catherine “Catie” Berry ’18 double majored in international studies and history at VMI. She was a member of both the women’s water polo team and the women’s swimming team, as well as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Newman Club, an organization supporting Catholic cadets. During her 1st Class year, she was captain of the S5 staff, public relations, and was captain of the water polo team, as well. Just after Catie graduated, her younger sister, Cadet Madeleine “Maddie” Berry ’22, matriculated. Like her sister, Maddie plays water polo, and she’s serving as the S4 EMS chief this year, overseeing all 73 of this year’s cadet EMTs. In May 2022, she plans to follow in her sister’s footsteps and commission into the Army as she graduates
16
VMI Alumni Review
