Major: Business Administration (BA)
Minor: History
Dylan Schumacher ’20 can be characterized by his resilience, leadership, and academic pursuits.
In March 2012, Schumacher and five of his “bateau brothers” embarked on the Marshall Expedition, a treacherous, 225-mile journey up the James and Jackson rivers, then 130 miles down the Greenbrier and New rivers, to retrace U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall’s famous 1812 water survey.
“Everyone on the crew loves what the James River Batteau Festival stands for and the resulting community that develops around the festival,” Schumacher explained. “I always call it my bateau family because there’s a level of cohesiveness and camaraderie that parallels that of being in the Army or any other military branch.”
His military service in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he served as a satellite communications system operator and maintainer, earned him recognition as Noncommissioned Officer of the Year at brigade and division levels, highlighting his dedication to duty.
“A competition for any subject matter is a great way to test your respective skill set,” Schumacher said. “Winning proves a person has adequately prepared while losing displays what … needs improvement.
“I’m happy to be physically and mentally capable to compete so, win or lose, I’ll be happy and will continue to look for the methods to improve my readiness. But, it pays to be a winner, so to be able to be called ‘NCO of the Year’ for an entire training command would be elating.”
During his time at Lynchburg, Schumacher engaged actively in both academic and extracurricular pursuits. Balancing his military commitments with coursework, he pursued a business administration degree, demonstrating dedication to personal and professional growth.
