Mission of the University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), is a public land-grant university serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world community. The discovery and dissemination of new knowledge are central to its mission. Through its focus on teaching and learning, research and discovery, and outreach and engagement, the university creates, conveys, and applies knowledge to expand personal growth and opportunity, advance social and community development, foster economic competitiveness, and improve the quality of life.

Athletics, Intramurals, and Recreational Facilities

Virginia Tech has a diverse and highly active athletic program for men and women students in intercollegiate, intramural, and extramural sports. The athletic program is recognized as one of the most successful in the nation because it is geared to meet the needs of all students interested in physical and recreational sports activity.

The university has extensive and modern athletic and recreational facilities, including: Cassell Coliseum, an indoor arena seating 9,900; Lane Stadium, seating  65,632; a fully equipped recreation gymnasium, including War Memorial Pool; Rector Field House; Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center; English Baseball Field; outdoor tennis courts; the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech and Virginia Tech Golf Course; Johnson/Miller Track Complex; Thompson Field for Soccer/Lacrosse; Tech Softball Park; a pond for ice skating in the winter; and the South Recreation Field Area for outdoor sports.

Virginia Tech's athletic varsity teams compete at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The university participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference for all varsity sports. Athletic scholarships are available in the following intercollegiate sports:

baseball (men) basketball (men and women) football (men) golf (men)

lacrosse (women) soccer (men and women) softball (women) swimming/diving (men and women)

tennis (men and women) indoor/outdoor track/cross country (men and women) volleyball (women) wrestling (men)

The following extramural sports clubs also are available: baseball (men's), basketball, bowling, clay target, competitive cheerleading, crew, cricket, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, women's field hockey, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, roller hockey, rugby, soccer, softball (women's), snow skiing, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, and wakeboard.

Virginia Tech offers a wide range of intramural and recreational programs for men and women including the following sports: basketball, billiards, bowling, chess, dodgeball, fantasy football, flag football, hearts tournament, racquetball, golf , innertube water polo, kickball, soccer, softball,  swimming, table tennis, tennis, team darts, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, wallyball, and wiffleball.

The Cadet System

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is one of only two programs in the United States offering a corps of cadets within a large public university. The Corps of Cadets, a militarily structured organization, offers many leadership development opportunities to both male and female students. The Rice Center for Leader Development offers a minor in leadership studies. (Contact Colonel Dave Miller, Director, [540/231-9455] for additional information on the center.)


The Corps is supervised by the Commandant of Cadets, who establishes overall policies and methods of operation for the Corps. The cadet commanders and staff officers are responsible for implementation of policies and procedures.

Membership in the Corps involves a 24-hour-a-day commitment. Members wear a distinctive Virginia Tech cadet uniform and live in designated cadet residence halls. Both cadets and non-cadets are part of one student body, attend the same classes, and are organized into one student government. Cadets participate in all university activities, including athletics, social events, and cultural programs. Membership in the Cadet Regimental Band, the "Highty-Tighties," is restricted to cadets. Although many benefits are available through participation in one of the three ROTC programs offered at Tech, a student does not have to enroll in an ROTC program to be a member of the Corps of Cadets.

Career Services

Career Services, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs, works with students of all academic levels and all majors to assist with the following:

1. Making career decisions and plans.  Whether students are trying to decide on an academic major or a career field, Career Advisors on staff are ready to assist.  Self assessment tools are used to help students identify their unique strengths, interests, values, and personality type.  Students can find a variety of career information through the Career Services web site (www.career.vt.edu) and in the Career Resource Library in the Smith Career Center.
2. Gaining career-related experience while in school.  Increasingly, employers expect students to have experience in their chosen field before graduation.  In addition to administering the Co-operative Education and Internship Program (detailed below), Career Services provides hundreds of internship job listings through Hokies4Hire, their on-line resume referral database and job listing service, and sponsors the Connection Job Fair each fall and spring semester.
   
3. Determining post-graduation career plans – which typically involves seeking full-time employment or applying to graduate or professional school.  Career Services offers a full range of services related to educating students about the job search process including resume and cover letter critiques, practice interviews, seminars on business etiquette, and more.  Through the Hokies4Hire system, students have access to thousands of job listings and opportunities to connect with employers through the On-Campus Interviewing Program.  Additionally, the Health Professions Advising Program is located within Career Services and is dedicated to assisting students who are interested in continuing their education to pursue a health related occupation.
   
   
Information about all of Career Services’ resources, services and programs – including an events calendar – is located at www.career.vt.eduTo meet with a career advisor to discuss any of these topics, students can schedule an appointment by calling 540/231-6241 or by visiting Career Services during walk-in hours, Monday – Friday, noon – 3:00pm.  Career Services is located in the Smith Career Center on the corner of Washington Street and West Campus Drive.

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Cooperative Education & Internship Program

The Cooperative Education & Internship Program (CEIP) is an academic program that provides students the opportunity to combine real world work experience with classroom theory. It involves one or more semesters of paid or unpaid, full-time work, and is a partnership among the student, Career Services, the academic department, and the employer. Gaining career-related experience gives the co-op/internship student the opportunity to test career goals, defray the costs of a college education, and gain an important edge in the full-time employment market.

The CEIP Orientation is required of all students who plan to enroll in the Co-op/Internship Program. Seminars are scheduled throughout the year and are designed to walk prospective co-op and internship students through the process of enrollment in the CEIP. Please call (540) 231-6241 or visit http://www.career.vt.edu/COOP/COOP1.html  to find out more.

Requirements for participation in the CEIP:

1. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
2. Students can begin work the summer after their freshman year, at the earliest. Transfer students must have completed at least one semester and earned a GPA of at least 2.0 at Virginia Tech.
3. The co-op/internship opportunity must be a full-time opportunity.

Additional Notes:

1. The CEIP is open to any undergraduate student in any major.
2. The Graduate School administers the graduate Co-op/Internship Program.
3. To see where our current students are working, visit http://www.career.vt.edu/scripts/CICurrentEmployers/CurrentEmployers.asp
   

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Counseling Center, Thomas E. Cook

240 McComas Hall and 107 East Eggleston Hall

The Cook Counseling Center provides individual, group and couples counseling; as well as crisis intervention, psychiatric care, and referral to qualified community practitioners.  The Center offers workshops and outreach presentations to the campus community on a variety of topics, including stress management, relaxation training, and study skills assistance.  The professional staff members are able to consult with parents, faculty and staff.  A counselor is on-call after hours and can be reached by calling (540) 231-6557.

The Cook Counseling Center’s diverse clinical and administrative staff is made up of caring and experienced professionals.  All services are covered by payment of the student health fee.  An appointment can be made by calling (540) 231-6557 or stopping by the office located in 240 McComas Hall or 107 East Eggleston Hall.  

Dean of Students Office

The mission of the Dean of Students Office is to foster a welcoming community for all students. The office supports the transition to college life, leads the response to student emergencies, and serves as a voice for student concerns within the broader community and serves as the primary point of contact for Hokie parents.


Members of the Dean of Students staff are available to meet with students on a walk-in basis, although appointments are appreciated. For more information or assistance, contact the Dean of Students Office at 109 E. Eggleston Hall, (540) 231-3787, or dean.students@vt.edu


• Advocacy for all students
  
• Emergency response for students and parents
  
• New Student Programs, including Orientation, Hokie Camp, and Hokie Hi.
  

Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech encompasses vital departments dedicated to providing a rich co-curricular experience and essential student services. Virtually every aspect of a student’s life outside the classroom is represented through its departments.

The division strives to create environments, programs, and services that support the university’s teaching and learning focus and its mission to ‘expand personal growth and opportunity, advance social and community development, foster economic competitiveness, and improve the quality of life.’

The Division of Student Affairs consists of the following departments: Career Services, Cook Counseling Center, Corps of Cadets, Cranwell International Center, Dean of Students Office, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Housing and Dining Services, Multicultural Programs and Services, Recreational Sports, Residence Life, Schiffert Health Center (including Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center), Services for Students with Disabilities, Student Activities, Student Conduct, and University Unions.

Each of the division’s programs provide ethical, social, and civic leadership for all students. One of the greatest responsibilities of the Division of Student Affairs is to prepare Virginia Tech students to be ethical leaders in an ever-changing society.

A detailed statement of the rights and responsibilities of students is contained in the University Policies for Student Life.

First-Year Experience

Virginia Tech’s signature first year experience initiative, Pathways to Success, includes programs throughout the university for first year students that are grounded in the disciplines.  While maintaining their individuality, each is designed to foster the abilities of the students to

• Problem solve
• Explore and use information appropriately and effectively, and
• Integrate ideas and experiences and apply them to new learning situations within and beyond campus. 

The ultimate goal is to provide experiences that will enhance the opportunity for students to develop the dispositions and skills to be lifelong learners.  A description of each program with contact information can be found at http://www.fye.vt.edu/

The Honor Code and Honor System

The Honor Code is the university policy which defines the expected standards of conduct in academic affairs. The Virginia Tech Honor Code embodies a spirit of mutual trust and intellectual honesty that is central to the very nature of the university and represents the highest possible expression of shared values among the members of the university community.

The fundamental beliefs underlying and reflected in the Honor Code are: that trust in a person is a positive force in making that person worthy of trust, that every student has the right to live in an academic environment that is free from the injustices caused by any form of intellectual dishonesty, and that the honesty and integrity of all members of the university community contribute to its quest for truth.

The functions of the Honor System are to communicate the meaning and importance of intellectual honesty to all students of the university; to articulate and support the interest of the community in maintaining the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs; and to identify, sanction, and educate those who fail to live up to the stated expectation of the university community with regard to these standards. (Please see the "Academics" section of this catalog for details relating to the Honor Code and System.)

Information Technology

Information Technology supports computing and communications including voice and data communications, instructional technologies, administrative processing, software support, high performance research computation, and individual help and tutorials. The website www.computing.vt.edu is a guide to specific services and support.

The data network provides rapid access to email, class materials, library databases, and to the Internet for every resident in university housing. Wireless network access is available in most academic and administrative spaces across campus. Wireless facilitates mobility across the campus and, in conjunction with the university computer requirement for laptops, tablet computers, and software, is used in the classroom setting to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

Virginia Tech is committed to using information technology to enhance teaching and learning and works to ensure that teaching faculty members have the ability to use information technology effectively. Instructional faculty members have continuing opportunities to engage with emerging technologies and to practice with both established and emerging technologies to achieve enhanced learning outcomes for students. Information Technology supports learning experiences through the online Scholar course management system, online course evaluations, and support for video production and distribution for both on-campus and distance learning classes. The required undergraduate student software bundle and other instruction-related software are offered at favorable pricing to students.

Direct support to students in information technology is provided through the 24x7 help resource, 4Help (www.4help.vt.edu). No-cost loans of over a hundred different pieces of equipment are offered through InnovationSpace (www.is.vt.edu). These include video cameras, still cameras, audio recorders, iPads, lighting, microphones, and tripods, on-site use of video and audio editing software, various drawing tablets, and scanning devices. Classes on this hardware and software are free through iLearn workshops (http://ilearn.is.vt.edu). Computer labs offer additional options for collaboration and for access to highly specialized software. Each student is provided an email account and access to file space for storage or websites.

My VT (www.my.vt.edu) provides secure access to personal information, including course materials, one’s own contact information, and billing and account information. Security of this and other information is overseen by the Information Technology Security Office (www.security.vt.edu/), protected through careful maintenance of strong passwords and online credentials, and incorporated into development of new applications.

Information Technology facilitates undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research through high performance networks and high performance computing, as well as through on-going professional development support, acquisition of specialized research software, and collaborative research.

For more on the Information Technology organization, see www.it.vt.edu.

Living and Dining On-Campus

Housing and Residence Life

Housing and Residence Life provides facilities and services for more than 9,300 students who live in the residence halls on campus.

Residence halls vary in size and shape, and students may live in traditional rooms, hotel-style rooms, or suites, on single-sex or coeducational halls. Staff members promote the academic success and personal growth of residents through community development, peer advising, involvement, student advocacy, programming, and policy enforcement.

Each residence hall is staffed with student resident advisors who are responsible for community development, programming, and behavioral conduct, with assistance from student management or professional staff. In addition, the Residence Hall Federation (RHF) focuses on improving the quality of residence hall living and implementing educational social programs for the resident communities. All residence hall students are automatically members of the RHF. Numerous leadership opportunities are available within this student organization.

All first-year students live on campus unless they fall into one of the following categories: those living with parents or other close relatives, those who are married and living with their spouses, veterans of at least six months of military service, or those who are at least 21 years old. Written requests for exceptions to this policy should be directed to Housing and Residence Life in 144 New Hall West, (0428).

Campus housing is also available, but not guaranteed, for other students. Transfer and graduate/professional students may request housing through an online wait list. A lottery-style housing application process is held each spring to allocate residential space to returning undergraduate students who wish to live on campus.

Dining Services

Numerous dining options are available for both on-campus and off-campus students, as well as for faculty, staff, and campus visitors. All on-campus residents choose an individual Major, Mega, or Premium Flex Plan. Off-campus students may select one of six individual dining plans or participate in the Dining Dollars program.

Dining at Virginia Tech is anything but traditional. The award-winning dining program specializes in preparing diverse menus in innovative, exciting venues:

• Au Bon Pain at the Graduate Life Center serves many of the same bakery and sandwich options, as well as grab-n-go items, as the cafe in Squires Student Center. This location serves students living and studying in the Graduate Life Center.
• Au Bon Pain at the Signature Engineering Building offers students on the academic side of campus a dining option that serves many of the same items as the location in Squires Student Center.
• Taking traditional dining to the next level, D2 at Dietrick Hall combines all-you-care-to-eat dining with the variety of an international marketplace and includes a shop dedicated to vegetarian and vegan specialties.
• Deet’s Place at Dietrick Hall is a gourmet coffee, ice cream, and pastry shop, complete with award-winning coffee beans roasted in-house.
• DXpress at Dietrick Hall is perfect for a quick snack on the run, such as biscuits, burgers, and pizza by the slice, and is open until 2:00a.m. for late-night options..
• Hokie Grill & Co. at Owens Hall features national brands Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut, and Dunkin’ Donuts, in addition to Blue Ridge Barbecue, grab-n-go sandwiches, snacks, and a soup, salad, and fruit bar.
• Owens Food Court at Owens Hall consists of 12 specialty shops serving international and American favorites, including carved-to-order meats, a soup and salad bar, burgers, pastas, Philly cheese steaks, tacos, and a venue that serves exclusively local, organic, or sustainably produced foods.
• The Squires Food Court at Squires Student Center offers gourmet burgers, hand-cut fries, and shakes at Burger '37, as well as distinctive bakery items, upscale sandwiches, and signature soups at Au Bon Pain®.
• Turner Place at Lavery Hall offers a variety of convenient options to the academic side of campus. It houses franchises for Jamba Juice, Bruegger’s Bagels, and Qdoba Mexican Grill alongside five upscale original venues serving sushi, crepes, gelato, teppanyaki, southern steakhouse fare, and much more.
• Vet Med Cafe is located inside the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine on Duck Pond Drive and offers breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday. Breakfast features breakfast bagel sandwiches and hot oatmeal, and lunch offers a daily chef special as well as grilled fish tacos and more.
• West End Market at Cochrane Hall features wood oven-baked pizzas, grilled steaks, seafood, homemade pastas, freshly baked pastries and breads, and more—prepared right before your eyes.

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Location

The campus is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, about 38 miles southwest of Roanoke, Virginia. To reach the campus from Interstate 81, take Exit 118-B (Christiansburg) onto U.S. Rt. 460 West. To reach the Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center, continue on U.S. 460 for 8.5 miles to the Prices Fork Road exit for “Downtown.” Turn right at the first traffic light on Prices Fork Road and then take an immediate right and up the drive to the center.

Detailed directions to Virginia Tech

Campus Map

McNair Scholars Program

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program) is designed to encourage and prepare financially disadvantaged, first-generation college students and those from groups currently underrepresented in graduate education to pursue doctoral study. Students selected as McNair Scholars will have opportunities to explore graduate education in an environment of encouragement and close support. In addition, Scholars will learn to set high academic, personal and professional goals and will get individual assistance in achieving their goals. The program offers seminars and other scholarly activities that focus on undergraduate research and graduate education, as well as guided academic and career support, a summer research experience, faculty mentorship, and effective preparation for graduate school.


Scholars attend an academic seminar series entitled, “Pathways to the Ph.D.,” that is designed to:

• Assess students’ academic and career skills and interests;
• Learn about the steps in the research process;
• Prepare for graduate school by researching and visiting graduate schools; and
• Learn about the graduate school application and funding processes.
  

Scholars also have the opportunity to participate in a paid, 10-week summer research experience at Virginia Tech that includes a myriad of support and enrichment activities, including:

• Classes to develop their research interests;
• Guided research project under the tutelage of a VT faculty member;
• Preparation for the graduate school application and funding process;
• Research presentations;
• Networking opportunities; and
• Gearing Up for Graduate School Seminars – Verbal and Quantitative Skill Building.

The Virginia Tech McNair Scholars Program is funded through grant from the United States Department of Education. Additional information is available at the McNair Scholars Program website, http://www.mcnair.vt.edu.

MEDEX Overseas Travel Assistance Program

An overseas emergency travel assistance program is available to faculty, staff, students and their families who may travel overseas either on business or pleasure. MEDEX provides emergency services outside your home country. Some of the services include:

• locating appropriate medical care
• evaluation and close monitoring of treatment - management of emergency medical evacuation and repatriation (transport of mortal remains)
• coordination of direct claims payments to providers
• verification of your insurance to facilitate hospital admission - continuous contact with family, physicians, and employer assistance with interrupted travel plans resulting from an emergency situation
• assistance replacing lost or stolen medications
• emergency message transmittal services
• emergency international transfer of funds
• assistance in replacing lost or stolen important travel documents including passports
• multilingual language services in emergency situations
• coordination centers and phone numbers throughout the world

For additional information on MEDEX services contact Risk Management at telephone 540/231-7439.

Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program

http://www.maop.vt.edu; 540-231-5023

The Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP), founded in 1993 is an academic success community founded upon the principles of self-efficacy, mentoring, and peer support. Central to the goal of MAOP is the promotion of diversification within the student body of Virginia Tech. Through partnerships with various academic colleges and departments at Virginia Tech, other colleges and universities, governmental entities, and various organizations, MAOP participants are supported with academic guidance, financial support and emotional support.

The MAOP community is open to all students who demonstrate a clear commitment ot the pursuit of academice excellence and are interested in the promotion of diversity in an ever global community. MAOP provides opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students through scholarships, tuition/assistantship support, academic workshops, and undergraduate research opportunities.

Parking Regulations

All vehicles, including motorcycles and scooters, parked on the Virginia Tech campus must be registered with the Parking Services Office and must display a university parking permit. Semester, summer, and daily parking permits are available and an appropriate fee is charged for each permit. Visitors are required to display a visitor permit, which is available at the Virginia Tech Visitor Information Center. For more information about parking or to request a parking regulations handbook, visit www.parking.vt.edu, or call 540-231-3200.

Alternative Transportation

The Alternative Transportation Program offers several options for commuter students to get to class without the hassles of parking permits and searching for parking spaces through the Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP).

CAP has two programs to fit your commuting needs.

• Carpool Program: Carpooling saves you money on parking and gas, and it's the closest thing you can get to RESERVED PARKING on campus.
  
• BB&W is available to commuter students who use alternative transportation methods as their primary means of commuting to campus. Examples include riding the Blacksburg Transit or SmartWay buses, bicycling, and walking. By registering for BB&W, you will receive 15 half price daily parking passes.
  
  Bicycles can be registered for free through Parking Services at www.parking.vt.edu.
  
  

For more information about commuter alternatives visit www.facilities.vt.edu/tcs/alternative or call 540-231-0248.

The ROTC Program

The Reserve Officer Training Corps Programs conducted at Virginia Tech are available to cadets and are offered by the Army, Navy/Marine Corps, and the Air Force. All students participating in ROTC are required to be members of the Corps of Cadets. Details about courses offered, as well as available scholarships and stipends, can be found in the department listings under the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences; ROTC (Army), ROTC (Navy/Marine Corps), and ROTC (Air Force). Upon successful graduation from Virginia Tech and completion of the ROTC program, the student is commissioned as an officer in either an active or reserve component of the Armed Forces. The total ROTC credits applied toward degree requirements varies by major and ranges from four to 24. All credits count as free electives. Consult your course advisor for information on ROTC credits which may be used within your major.

Students interested in additional details should contact the professor of military science for Army ROTC, the professor of naval science for Naval/Marine Corps ROTC, or the professor of aerospace studies for the Air Force ROTC program.

General Rules Governing the Cadet Lifestyle

All Virginia Tech students are eligible to join the Cadet Regiment and participate in the cadet lifestyle. Cadet student status is a prerequisite for participation in any of the ROTC programs.

Physical Standards: The Department of Defense has prescribed physical standards for formal enrollment in the ROTC programs. Cadets not physically qualified for an ROTC program may remain in cadet status as members of the Corps of Cadets.

Cadet Regulations: Cadets are expected to adhere to the Cadet Honor Code and abide by all cadet regulations, directives, policies, and procedures of the Corps, as well as the rules governing civilian students.

The following summary gives the prospective cadet an understanding of the nature of his or her obligation as a cadet:

1. Cadet officers and non-commissioned officers are responsible to university authorities for the activities of the cadets under their supervision and are given the authority to discharge their responsibilities.
2. Cadet residence halls are coeducational with controlled visiting privileges for non-residents and mandatory quiet study periods.
3. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the cadet residence halls.
4. Cadets are required to wear the cadet uniform to classes and cadet functions.
5. Cadets are required to live in a designated cadet residence hall unless married and living with a spouse.
6. Second-semester freshmen and upperclassmen in the corps may request a change to civilian status at any time. First-semester new cadets may not leave the corps and change to civilian status until the last day to drop a class without penalty (after six weeks of class). All students are encouraged to make status changes (from cadet to civilian lifestyle or vice versa) in conjunction with the beginning or end of an academic semester.

See Academics section for details on the ROTC course credits which apply toward degrees.

• For additional information:

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Services for Students with Disabilities

Admission to Virginia Tech is based on requirements outlined in the application and in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs. Admission decisions are made without regard to disabilities. All applicants to the university are reviewed through the same admission procedure.

Virginia Tech is committed to ensuring that all qualified individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to take part in educational and employment programs and services on an equal basis. To be eligible for services, students with disabilities must identify themselves and present professional documentation to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. Documentation should be recent, relevant, comprehensive, and, where appropriate should contain test scores and interpretation. If the original documentation is incomplete or inadequate to determine the extent of the disability or reasonable accommodations, the university has the discretion to require additional documentation. Any cost incurred in obtaining additional or initial documentation is borne by the student. Until appropriate documentation is provided, the SSD office cannot support the student's request for services. Faculty members are not expected to provide services unless students present verification of accommodation needs from the SSD office.

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Student Centers and Activities (formerly University Unions and Student Activities)

The Black Cultural Center and Multicultural Center can be found on the first floor of Squires. This center hosts educational lectures, programs, and displays celebrating the diversity of the university community.

Campus Programs is made up of the offices of Student Organizations and coordinates student organization funding, registration, and support for more than 700 student groups. Campus Programs supports Virginia Tech Union, the largest student programming board, in providing events, activities, and programs for the university community. The Campus Programs office also coordinates all Homecoming activities.

Campus Programs
225 Squires Student Center
540/231-1223
monicah@vt.edu
http://www.vtu.org.vt.edu/

Clubs and organizations
There are more than 700 officially listed student organizations at Virginia Tech. Each student organization has a different focus, and each operates under student leadership. All Virginia Tech students are encouraged to find an organization that matches their interests. The website below links you to a searchable student organization database so you can find the right organization for you. Search VT Student Organizations at https://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/organizations

Event Services facilitates and enhances programming for the Virginia Tech community by assisting and consulting in the planning and support of events. The Event Planning Office fosters an educational environment that provides student organization members and departmental representatives with coordination of events, event scheduling, information on liability and risk management issues, standard procedure and protocol, and referrals to Production Services and the Squires Ticket Office.

Event Planning
221 Squires Student Center
540/231-5005
eventplanning@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/eventservices/index.html

Leadership Development supports and expands upon each student’s curricular contributions at Virginia Tech. We create leadership education, training, and development offerings that give students the opportunity to cultivate skills, build networks, and grow as global citizens. Student learning through involvement is our major focus.

Leadership Development
319 Squires Student Center
540/231-8628
adunn@vt.edu

The Information Services Center in Squires is staffed with knowledgeable students and full-time employees who are ready to answer questions about your student centers, student activities, the university, and the surrounding community. The Information Services Center is where you can learn more about events, get maps, or look for lost and found articles.

The Squires Information Desk
1st floor Squires lobby
540/231-6906
uusainfo@vt.edu

Multicultural Programs and Services exists to assist Virginia Tech in creating a welcoming environment that affirms and celebrates the diversity of its community particularly those from underrepresented and historically marginalized populations. Guided by the Principles of Community and the concern for the holistic development of all students, MPS provides opportunities for dialogue across differences, student leadership training, cultural celebrations, mentoring, organization advising, faculty interaction, diversity training and community building.

Multicultural Programs and Services
150 Squires Student Center
540/231-8584
mps@vt.edu
www.mps.vt.edu/

The Perspective Gallery presents art exhibitions by diverse artists working in a variety of media and styles. Visitors can view work of local and regional artists, nationally recognized artists, and artisans from around the world. Receptions and special events allow the public to meet and talk with the artists. Perspective Gallery is located on the second floor of Squires Student Center. Admission is always free. You can also enjoy works in the permanent collection, located throughout the public areas in Squires and Johnston Student Centers, the Graduate Life Center, and Cranwell International Center.

Perspective Gallery
2nd floor Squires Student Center
540/231-4053
tartaro@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/perspectivegallery/index.html

The Production Services Office is a full service production company for campus events. Production Services offers professional lighting, sound, staging, and rigging. The staff works one-on-one with clients to ensure event production expectations are met. Production Services is an exciting place to work!

Production Services
128 Squires Student Center
540/231-3499
production.services@vt.edu

The Recital Salon and Studio Theater, home for events sponsored by the School of the Arts, are located on the second floor of Squires. Exciting and eclectic concerts and theater performances by students, faculty, and visiting artists are held throughout the year. Contact the Squires Ticket Office or Information Services Center for more information.

The Squires Ticket Office is the major ticket distribution center for events other than athletics at Virginia Tech. The office supports ticket sales for theatrical and musical performances, concerts, lectures, movies, and VTU Lively Arts.

Squires Ticket Office
129 Squires Student Center
540/231-5615 or
800/843-0332
uusatickets@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/tickets/index.html

Virginia Tech Off-Campus Housing, or VTOCH, provides students with resources, programs, and services to assist with their off-campus housing needs. VTOCH’s comprehensive searchable online database is consistently the most visited Virginia Tech website. VTOCH maintains information on local apartments, realtors, transportation, and issues affecting renters today. VTOCH hosts two housing fairs each year so students can get up close and personal with rental options and roommate fairs so students can make connections with others to share living expenses.

Virginia Tech Off-Campus Housing
vtoch@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/vtoch/index.html

RECREATION

• The BreakZONE Recreation Center is the place to go to relieve the stress of classes and tests! The BreakZONE sponsors competitive leagues, on-site skills classes, and open play in a variety of activities. An expanded line-up includes pool tables, bowling lanes, table tennis, foosball, DDR, and video games. Students, faculty, staff, and guests can enjoy testing their skills while relaxing with friends in an alcohol-free, club-like atmosphere. Check out the new EndZONE Lounge in BreakZONE. BreakZONE also sells snacks and beverages. The recreation center sponsors competitive leagues, on-site skills classes, and open play in a variety of activities. Get in the ZONE!
  BreakZONE
  117 Squires Student Center
  540/231-4476
  breakzone@vt.edu
  http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/breakzone/index.html
  
• Venture Out provides fun, safe, and educational outdoor services to the university community. Venture Out specializes in low-risk outdoor adventures, quality rental gear at unbeatable rates, and valuable resource materials. Venture Out is a healthy recreational alternative and allows the university community to enjoy all that Southwest Virginia has to offer, from hiking and camping, to kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and skiing.
  Venture Out
  123 Squires Student Center
  540/231-4982
  ventureout@vt.edu
  http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/ventureout/
  
STUDENT CENTERS
• Squires (located off Alumni Mall) and Johnston Student Centers (located behind Burruss Hall) are hubs of activity for the university community. They serve as formal and informal meeting places for students, student organizations, and the larger university community. Facilities include meeting rooms, conference rooms, ballrooms, and theaters. Plenty of comfortable space welcomes students. Services such as banking and ATMs can be found in these student centers, as well as a variety of dining options and a student printing center. Many departments call Squires Student Center home. We house Multicultural Programs and Services, the music department, student media, student organization offices, the Black Cultural Center, and Legal Services. Students, faculty, staff, and guests are free to use Squires or Johnston, to meet with friends, study, attend activities and events, or just hang out.
  
  

  Squires Student Center Information Desk 1st floor Squires lobby 540/231-6906 uusainfo@vt.edu

  Johnston Student Center Information Desk 1st floor Johnston 540/231-5266 sjoslin@vt.edu

  
  
• The Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown (located on Otey Street, across from Squires) is an innovative living-learning facility that supports Virginia Tech’s goals for graduate education. The GLC features plenty of study space, a coffee shop, an auditorium, and a multipurpose conference room for graduate and undergraduate students.
  GLC Information Desk
  1st floor GLC lobby
  540/231-0413
  glcuusa@vt.edu
  
  
• The War Memorial Chapel stands prominently at the end of the Drillfield. It is the only Chapel on campus and provides a nondenominational place of solitude and meditation for all. It is host to religious services, weddings, baptisms, prayer vigils, memorial services, initiations, military commissionings, music recitals, student vocal and ministry groups, concerts, lectures, individual prayer and meditation, and bible study.
  War Memorial Chapel
  540/231-6240
  chapel@vt.edu
  

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
Student Centers and Activities offer a variety of student employment opportunities to compliment your academic pursuits, afford resume-building experience, and provide income. We are committed to the development and advancement of student employees through leadership and career skills training. In all we do, our main goal is to provide customer service to the patrons of our facilities and programs. Join us today and work in YOUR student center!
Student Employment
225 Squires Student Center
540/231-4063
cdillon@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/employment/employment_home.html

Contact us: The administrative offices are located on the second floor of Squires Student Center in room 225. The office is open from 8a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday. Please contact us for any information regarding Student Centers and Activities.
Student Centers and Activities Administrative Office
225 Squires Student Center
540/231-5431
stuact@vt.edu
http://www.studentcenters.vt.edu/index.html

Student Health Services and Insurance

University Student Health Services

University Student Health Services provides general ambulatory health care to students throughout the year. Students who have paid their health fee (included as part of the university's comprehensive fee) and submitted a health history form are eligible for services. A team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified college health nurses, and licensed practical nurses manages most common illnesses and injuries. X-ray, laboratory, and pharmacy services are available on site.

Student Medical Insurance Coverage

The university has contracted with an insurance carrier to offer group health coverage for all full-time students at Virginia Tech. For details on levels of coverage and specific limitations, please contact the Student Medical Insurance office at 540/ 231-6226 or visit http://www.co.vt.edu/Risk/studenthealthinsr/

Medical insurance is mandatory for all international students with F-1 or J-1 visas at a minimum of $500,000 accident and sickness coverage. Medical insurance is mandatory for all College of Veterinary Medicine students. All international students must provide written verification from their insurer that they have equal or better coverage meeting the minimums as set by the University (as outlined on the waiver form and mailed with insurance packets), or they must purchase the university-sponsored plan or another student health insurance plan meeting or exceeding the University outlined minimum levels. Review of insurance policies and completion of the waiver form must be done by the students insurer at the students request. Once the waiver is fully completed by the students insurer the university will determine if the insurance coverage meets the outlined minimum requirements.

Student Health History

Each student entering Virginia Tech must furnish a health history form, completed by a home physician, for the University Student Health Services. The form will be available online to applicants who accept the offer of admission. Failure to meet Health Services standards may result in dismissal from the university. Information is available at http://www.healthcenter.vt.edu.

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University at a Glance

Since its founding as a land-grant college in 1872, Virginia Tech has grown to an enrollment of about 31,000. With approximately 225 degree programs and $494 million in research expenditures each year, Virginia Tech offers the widest range of degree choices in Virginia and is the state's leading research institution.

The university offers 65 bachelor's degree programs through its seven undergraduate academic colleges: the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, the Pamplin College of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and the College of Science. On the postgraduate level, the university offers about 160 master's and doctoral degree programs through the Graduate School and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. Undergraduates study under the tutelage of the best minds of the university, and, along with faculty members, are also involved in research projects in fields ranging from biotechnology to urban planning.

Through its focus on teaching and learning, research and discovery, and outreach and engagement, the university creates, conveys, and applies knowledge to expand personal growth and opportunity, advance social and community development, foster economic competitiveness, and improve the quality of life.

In the research arena, seven research institutes have been created to draw upon established strengths and enhance the university’s ability to address large-scale research opportunities by crossing traditional disciplinary and college lines. These institutes are: the Fralin Life Science Institute; Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology; Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science; Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment; Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute; and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

University Exemplary Departments

University Exemplary Department Awards recognize the work of departments that maintain, through collaborative efforts of dedicated colleagues, exemplary teaching and learning environments for students and faculty.

University Facilities

Virginia Tech has more than 135 campus buildings, research laboratories, the Corporate Research Center, an airport, 2,600-acre main campus in Blacksburg, and a 1,800-acre research farm in Montgomery County.

Among the university's major on-campus facilities are: Carol M. Newman Library, with more than 2.3 million volumes; the Moss Arts Center, home of the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech professional presenting program; The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center, which offers conference space  and 147 hotel rooms and suites ; Cassell Coliseum (seating 10,000); and Lane Stadium (seating more than 66,000). Adjacent to campus is the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, which employs about 2,700 and offers businesses the opportunity to establish close working relationships with the university.

Major off-campus facilities include the Center for European Studies and Architecture in Switzerland; the Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church; the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center; public radio station WVTF in Roanoke; the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg; Virginia Tech Research Center – Arlington ; the Washington-Alexandria Center of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies; the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute; a dozen agricultural experiment stations; and six 4-H centers throughout the state.

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University Libraries

The University Libraries consist of the Carol M. Newman Library and three branches: Art and Architecture, Veterinary Medicine, and the Resource Service Center located in Falls Church, Virginia. Their online services are available 24/7.

The University Libraries belong to the Association of Research Libraries and are the innovators of numerous systems and procedures in use in many other libraries. They hold over 2.2 million bound volumes; 6.2 million microforms, 25,000 videos, films, cassettes and recordings; 7,000 print journals; and 136,000 maps. They provide access to over 23,000 electronic journals and 61,000 electronic books

The University Libraries' home page is your entry point to the whole range of library services and resources. From on- or off-campus, library users can ask reference questions, initiate many transactions including Interlibrary Loan requests, access Addison (the on-line catalog) or over 200 of online databases in all disciplines, and access a wealth of online journals and other full-text resources.

Each of the libraries has an Information/Help desk staffed by people who can help you locate and use resources appropriate for your information needs. Each academic department has its assigned librarian who knows the discipline and its literature and has experience in helping students. Getting to know this person early on is an important step towards enjoying success in the library.

The Special Collections Department houses major research collections including the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration, the International Archive of Women in Architecture, Railroad Archives, and the Culinary History Collection. In addition there are a large number of collections related to the Civil War.

For users with disabilities, there is a Special Services Room in Newman Library equipped with adaptive software and hardware.

For additional information on what is available, check out http://www.lib.vt.edu/, come by for a self-guided tour, or stop by one of the Information/Help desks.

Veterans Services, Office of

130 Student Services Building (mc 0548)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-5815
E-mail: veteran@vt.edu
Web: www.veterans.vt.edu

The Office of Veterans Services is the primary resource for Virginia Tech veterans and their dependents.  Staff work closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive and process all documentation related to veteran and military student educational benefits. The Office of Veterans Services works closely with The Student Success Center to ensure veterans, military students and dependents are connected to the resources necessary for a successful transition to and through their course of study at Virginia Tech.  In collaboration with The Student Success Center, students served by the Office of Veterans Services have access to tutoring, mentoring, assistance navigating the VA system, and the Veterans@VT student organization.