ERIN CLAUNCH
Round Hill

She wants to be an astronaut. It sounds like a kid's dream, but not many doubt Claunch can pull it off.

There doesn't seem to be much she can't do.

As battalion commander, she's the highest-ranking woman in the corps of cadets. Only one cadet, the regimental commander, outranks her. She studied at Oxford University, ran on the cross country team and dodged, ducked and parried on the fencing team. She revived the Equestrian Club at VMI, creating a kind of mounted color guard long missing from VMI parades.

Women average about three pull-ups in the VMI fitness test. Claunch can do 15.

Her grades aren't perfect, but are very near it. And there aren't many crib courses in physics and astronomy.

Her immediate plans after graduation include masters and doctoral degrees in astrophysics, and the Air Force Space and Missile program. She's already been accepted at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Claunch has become the emblem of female success at VMI.

Which of her qualities does she think her classmates will find most memorable?

"Well," the 21-year-old said, "I'm quite a
smarta--."