Virginia Tech campus
Encyclopedia
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
campus is located in Blacksburg
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
; the central campus is roughly bordered by Prices Fork Road to the northwest, Plantation Drive to the west, Main Street to the east, and U.S. Route 460 bypass
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia runs east–west through the southern part of the state. It has two separate pieces in Virginia, joined by a relatively short section in West Virginia...
to the south, although it also has several thousand acres beyond the central campus. The Virginia Tech campus totals about 2600 acres (10.5 km²).
The university also has several commonwealth branch campus centers: Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
(Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
), National Capital Region (Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
- Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
), Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon
Abingdon, Virginia
Abingdon is a town in Washington County, Virginia, USA, 133 miles southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County and is a designated Virginia Historic Landmark...
. The university also owns the Center for European Studies and Architecture in Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Cowgill Hall
Cowgill Hall, located on Perry Street, is the home of Virginia Tech's College of Architecture and Urban Studies. It was named for Clinton Cowgill, who retired in 1956 after 28 years as the architectureArchitecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
department head.
Adjacent to Cowgill Hall are what appear to be concrete walkways, but are actually a roof to a lower part of another building - Burchard Hall. Underneath are workshops and drawing boards for students majoring in Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
or Industrial Design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
. The glass pyramids are actually skylights.
In 2006, Cowgill Hall was named the winner of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects Test of Time Award. This award is presented annually to a building that has served the same function for at least 25 years.
Durham Hall
Durham Hall, a $16 million project, opened in 1998 and was called "New Engineering Building", or "The NEB", until 2001. It was named in honor of Fred D. Durham, co-founder of the Dover CorporationDover Corporation
Dover Corporation is a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 manufacturer of specialized industrial products and equipment within six segments. Dover Corporation is based in Downers Grove, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. The company relocated its headquarters from New York in mid-2010.-History: can trace...
, a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
manufacturing company located in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Norris Hall
Hokie Stone
Hokie Stone is a grey dolomite limestone named for the Hokie mascot of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where the stone is the primary finishing material on campus buildings. Hokie Stone is limestone infused with magnesium and calcium under intense pressure and temperature....
academic building located between Burruss and Holden Halls. The building encompasses approximately 70,000 gross square feet and houses the main office for the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, room 225, and used to house the Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
's Office for the College of Engineering, room 333. The building has been home to the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics for almost fifty years and is named for Earl B. Norris who served as dean of engineering for twenty-four years between 1928 and 1952.
Norris Hall was also the location of the second shooting attack during the Virginia Tech massacre
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
on April 16, 2007. The building was the site of 31 of the 33 fatalities (including the gunman), and wounded faculty and students. The building was closed for the rest of the 2007 spring semester, and reopened with access limited to faculty and students with legitimate business inside at remaining offices and laboratories on June 18, 2007. The second-floor rooms that were attacked were cleaned, emptied and locked.
On December 20, 2007 it was announced that the second floor of Norris Hall would be renovated and become home to the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention.
On Friday April 10, 2009 a ceremony was held to commemorate the reopening of the west wing of Norris Hall. The area consists of six reconfigured rooms and laboratories and is home to the new Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention as well as the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics
Engineering science and mechanics
Engineering Science and Mechanics is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary engineering program and/or academic department at the Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, or University of Alabama. B.S., M.S., M.Eng., or...
. The renovation project was completed in March at a cost of approximately one-million dollars; many goods and services were donated by individuals and contractors in support of the project.
As department head of engineering Science and mechanics, Dr. Ishwar Puri
Ishwar K. Puri
Ishwar K. Puri is N. Waldo Harrison Professor and Head of the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Virginia Tech. There, he also directs and mentors the Multiphysics Research Group .-Early years:...
played a leading role in the reoccupation of Norris Hall where his department is housed.
Ware Lab
Located on the Upper Quad of the Virginia Tech campus, the Joseph F. Ware Advanced Engineering Lab is housed in the Old Military Building. The facility is named after 1937 Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
Alumnus Joe Ware. As a part of the College of Engineering, the Ware Lab is home to much student-based research and design projects. Focused on a hands-on-learning environment, students are encouraged to participate in these projects as early as their freshman year. The Klages Machine Shop, equipped with various machine tool
Machine tool
A machine tool is a machine, typically powered other than by human muscle , used to make manufactured parts in various ways that include cutting or certain other kinds of deformation...
s used for project manufacturing including two CNC Machines, is also located within the Ware Lab. The lab is home to such notable teams as the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team
HEVT
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team of Virginia Tech, better known as HEVT, is a nationally recognized undergraduate student design team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech...
, Formula SAE (VT Motorsports), and the Baja SAE team. Other teams in the lab include the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team (AUVT), Design Build Fly (DBF), and the Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Team (AAVT).
Other academic buildings
Agnew Hall, Art and Design Learning Center, Burchard Hall, Cheatham Hall, Dairy Science Complex, Davidson Hall, Derring Hall, Engel Hall, Femoyer Hall, Food Science and Technology, Fralin Biotechnology Center, Hahn Hall (formerly Chemistry/Physics), Hancock Hall, Holden Hall, Hutcheson Hall, Johnston Student Center, Lane Hall, Litton Reaves Hall, Major Williams Hall, McBryde Hall, Newman Library, Pamplin Hall, Patton Hall, Performing Arts Building, Price Hall, Randolph Hall, Robeson Hall, Sandy Hall, Saunders Hall, Seitz Hall, Shanks Hall, Smyth Hall, Squires Student Center, Torgersen Hall, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary MedicineVirginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine is a state-supported college of two states, Virginia and Maryland, filling the need for veterinary medicine education in both states. Students from both states are considered "in-state" students for admissions purposes.VMRCVM is one of...
, Wallace Hall, Whittemore Hall, Williams Hall
Cassell Coliseum
Cassell Coliseum is a 10,052-seat multi-purpose arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
. The arena opened in 1961. It is home to the Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
Hokies basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
s (men's and women's).
Lane Stadium
Lane Stadium is the stadium for Virginia Tech's football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team. It has been rated as having the "number one home field advantage" in all of college football.
Other Athletics Facilities
Additional athletic facilities include:- Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center
- Pete Dye River Course
- English Field (baseball)English FieldEnglish Field is a baseball stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is the home field of the Virginia Tech Hokies college baseball team. It was opened in 1989 and has a capacity of 1033 in chair back seats plus additional grass-covered bank seating along the left field line known as "The Hill".-...
- Johnson/Miller Track Complex
- Merryman Athletic Facility
- Rector Field House
- Tech Softball Park
- Virginia Tech Lacrosse and Soccer StadiumVirginia Tech Lacrosse and Soccer StadiumVirginia Tech Lacrosse and Soccer Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia where it is home to the Hokies soccer and lacrosse teams....
- War Memorial Pool
Ambler Johnston Hall
Ambler Johnston Hall is a large co-ed undergraduate residence hall located on Washington Street across from the Cassell ColiseumCassell Coliseum
Cassell Coliseum is a 9,847-seat multi-purpose arena in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States that opened in 1962. It is home to the Virginia Tech Hokies basketball teams .-History:...
parking lot in what is known as the Summit Community. Completed in 1968, the hall is named after Ambler Johnston, a 1904 graduate of Virginia Tech, was the co-founder of Carneal & Johnston Architects (now Ballou Justice and Upton Architects) and the first architect to use Hokie Stone.
The hall is divided into two wings, commonly referred to as East and West AJ on campus. West AJ is the larger of the two halls and is taller by one story. The wings are connected by commons areas on the second, fourth and sixth floors. A computer lab is situated in the commons area on the fourth floor. West AJ's 4th floor was the location of the first of two attacks during the Virginia Tech Massacre
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
on April 16, 2007, which resulted in the shooting deaths of a female resident and a male resident adviser. In early 2010, two students are reported to have broken onto the roof of the larger hall, West Ambler Johnston.
East Ambler Johnston reopened Fall, 2011 as the Honors Residential College (HRC). The newly renovated East AJ features some rooms with private baths, several apartments where four student share a living room, bath, two bedrooms, and kitchen. Some traditional halls where bathroom facilities are shared by half a floor were retained; however, these too were remodeled. The latest renovation added air conditioning which is controlled at the room level.
In the "bridge" that spans between East and West AJ and on the lower levels, there are many meeting rooms, a huge student kitchen, a very large game room, a weight/exercise room, a theater (complete with high-back theater seating and a popcorn machine), a "library" for small study groups, a mail room and laundry facilities that can be accessed through the university's "laundry web" (students can reserve machines and see if their wash/dry is done via the Internet).
Also in the "bridge" is a large apartment for the faculty members who are "in residence" in the HRC.
West AJ is scheduled to reopen Fall, 2012. It is not slated to be an honors dorm.
Hillcrest Hall
In addition to being a residence hall on the second and third floors, Hillcrest houses Virginia Tech's University Honors offices on the first floor and the Residence Hall Federation office in the basement. Community residents thus have the opportunity to maintain close personal relationships with the Honors staff.
Hillcrest Hall is one of very few buildings and the only residence hall at Virginia Tech not named for a person. The name is derived from its location at the crest of a hill at the east end of Virginia Tech's central Drillfield, between West Campus Drive and the Grove. It is one of the few red brick buildings on a campus known for its "Hokie Stone
Hokie Stone
Hokie Stone is a grey dolomite limestone named for the Hokie mascot of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where the stone is the primary finishing material on campus buildings. Hokie Stone is limestone infused with magnesium and calcium under intense pressure and temperature....
" architecture.
Hillcrest Hall has a long-standing history. When women were integrated into the University, it was the only women's dormitory on campus. As such, Hillcrest used to be referred to as the "skirt barn." One of the Honors offices on the first floor used to be a "courting room" when Hillcrest Hall was the women's dormitory. Because visitation was not permitted in the residence hall, courting took place in this room. Young men would enter the room from one door and the young ladies would enter the room from another door. Only a few feet away was the room where the house mother would be to supervise.
Lee Hall
Lee Hall houses 824 residents on its eight floors (7 floors and ground level) including the Galileo and Biological and Life Sciences theme housing programs.
In 1997, students in a history class found a page in the 1896 Bugle (Virginia Tech's student yearbook) claiming that Claudius Lee had been president of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. A panel named by then-president Paul Torgersen
Paul Torgersen
Paul Ernest Torgersen, Ph.D was the 14th President of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.-Background:...
examined the available historical records about the organization. A Klan expert, John Kneebone, hired by the university determined that the Klan was extinct in Virginia in 1896 (the modern Klan in fact dates to a 1915 rally, in Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
), leaving open the possibility that this may have been some kind of collegiate society attempting to appropriate the image of the nineteenth century Klan.
Lee Hall's penthouse, the highest point in Blacksburg, was home to the campus radio station, WUVT's, transmitter until May 2009, when the station vacated Lee Hall as part of the process of upgrading to a new transmitter and transmit location atop Price Mountain.
Slusher Hall
The 12-story Slusher Hall is the tallest building in Blacksburg. Slusher, including a 3 story annex, Slusher Wing, is a co-ed residence hall, home to the WING, Hypatia, and MOSAIC theme housing programs.The green adjacent to Slusher Tower and Slusher Wing has been referred to as "Slusher Beach", originating from the use of the green by students to sunbathe during warm weather.
Other Residence Halls
- Barringer Hall - One of 4 remaining all male residence halls. Located in the President's Quad and houses about 220 students.
- Brodie Hall - Home to the Corps of Cadets, located on the Upper Quad.
- Campbell Hall - The Main building is home to Honors and graduate students. East Campbell is one of 3 all-female residence halls.
- Cochrane Hall - A non-AC suite-style residence hall, connected to West End Market. Home to many first year student athletes.
- Eggleston Hall - Divided into 2 wings. The Main building is an all female residence hall. West Egg is co-ed by floor and home to mostly upperclassmen.
- Graduate Life Center at Donaldson-Brown - A former hotel and conference center. Its lowest floor is home to the graduate school'sGraduate schoolA graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
administrative offices, class rooms, meeting rooms, and a small Au Bon Pain restaurant. The remaining three floors are graduate residences. - Harper Hall - One of the few suite-style AC residence halls on campus. Houses 256 residents. Some first year students are assigned to Harper, often as the result of allergies.
- Johnson Hall - An all-female residence hall, located in the President's Quad and houses about 190 students.
- Miles Hall - An all-male residence hall , located in the President's Quad and houses about 217 students.
- Monteith Hall - Currently houses Cadet residents. Located in the Upper Quad.
- New Residence Hall East - Suite-Style AC residence hall that opened in 1999 on the Prairie, former site of Miles Stadium, Lane Stadium's predecessor.
- Newman Hall - A co-ed residence hall located in the President's Quad. Co-ed by floor and home to the WORLD and W.E.L.L theme housing program.
- O'Shaughnessy Hall - A mid-sized co-ed residence hall, by floor. Houses many upperclass students.
- Payne Hall - Virginia Tech's first AC residence hall that opened in 1993. Houses returning students and transfers only.
- Peddrew-Yates Residence Hall (formerly New Residence Hall West) - Home to the Residential Leadership Community (RLC), a suite-style AC residence hall.
- Pritchard Hall - Was the 2nd largest all-male residence hall on the east coast. It became co-ed in the fall of 2009 and houses about 1,040 students, mostly freshmen.
- Rasche Hall - Located in the Upper Quad. A Cadet-Only residence hall.
- Thomas Hall - A co-ed residence hall located in the Upper Quad.
- Vawter Hall - An all-male residence hall located near Owens Hall.
Residence Hall Federation
The Residence Hall Federation (RHF) is a University Chartered Student Organization. This organization exists to serve the 9,000 on-campus residents through hall councils in each residence hall. The RHF is composed of 23 hall councils, representing the residents of each hall, and three community councils, which represent two or more halls that share a common trait. Each individual hall council receives a programming budget of $1 per resident (or $400 if there are fewer than 400 residents) from the Student Programs office and from the RHF budget.The RHF Officer Group consists of 16 members, composing an Executive Board and a Board of Directors.
Like the Resident Advisors employed by the school, the Hall Councils produce programs that entertain and educate the residents of the buildings that they serve. These programs range from movie nights to exam study breaks. In addition, the RHF officer group also puts on campus-wide programs, under the command of the Director of Programs. Traditionally, the campus-wide programs have been Campus-Kickoff, Pizza Bonanza, and Hokies Hold'Em. The RHF also performs a number of community service projects.
Dietrick Dining Center
Dietrick Dining Center, or Dietrick Hall, is the largest of Virginia Tech's six dining facilities, seating 1,100 and serving on average 3,758 students daily. The building opened in 1970 at a cost of $2.8 million.The main dining area, now called "D2", was known as the "Depot at Dietrick" prior to a $6.5 million renovation completed in 2004 that converted the hall from a cafeteria-style facility to one that more closely resembles a food court.
The building also contains the Dietrick General Store, an extension of the University Bookstore; "Deet's Place", a coffee and ice cream shop; and the Dietrick Express, a fast food à la carte facility.
West End Market
West End Market was recognized in 1999 by the National Association of College and University Food Services as the best university specialty restaurant in the country and has been rated by the Princeton Review at one of the Top 3 school dining facilities multiple times, achieving the #1 spot in 2006.
West End Market offers students meals ranging from burgers and pizza (cooked in a their own stone hearth pizza oven), to fresh grilled fish, steaks, and lobster taken from JP's Chop House Lobster tank.
Owens Hall
Owens Hall opened in 1940 as a replacement for Virginia Tech's military mess hall.The Food Court contains twelve ala carte specialty shops. In 1997, a section of the building called the Hokie Grill & Co. was remodeled to feature Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut franchises. In its first year, the Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A |"fillet"]]) is a quick service restaurant chain headquartered in College Park, Georgia, United States, specializing in chicken entrées and is known for promoting the company founder's claims of Christian values. Long associated with the southern United States, where it has been a...
became the top-selling of all Chick-fil-A franchises located on college campuses.
Owens Hall is located on Kent Street in the Lower Quad.
Other dining facilities
Shultz Hall, Squires Food Court (inside Squires Student Center), and Vet Med Cafe (located in the Vet Med Commons).Burruss Hall
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
.
Burruss Hall is the main administration building, it also contains a 3,003-seat auditorium and houses several departments in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. It consists of the original building, completed in June, 1936 (cost $428,404; 77080 sq ft (7,161 m²) ); a west wing and rear addition, built in 1968 (cost $1,536,899; 60503 sq ft (5,620.9 m²) ); and an east wing, built in 1970 (cost $593,729; 20638 sq ft (1,917.3 m²) ). The cornerstone of the original building was laid at the 1935 commencement; the first commencement was held in the auditorium in June, 1936. An electronic carillon, costing $28,000, was in 1958 and was dedicated at Homecoming, 1958. It was originally known as the Teaching and Administration Building.
Julian Ashby Burruss (1876-1947) was President from 1919 to 1945. The first alumnus president, Burruss guided VPI through tremendous increases in faculty, student body, and degree offerings; vast growth in the physical plant; and efficient changes in administrative structure. He successfully pushed to admit women and shortened the military requirement to two years, setting the stage for a larger civilian student body. During his tenure, Radford College became the Women’s Division of VPI.
Address: Drillfield Drive | Map Grid: L-4
Originally Built: 1936 | Abbreviation: BUR
Johnston Student Center
The G. Burke Johnston Student Center (most commonly called GBJ) contains student activities rooms also used as classrooms during the day, a small food court, and study areas. On the bottom floor of this three-story building is the entrance to the Pamplin tunnel, which connects this building with the adjacent Pamplin Hall there is also a bridge on the third floor connecting it to Burruss Hall.Power Plant
A campus landmark, the power plant is located on the upper quad across from Thomas Hall. Its 180 feet (54.9 m) chimney can be seen from many places throughout Blacksburg. The plant is a cogeneration facility that provides electricity, heat and steam for the campus.Other miscellaneous buildings
Alumni Hall, Armory, Cranwell International Center, the Grove (President's Residence), Health and Safety Building, Henderson Hall, Information/Visitors Center, McComas Hall, Media Building, Price House (razedDemolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
2005), Smith House, Solitude, Squires Student Center, Student Services Building, University Bookstore, University Club, War Memorial Chapel, War Memorial Gymnasium, Wright House
Hokie Stone
On the Blacksburg campus, the majority of the buildings incorporate Hokie StoneHokie Stone
Hokie Stone is a grey dolomite limestone named for the Hokie mascot of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where the stone is the primary finishing material on campus buildings. Hokie Stone is limestone infused with magnesium and calcium under intense pressure and temperature....
as a building material. Hokie Stone is a medley of different colored limestone, often including dolomite. Each block of Hokie Stone is some combination of gray, brown, black, pink, orange, and maroon. The limestone is mined from various quarries in Southwestern Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama, one of which has been operated by the university since the 1950s.
Gargoyles
There are 15 gargoyleGargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s which appear on Tech buildings, especially older buildings including Hillcrest, Saunders, and Eggleston Halls. Although some, like those on the Eggleston archway, are functional, the majority are merely ornamental. Among the more distinctive gargoyles on campus are the "cowgoyles" seen on some agricultural buildings.
See also
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
- Virginia Tech massacreVirginia Tech massacreThe Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
External links
- http://www.studentprograms.vt.edu - Virginia Tech Student Programs
- http://www.cdcd.vt.edu/PJD/Const.Status/main.html - Virginia Tech campus construction status
- http://www.vt.edu/where_we_are/maps/index.html - Virginia Tech maps
- http://www.unirel.vt.edu/buildings/ - Official VT buildings page
- http://www.rhf.vt.edu - Virginia Tech Residence Hall Federation
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18134671/ -Link to the 4/16/07 school shooting