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Alumni Love to "Come Home" to a Special Place

Virginia Tech
Alumni Association News
Fall, 2001 Issue

The sun continues to shine brightly on Virginia Tech. In its undergraduate programs - hundreds more students accepted their offers of admission than predicted. This fall, a record freshman class of 5,008 entered, setting records in both size and quality. Students are attracted by an exceptional faculty who offer exciting courses using the latest instructional technology.

In graduate programs - the opportunities to conduct research with leading faculty are attracting several thousand students each year to pursue graduate degrees. In research - initiatives that cut across traditional disciplines are placing Tech among the leading universities that are receiving major grants to support graduate students, laboratories, and often faculty positions. In outreach - programs assisting municipal governments, economic development, noncredit coursework, and programs for all ages in communities are extending the campus beyond its local boundaries. In athletics - few universities have experienced the sustained excellence in intercollegiate competition as has Virginia Tech, from football to golf - with 11 men's and 10 women's varsity sports.

More alumni are returning to campus to share in its successes. Popular times to visit are always during football season, typically with at least six home games, sometimes seven. Alumni gather for class reunions, college and departmental homecomings, and special constituent programs for groups such as the Corps of Cadets alumni, Highty-Tighty alumni, and Black alumni. Still many alumni join us at other times of the year for Civil War Weekend and our annual summer campus vacation program (VT Summer Escape) in late June.

Planning and fund raising for the new Alumni and Conference Center is moving forward, and we are already planning for expansion of the number and variety of programs offered to our alumni on campus when the center becomes reality. A larger hotel, expanded conference spaces, larger dining facilities and more visitor reception space will improve considerably the opportunities for our alumni to "come home" and enjoy the campus. The new center will be popular year-round and alumni are encouraged to come and spend a few days on campus whenever travel opportunities bring them to Southwest Virginia.

Visitors to our current Alumni Association office often include alumni who route themselves through Blacksburg specifically to see the campus. Still others visit with their children or grandchildren to tour the campus, often with the hope of interesting them in applying in the future. A few alumni visit as representatives for their companies at college career showcases or to interview students for jobs. Alumni also come to campus to attend conferences planned by Continuing Education, various academic departments, or professional organizations.

Whatever the reasons or attractions, we always welcome alumni back. A new Alumni Center, more conveniently located near the major entrance to campus on Prices Fork Road, will be a special place to greet visitors. It will be more than just hotel rooms, meeting rooms, dining facilities and reception space. It will be "a home on campus" for every alum. More information is on the following pages.

Come back often. It is your university home.

Vice President for Alumni Relations