History

Question 1

History of Virginia Tech:

Answer 1

-Full name is: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
-Opened October 1st, 1872
-in 1862 President Abraham Lincoln passed the Morrill Land Grant Act
>It gave 30,000 acres to each member of congress to start a university that taught agriculture and mechanical studies.
-Originally required to join the corp of cadets if a student
-Tech’s first name was Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, and has since changed its name 4 times.

Question 2

Tell me about Hokie Stone:

Answer 2

-Earliest campus buildings were built with red brick
-it is a special limestone with muted shades of pink, red, grey, brown, and black. No 2 stones are the same!
-mined from two local quarries that VT owns
-Hokie stone can only be used by Virginia Tech
-Hokie stone must be used on every building constructed

Question 3

Talk about our first mascot/colors:

Answer 3

-First mascot was the fighting gobbler
>changed due to some concern with negative connotation to how our athletes eat their food (gobble it down)
-Reason why Hokie bird resembles a turkey; football player had a turkey they would bring on the field and it would gobble on command.
-First school colors were gray and black
>many thought the athletic uniforms presented an image resembling prison uniforms

Question 4

Talk about current mascot and colors:

Answer 4

-Current colors are Chicago maroon and burnt orange
>unique color combo at the time, no one else had it
-Current Mascot is Hokies:
>comes from “Old Hokie” cheer: hoki, hoki, hoki, Hy…
>written by O.M. stull for a competition when the school changed its name.

Question 5

Tell me about pylons:

Answer 5

-Ut Prosim (that I may serve), brotherhood, Leadership, loyalty, sacrifice, service, duty, and honor
-Engraved in the pylons are alumni who served and gave their lives in military service during World War 1
-Large granite stone center (cenotaph) displays the 7 names of Virginia Tech Alumni who have received the medal of honor; out of respect we do not touch it.

Question 6

Tell me about Ut Prosim:

Answer 6

-Latin for “That I may Serve”
-Relay for Life: #1 Collegiate relay event in the world
-Year Round fundraising that culminates into one night 3pm-3am of entertainment, ceremonies and on-site fundraising; we raise half a million every year and the money goes to American Cancer Society. 2022-2023 school year is the 22nd year of relay.

Question 7

Talk about the Big Event:

Answer 7

-Student run community service/Community engagement event
> completely voluntary
>sign up with friends, hall mates, etc.
-2nd largest event of its type in the country
-roughly 7,800 participants and 1,100 new projects in the New River Valley in 2019 (record is 9,200 volunteers)
-One Big Day, One Big Thanks to homeowners: bridge the gap between students and homeowners