vmi was the last u.s. military college to admit women, having excluded women from the corps of cadets until 1997. in 1990 the u.s. department of justice filed a discrimination lawsuit against vmi for its all-male admissions policy. while the court challenge was pending, a state-sponsored virginia women's institute for leadership (vwil) was opened at mary baldwin college in staunton, virginia, as a parallel program for women. the vwil continued, even after vmi's admission of women.