As the conclusion of this weekend’s Spring Game ushers in a new and exciting season of the Marching Virginians, marchers both new and old will be meeting some new faces in this year’s leadership committee. While we painfully say goodbye to some of the MV’s finest, it goes without saying that the new crop of leadership members are going to work their hardest to make the upcoming season one of the best yet.
I had the chance to digitally interview newly elected Executive Officer Paige Barnhart over the past week. Her expertise from previous band experiences will absolutely radiate as she takes on this new role. Get to know our new XO below!
Hi, Paige! Photo: Paige Barnhart
For those who may not know you just yet, can you tell readers a little about yourself?
My name is Paige and I’m a rising junior majoring in Computational Modeling and Data Analytics from Chesapeake, Virginia! I am a member of the Net section and this upcoming season will be my third season with the MVs! This past season I served as the Marketing and Communications Officer (MCO) assisting in running this wonderful page known as Marching with the Virginians. I am SO excited to serve as the newest elected Executive Officer for 2024-2025 and the memories we will all make as a band!
Can you talk about your experience with the MVs up to this point?
I auditioned for the MVs as an incoming freshman who quite literally knew nobody and nothing about college life. Showing up to band camp the same day I moved into my college dorm, I was TERRIFIED. The audition process is so unique and personal to everyone auditioning and I truly am so happy I was able to find a home in the MVs. Going into my sophomore year, I knew I wanted to be a part of leadership, so I applied for the Officer Team and got the position of MCO! Being a part of the Officer Team, and just leadership in general, has changed the way I view the band in such a positive way, which led me to falling in love with and applying for the position of XO.
How have the MVs changed your life, and how will the XO position contribute to your experience with the band?
When I got admitted to VT, I knew I wanted to be in the marching band from being a part of the band all throughout high school and serving in leadership positions. College is hard, everyone will tell you that, but having a group of people to go through it with, makes it worth it and this band has brought me that. My amazing rank (Sass Rank 11 all the way!) not only welcomed me in with open arms but has always supported me and made long game days and practices SO much better with our rank snacks and traditions! To the entire Net section (current and olds), starting with the famous Aaron George who believed in me from the beginning, my roommates who we will forever be known as the “sophomore trio”, meeting my actual twin flames, and racing to Pigeon Forge on a random weekend in March with all of my best friends, I wouldn’t be able to accept the XO position and share my love for the MVs without any of you. Continuing to advocate for the band in the position of XO will only open me up to meeting more and more people. If you know me, I will yap forever and I cannot wait to meet all of our new members this upcoming season and welcome them with the same open arms my Net home gave me.
How do you plan to utilize the position as XO to continue great success within the MVs?
My goal for the MVs is to make the new members feel at home! Getting the news congratulating you on making it is such an amazing feeling, and I want to make sure that happy and joyful feeling of being excited for band never goes away while spending time with the MVs. From being in a sorority at the same time as the MVs, I have learned so much about sisterhood and the relationships that come with such tight knit groups of people. As XO, I aspire to create a form of mentorship program where new members can be matched with upperclassmen to better integrate them into the MV experience! Coming to college and having classes start almost immediately is already enough to worry about, but being a part of a strong and positive environment shouldn’t be something else our new members should have to worry about. By doing this, my goal is to ease the transition for our new members while also giving them the opportunity to socialize with sections of the band that are not their own! We are a band family, no doubt about it, and we are welcoming a whole new group VERY soon, so why not start now?
Paige and many other leadership members will be all around the Marching Virginians in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to say hello and introduce yourself if you see them!