UNIVERSITY
FACTS &
FIGURES
2012-13
University Facts & Figures
2012-2013
Compiled by the Office of University Relations, Marketing and Publications
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Available online at www.vt.edu/about
Questions concerning University Facts & Figures should be directed to Richard Lovegrove, editor,
at 540-231-9468 or lovegrov@vt.edu.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATEMENT OF MISSION AND PURPOSE............................................................................................................... 3
UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW
Background....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Enrollment........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Admissions....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Full-time Instructional Faculty...................................................................................................................... 4
Alumni............................................................................................................................................................... 4
Board of Visitors............................................................................................................................................... 4
Instruction......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Research............................................................................................................................................................ 4
Special Academic Programs........................................................................................................................... 5
Outreach and International Affairs............................................................................................................... 5
Off-campus Facilities....................................................................................................................................... 5
University Budget............................................................................................................................................ 6
Athletics............................................................................................................................................................. 6
Virginia Tech Foundation............................................................................................................................... 6
Extension........................................................................................................................................................... 6
The University Shield...................................................................................................................................... 6
The University Seal.......................................................................................................................................... 6
The Corps of Cadets Coat of Arms................................................................................................................ 7
University Mascot............................................................................................................................................ 7
Virginia Tech’s Benchmark Institutions........................................................................................................ 8
Senior Administrative Personnel................................................................................................................... 9
STUDENT OVERVIEW
2012-13 On-Campus Enrollment Profile..................................................................................................... 10
Enrollment by Race.................................................................................................................................. 10
Enrollment by Gender............................................................................................................................. 10
Enrollment by College............................................................................................................................. 10
2012-13 Off-Campus Enrollment Profile...................................................................................................... 10
Enrollment by Race................................................................................................................................ 10
Enrollment by Gender............................................................................................................................ 11
Enrollment by College........................................................................................................................... 11
Percent Enrollment by Race........................................................................................................................... 11
Residency of Undergraduates....................................................................................................................... 11
Freshman Student Profiles............................................................................................................................. 11
SAT Percentile Entering Freshmen............................................................................................................... 12
Class of 2016 Snapshot................................................................................................................................... 12
Student Tuition and Fees, 2012-13................................................................................................................ 13
Combined Tuition and Fees History............................................................................................................ 14
Membership in the Corps of Cadets............................................................................................................. 14
Historical Highlights of the Corps of Cadets.............................................................................................. 15
2
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
Consolidated University Operating Budget, 2012-13............................................................................... 16
Virginia Tech Foundation Endowment Trend Analysis........................................................................... 16
FACULTY/STAFF OVERVIEW
Average Full-time Instructional Faculty Salaries...................................................................................... 17
Salaried Personnel......................................................................................................................................... 17
MEASURES OF EXCELLENCE
University Rankings...................................................................................................................................... 18
Undergraduate........................................................................................................................................ 18
Graduate................................................................................................................................................... 19
General Information...................................................................................................................................... 19
Research.......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Colleges........................................................................................................................................................... 22
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences............................................................................................ 22
College Architecture and Urban Studies............................................................................................. 24
College of Engineering........................................................................................................................... 26
College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences..................................................................................... 28
College of Natural Resources and Environment................................................................................ 30
Pamplin College of Business................................................................................................................. 33
College of Science................................................................................................................................... 35
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine......................................................... 37
Distance Learning and Summer Sessions.................................................................................................. 38
Outreach and International Affairs............................................................................................................. 39
Student Affairs............................................................................................................................................... 40
More facts and figures about Virginia Tech can be found at these websites:
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness — www.ir.vt.edu
Budget and Financial Planning — www.obfp.vt.edu
Virginia Tech history — www.vt.edu/about
Guide to library archives — http://spec.lib.vt.edu/archives/guide
STATEMENT OF MISSION AND PURPOSE
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 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.
*Mission Statement approved by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, 6/4/01; revised in 2006.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
3
University Overview, 2012-13
Background
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. As the
commonwealth’s most comprehensive university
and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech
offers 215 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 31,000 students and manages a research
portfolio of $450 million. The university fulfills its
land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to
practice through technological leadership and by
fueling economic growth and job creation locally,
regionally, and across Virginia.
Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech has the largest
number of degree offerings in Virginia, more than
125 campus buildings, a 2,600-acre main campus,
off-campus educational facilities in six regions, a
study-abroad site in Switzerland, and a 1,800-acre
agriculture research farm near the main campus.
The campus proper is located in the Town of
Blacksburg in Montgomery County in the New
River Valley and is 38 miles southwest of Roanoke.
Enrollment
Alumni
More than 225,000 living alumni from every state
and more than 100 countries.
Board of Visitors
A board of visitors, appointed by the governor of
Virginia, is composed of 13 members, headed by a
rector. Current board of visitors members are Michael Quillen, rector; George Nolen, vice rector; Michele L. Duke; Nancy V. Dye; William D. Fairchild
III; Cordel L. Faulk; B. Keith Fulton; William B.
Holtzman; John C. Lee IV; Suzanne S. Obenshain;
Deborah Petrine; John G. Rocovich Jr.; and Dennis H. Treacy. The president of the state Board of
Agriculture and Consumer Services (Paul Rogers)
serves as an ex-officio member. The presidents of
the Faculty Senate (Sarah Karpanty) and the Staff
Senate (Sue Teel) are also ex-officio, non-voting representatives. Each year, an undergraduate student
(Nicholas Onopa) and a graduate student (Robyn
Jones) are selected through a competitive review
process to serve as non-voting representatives to
the board. Kim O’Rourke is the board secretary.
Instruction
Admissions
Virginia Tech received 20,191 applications for the
fall 2012 freshman class. The typical freshman has
a high-school grade point average of 3.98, with the
middle 50 percent between 3.75 and 4.22. The average cumulative SAT reasoning test score was 1250,
with a middle range of 1160 to 1340.
The university offers about 65 bachelor’s degree programs through its seven undergraduate
academic colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences
(which also offers an associate degree in agricultural technology), Architecture and Urban Studies,
Engineering, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences,
Natural Resources and Environment, Pamplin College of Business, and Science. On the postgraduate level, the university offers approximately 150
master’s and doctoral degree programs through
the Graduate School and a professional degree
from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Full-time Instructional Faculty
Research
28,836 on-campus; 82.5 percent undergraduate;
17.5 percent graduate; 58.3 percent male; 41.7 percent female. Total enrollment on and off campus is
31,087.
1,368; 61.7 percent are tenured.
4
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
The university generated $450 million for research
programs in fiscal year 2011. In fiscal year 2010,
the most recent ranking available, Tech was 47th
in the nation in research expenditures, according
to the National Science Foundation. Each year, the
university receives thousands of awards to conduct
research from an ever-expanding base of sponsors.
Researchers pursue new discoveries in agriculture,
biotechnology, information and communication
technology, transportation, energy management
(including leadership in fuel-cell technology and
power electronics), and a wide range of other
engineering, scientific, social science, and creative
fields. This research led to 82 patents and 32 license
and option agreements in 2011.
The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
(CRC) offers opportunities for businesses to establish close working relationships with the university
and nurtures entrepreneurs pursuing new inventions and developments. Located on 210 acres
adjacent to the main campus, the center consists
of 27 buildings housing more than 140 companies
with approximately 2,200 employees.
Special Academic Programs
In the university’s Cooperative Education Program, sophomores and juniors can alternate semesters of study with semesters of professional work.
The University Honors Program helps qualified
students expand their intellectual powers through
special sections of regular classes, seminars, and
independent study. The Study Abroad Program
consists of academic programs, tours, and independent travel, often conducted in conjunction with
overseas universities and institutions. Students
enrolled in the corps of cadets are eligible for the
Army, Air Force, and Navy ROTC programs. Virginia Tech established its first residential college in
fall 2011 and added a second in 2012.
Outreach and International Affairs
Outreach and International Affairs, which spearheads the university’s outreach mission, encompasses a number of university-wide programs.
These include the Center for European Studies
and Architecture in Switzerland; Commonwealth
Campus Centers in Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke; the Office of
Economic Development; the Office of International
Research, Education, and Development, including
Education Abroad and applied research programs
in developing countries; Outreach Fellows; Southside Outreach Programs, including the Institute for
Advanced Learning and Research in Danville and
Reynolds Homestead in Patrick County; and Outreach Program Development, including the Center
for Organizational and Technological Advancement, Continuing and Professional Education, Language and Culture Institute, The Hotel Roanoke
& Conference Center, Outreach Program Services,
Service-Learning Center, The Inn at Virginia Tech
and Skelton Conference Center, and Upward
Bound/Talent Search.
Off-campus Facilities
Virginia Tech has facilities located across the commonwealth and one in Europe. These include the
Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in
Leesburg; several locations in the Virginia Tech National Capital Region, including the newly opened
Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington; Hampton Roads Center in Virginia Beach; Virginia Tech
Roanoke Center; Virginia Tech Richmond Center;
and Virginia Tech Southwest Center in Abingdon.
Virginia Tech also owns and maintains the Center
for European Studies and Architecture in Riva San
Vitale, Switzerland, which is part of the university’s study-abroad program. Tech owns The Hotel
Roanoke & Conference Center, which it uses for
academic programs, continuing education, seminars, and conferences.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
5
University Budget
Virginia Tech’s operating budget in 2012-13 is
$1.2 billion and is comprised of two state agencies — the University Division and the Cooperative
Extension/Agricultural Experiment Station — and
five major programs. The state appropriates a portion of the funds, but most originates from student
tuition and fees, grants and contracts, sales and services, federal sources, user fees, and other sources.
Athletics
Virginia Tech is a member of the Atlantic Coast
Conference. NCAA Division I-A men’s varsity
sports at Tech are football, basketball, baseball,
soccer, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and
diving, wrestling, tennis, golf, and cross country.
Women’s varsity sports are basketball, tennis, volleyball, swimming and diving, indoor and outdoor
track, soccer, softball, lacrosse, and cross country.
An extensive intramural program offers opportunities for participation in more than 20 recreational
activities. The university also participates in intramural sports and club-sports programs that allow
students to compete against programs from other
colleges and universities across the country.
Virginia Tech Foundation
As of June 30, 2012, the Virginia Tech Foundation’s
assets and managed funds — including gifts and
bequests — totaled more than $1.21 billion. The
total endowment owned and managed by the university was $594.8 million. Endowment value per
student was $19,536.
Extension
Virginia Cooperative Extension is a dynamic
organization that stimulates positive personal and
societal change leading to more productive lives,
families, farms, and forests, as well as a better
environment. Extension responds to the needs of
individuals, families, groups, and organizations
with educational programs in three broad areas:
agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth development.
6
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Extension, operated jointly in the commonwealth
by Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, has
been helping people improve their economic, cultural, and social well-being for more than 95 years.
While Extension has a long history of helping make
America’s agricultural powerhouse more productive and economical, it also does important work
in the state’s urban and rural areas — from helping
expectant mothers learn healthy nutritional practices to counseling families in financial distress. With
offices, professionals, and volunteers positioned
around the commonwealth, Extension’s nonformal
education benefits more than 1 million participants
annually. Extension has touched virtually every life
in the state in some way.
Extension is a product of cooperation among local,
state, and federal governments in partnership with
thousands of citizens who, through local Extension
Leadership Councils, help design, implement, and
evaluate Cooperative Extension’s needs-driven
programs.
The University Shield
The shield embodies Virginia Tech’s motto — Ut
Prosim (That I May Serve) — by incorporating an
image of the university’s War Memorial Pylons,
where this motto is etched in stone.
The shield’s shape also reflects
the collegiate heritage of all
universities, and the numerals
“1872” recognize the year the
university was founded and
reinforce the traditions of longstanding service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The shield was adopted in May 1991.
The University Seal
The four quadrants of the shield on the seal depict
the obverse side of the Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the surveyor’s level and
leveling rod superimposed over a scroll, a partially
husked standing ear of corn, and a chemical retort
and graduate. Above the shield is the left side of
the flaming lamp of learning
with a right hand suspended above it.
The seal, created in 1896
and officially adopted
by the board of visitors
in 1963, has remained unchanged (with the exception
of the name of the institution
and the alteration of the commonwealth
portion) for more than 11 decades and reflects the
agricultural/mechanical emphasis in the Virginia
Tech curriculum during its first century.
The Corps of Cadets Coat of Arms
Designed in 1965 by Col. Harry D. Temple (industrial engineering ‘34) when he was commanding
officer of the Army’s Institute of Heraldry, the coat
of arms was granted to the Virginia Tech Corps of
Cadets by the U.S. Army. The symbols are as follows:
• Flaming grenade = preparation for war
• Four gold stars = four
major wars in which Tech
cadets had fought before
1965 (Spanish-American
War, World War I, World
War II, and Korean War)
• Laurel wreath = the
presidential citation given to the cadet band for
Spanish-American War service
• Color red = strength and courage
• Sword = command
University Mascot
The HokieBird, the university mascot, evolved
from a live turkey paraded on the playing field to
a hand-sewn costume with a papier-mâché head
to today’s professionally manufactured outfit. A
costumed mascot — which eventually became the
HokieBird — first took the field in the fall of 1962.
In 1913, Floyd Meade, a local resident nicknamed
“Hard Times,” who was chosen by the student
body to serve as the team’s mascot, trained a large
turkey that he could make gobble on command at
games. Although the nickname “Gobblers” had
been used sporadically for about 10 years, fans and
sports writers enthusiastically began
to use it regularly.
The term “Hokie” was
coined by O.M.
Stull (Class of 1896)
when he wrote the
“Old Hokie” spirit
yell, first used in the
fall of 1896 (“Hoki,
Hoki, Hoki, Hy / Techs!
Techs! VPI”). Fans started
calling Tech teams “Hokies” as
well as “Fightin’ Gobblers,” but
the latter nickname prevailed.
In the 1980s, a football coach who
didn’t like the gobbler image encouraged the use of
the nickname Hokies, and the two names evolved
into the HokieBird.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
7
Virginia Tech’s Benchmark Institutions
For the purpose of salary comparisons, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia identifies institutions with academic profiles similar to Virginia Tech’s.
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of California, Davis
• University of Colorado, Boulder
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
• University of Florida, Gainesville
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Iowa State University, Ames
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Michigan State University, East Lansing
• University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• University of Missouri, Columbia
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Pennsylvania State University, University Park
• University of Pittsburgh
• Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
• University at Buffalo, State University of New York
• University of Southern California, Los Angeles
• Stony Brook University, State University of New York
• Texas A&M University, College Station
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Washington, Seattle
• University of Wisconsin, Madison
8
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Senior Administrative Personnel
President.......................................................................................................................................... Charles W. Steger
Senior Vice President and Provost.............................................................................................Mark G. McNamee
Vice President for Alumni Relations............................................................................................. Thomas C. Tillar
Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer..................................................... M. Dwight Shelton Jr.
Vice President for Administrative Services........................................................................... Sherwood G. Wilson
Vice President for Development and University Relations..............................................Elizabeth A. Flanagan
Vice President for Information Technology....................................................................................Scott F. Midkiff
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion...................................................................................William T. Lewis
Vice President for Research............................................................................................................... Robert Walters
Vice President for Student Affairs................................................................................................Patricia A. Perillo
Vice President and Executive Director for the National Capital Region...................................... Donald J. Leo
Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education........................................................... Daniel A. Wubah
Vice President for Outreach and International Affairs.................................................Jerome E. Niles (Interim)
Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education.....................................................................Karen P. DePauw
Chief Operating Officer for the Virginia Tech Foundation........................................................... John E. Dooley
Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.....................................................................................Alan Grant
Dean, College of Architecture and Urban Studies............................................................................A. Jack Davis
Dean, College of Engineering...........................................................................................................Richard Benson
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.................................................................Sue Ott Rowlands
Dean, College of Natural Resources and Environment...............................................................Paul Winistorfer
Dean, Pamplin College of Business......................................................................................... Richard E. Sorensen
Dean, College of Science................................................................................................................. Lay Nam Chang
Dean, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.......................................Gerhardt Schurig
Dean, University Libraries.................................................................................................................... Tyler Walters
University Legal Counsel................................................................................................................ Kay Heidbreder
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
9
Student Overview
2012-13 On-campus Enrollment Profile
UndergraduateGraduate Professional
Total
Enrollment by Race
American Indian or Alaska Native
47
5
0
52
Asian
1,996158 6 2,160
Black or African-American
821
151
4
976
Hispanics of any race
1,145
103
8
1,256
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
23
0
1
24
White
17,4022,409 312 20,123
Two or more races
844
66
6
916
Not reported
714
33
81
828
Nonresident alien
804
1,695
2
2,501
Total
23,7964,620 420 28,836
Enrollment by Gender
Men
Women
Not reported
Enrollment by College
Agriculture & Life Sciences
Architecture & Urban Studies
Business
Engineering
Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
Natural Resources & Environment
Science
Veterinary Medicine
Intercollege
13,9212,814 92
9,8671,799 327
8
7
1
2,294
367
0
1,375
327
0
3,595225 0
6,8721,912
0
3,289
687
0
684
174
0
3,699584 0
0
129
420
1,988215 0
16,827
11,993
16
2,661
1,702
3,820
8,784
3,976
858
4,283
549
2,203
2012-13 Off-campus Enrollment Profile
UndergraduateGraduate
Professional
Total
Enrollment by Race
American Indian or Alaska Native
1
3
0
4
Asian
4173 0
177
Black or African-American
3
222
0
225
Hispanics of any race
1
80
0
81
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
0
3
0
3
White
431,478
0
1,521
Two or more races
0
37
0
37
Not reported
9
61
0
70
Nonresident alien
2
131
0
133
Total
632,188
0
2,251
10
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Enrollment by Gender
Men
Women
Not reported
Undergraduate GraduateProfessional
Total
36
27
0
1,1920
9880
8
0
1,228
1,015
8
Enrollment by College
Agriculture & Life Sciences
12
Architecture & Urban Studies
0
Business
8
Engineering
8
Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
17
Natural Resources & Environment 2
Science
12
Veterinary Medicine
0
Intercollege
4
50
0
315
0
2100
2280
602
0
85
0
20
9
0
6870
62
315
218
236
619
87
14
9
691
Percent Enrollment by Race (Total enrollment of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on and off campus)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0.2%
Asian7.5%
Black or African-American
3.9%
Hispanics of any race
4.1%
White69.6%
Two or more races
3.1%
Not reported
2.9%
Nonresident alien
8.5%
Residency of Undergraduate Students
Virginia undergraduate students
Nonresident undergraduate students (includes international)
Undergraduate students living in residence halls
Freshman Student Profiles
Freshman applications received
Freshmen enrolled
Enrolled freshmen in top 10% of high school class
Enrolled freshmen in top 25% of high school class
Enrolled freshmen in top 50% of high school class
2002 freshmen returning fall 2003
2003 freshmen returning fall 2004
2004 freshmen returning fall 2005
2005 freshmen returning fall 2006
2006 freshmen returning fall 2007
2007 freshmen returning fall 2008
2008 freshmen returning fall 2009
2009 freshmen returning fall 2010
2010 freshmen returning fall 2011
2011 freshmen returning fall 2012
17,626
6,233
9,087
20,191
5,487
43.7%
84.4%
98.6%
87.5%
87.6%
88.0%
88.6%
93.2%
91.1%
90.9%
91.9%
91.1%
92.6%
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
11
SAT Percentile Entering Freshmen
25th Percentile
Year
MathVerbal*
2004
560540
2005
570540
2006
570530
2007
570530
2008
570540
2009
570540
2010
580540
2011
570540
2012
570540
*Verbal is now called Critical Reading
75th Percentile
Math Verbal*
660 630
660 630
660 630
670 630
670 630
670 640
680 640
670 640
680 640
Average
MathVerbal*
611587
615588
617584
617586
618586
621590
626591
622592
625587
Class of 2016 Snapshot
Top five home states of out-of-state freshmen:
1. Maryland
2. New Jersey
3. Pennsylvania
4. North Carolina
5. New York
Number of states and territories represented: 42
Countries represented: 54
Most popular majors for incoming freshmen in fall 2011:
• University Studies (undeclared)
• General Engineering*
• Biological Sciences
• Business (undecided)
• Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
• Animal and Poultry Sciences
*Non-degree major; students move into more specific disciplines, including computer science
12
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
2012-13 Student Tuition and Fees
Undergraduate
Graduate
In-state Out-of-stateIn-state
Out-of-state
Academic year tuition
$9,187
$23,575
$10,677
$20,926
Fees*
$1,736
$2,340$1,736
$2,340
Total tuition and fees
$10,923
$25,915
$12,413
$23,266
Room and board**
$6,996
$6,996
$6,996
$6,996
*Includes academic, athletic, technology, student activity, health, bus, recreational sports, and student
services fees. Out-of-state students also pay a capital and equipment fee. Students in various disciplines
also pay supplemental fees not included here.
**Room and board varies depending on the student’s place of on-campus residence, single or double
occupancy, and the student’s meal plan.
Source: Office of Budget and Financial Planning
Veterinary Medicine (Virginia and Maryland residents)
Tuition$18,163
Fees*$3,271
Total tuition and fees
$21,434
Veterinary Medicine (other states)
Tuition$42,491
Fees*$3,875
Total tuition and fees
$46,366
*Includes academic, athletic, technology, student activity, health, bus, recreational sports, and student
services fees. Out-of-state students also pay a capital and equipment fee.
Source: Office of Budget and Financial Planning
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
13
Combined Tuition and Fees* History
UndergraduateGraduate
In-StateOut-of-State
In-State Out-of-State
2003-04
$5,095$15,029
$6,944$10,663
2004-05
$5,838$16,581
$7,512$11,682
2005-06
$6,378$17,837
$7,977$12,835
2006-07
$6,973$19,049
$8,540$14,057
2007-08
$7,397$19,775
$8,986$15,351
2008-09
$8,198$20,825
$9,735$16,866
2009-10
$8,605$21,878
$10,228$17,928
2010-11
$9,459$23,217
$10,933$19,957
2011-12
$10,509$24,480
$11,705 $21,723
2012-13
$10,923$25,915
$12,413 $23,266
*All mandatory fees required of all students; does not include specialized program fees or room and
board
Source: Office of Budget and Financial Planning
Membership in the Corps of Cadets
(as of the beginning of fall session)
Year
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
14
MaleFemale
614144
644120
642104
63498
61892
61490
657112
737120
815138
908158
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Total
758
764
746
732
710
704
769
857
953
1,066
Historical Highlights of the Corps of Cadets
• 1872: Virginia Tech established as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, corps organized as one
battalion of two companies.
• 1899: Corps petitions governor for active military service during the Spanish-American War. Bandsmen
and director enlist as Regimental Band, 2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment Exposition.
• 1919: Band first called “Highty-Tighties.” Tech designated one of the nation’s “Distinguished Military
Colleges.”
• 1922: Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) organized as regiment.
• 1923: Corps petitions governor for active military service during national rail strike.
• 1924: Corps made mandatory only for a cadet’s first two years.
• 1934: First Ring Dance (Class of 1935).
• 1942: VTCC organized as brigade of two regiments.
• 1953: First African-American student enrolls (Cadet Irving L. Peddrew III).
• 1958: First African-American student graduates (Cadet Charlie L. Yates).
• 1964: Corps becomes voluntary.
• 1973: Women admitted into corps of cadets (except the Regimental Band) and organized into
L Squadron.
• 1975: Women accepted into Regimental Band.
• 1981: Cadet barracks become first co-ed dorms on campus.
• 1985: First African-American regimental commander (Derek Jeffries ‘86).
• 1987: First female regimental commander (Denise Shuster ‘88).
• 1996: VTCC Center for Leader Development is established.
• 1997: VTCC initiates Caldwell March, which becomes semi-annual event.
• 2005: First African-American female regimental commander (Christina Royal ‘06).
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
15
Financial Overview
Consolidated University Operating Budget 2012-13
(Dollars in Thousands)
Educational and General
University Division:
General Fund
$145,561,717
Tuition and Fees
$363,337,840
All Other Income
$30,327,783
Subtotal
$539,227,340
CE/AES Division
General Fund
$62,931,071
Federal Funds
$14,325,000
All Other Income
$709,000
Subtotal
$77,965,071
Total Educational and General
$617,192,411
Auxiliary Enterprises
$270,450,777
Financial Assistance Sponsored Programs
$290,149,588
Student Financial Assistance
$18,618,928
All Other Programs
$5,761,606
Total$1,202,173,310
Virginia Tech Foundation Endowment Trend Analysis
Year (as of June 30)
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
16
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Market Value ($)
$ Per Student
$328,679,928$12,375
$331,311,105$12,523
$370,811,010$13,962
$408,560,308$15,310
$447,404,748$16,447
$524,731,181$18,972
$527,629,109$18,216
$451,744,223$15,130
$502,379,593$16,646
$600,647,830$19,619
$594,776,124$19,536
Faculty/Staff Overview
Average Full-time Instructional Faculty Salaries
(Dollars in Thousands)
Rank
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
All Ranks
2007-08 2008-092009-102010-112011-12
$116.2 $116.8$115.9 $116.7 $121.7
$83.0
$84.6
$82.9
$82.0
$84.4
$68.1
$70.4
$70.4
$70.9
$73.3
$43.7 $45.5$45.3 $45.0 $46.8
$87.3
$88.0
$87.4
$86.2
$89.1
Notes:
• The figures for this table are taken from an Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System report
titled “Salaries, Tenure, and Fringe Benefits of Full-Time Instructional Faculty.”
• Lecturers, research associates, and administrators above the department level are excluded.
• All salaries have been reported on an academic-year-equivalent basis. The salaries of 12-month faculty
members have been converted by a factor of nine-elevenths.
Salaried Personnel
Faculty/Staff
Full-Time Instructional Faculty
Other Faculty & Research Associates
P14s (instructional only)
Support Staff
Total Faculty & Support Staff
Percent of Instructional Faculty Tenured
2007-08 2008-092009-102010-112011-12
1,371
1,369
1,364
1,306
1,368
1,690
1,761
1,913
1,826
1,954
217
229
224
273
264
3,774 3,8163,6033,461 3,449
7,052
7,175
7,104
6,866
7,035
63.4
61.9
62.8
61.9
61.7
Notes:
• Faculty data are based on full-time instructional faculty paid 50 percent or more from instructional
funds.
• Percent tenured is based on full-time instructional faculty who are tenured (does not include those on
tenure track).
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
17
Measures of Excellence
University Rankings
Undergraduate
U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2013” (fall 2012)
• Virginia Tech ranked 28th among national public universities. Among all national universities,
including such private institutions as Harvard and Yale, Virginia Tech ranks 72nd.
• The Virginia Tech College of Engineering undergraduate program ranked 16th in the nation (tied
with Pennsylvania State, Rice, and Texas A&M) among all accredited engineering schools that offer
doctorates. The program ranked sixth among engineering schools at public universities.
• The Pamplin College of Business ranked 40th among the nation’s undergraduate business programs
and 24th among public institutions. Pamplin’s overall ranking places it in the top 10 percent of the
445 U.S. undergraduate programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business International.
• The College of Engineering’s Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics ranked fifth in the
nation, tying with Stanford University. Other notable placements: The Charles E. Via Jr. Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s two programs ranked ninth and 12th, respectively. The
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering ranked 10th, with the Department of Aerospace
and Ocean Engineering ranking 13th for its aerospace program; the Department of Mechanical
Engineering at 15th; and the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at 17th.
• The university was also listed among 33 universities named as having outstanding “undergraduate
research and creative project” programs for undergraduate students, specifically targeting freshmen.
The ranking was listed alphabetically.
The university’s undergraduate architecture program in the College of Architecture and Urban
Studies’ School of Architecture + Design was ranked third in the nation in the 13th annual America’s
Best Architecture & Design Schools study conducted by the journal DesignIntelligence. The school’s
undergraduate program in interior design was ranked 10th and the graduate landscape architecture
program, offered in both Blacksburg and in the National Capital Region, was ranked 12th.
Tech’s apparel program was ranked 15th in the world by Fashion-Schools.org, based on the quality of
programs offered, job and internship placements, industry reputation, teaching facilities, and tuition
costs.
The Princeton Review ranked Tech second in the nation for Best Campus Food, third for Their Students
Love These Colleges, fourth for Town-Gown Relationships are Great, and sixth for Best Quality of Life.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked Virginia Tech among the 100 public colleges and
universities that offer a first-class educational experience at a bargain price.
Virginia Tech, with an average starting salary of $51,600 for graduates, ranked fifth in the nation in 2011
in that metric among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, behind Stanford, Duke, Georgia
Tech, and Notre Dame, according to the website Payscale.com. The ACC ranked first among all FBS
conferences. Virginia Tech also ranked in the top 20 nationally for mid-career salaries of graduates of FBS
schools. At 14th, Virginia Tech graduates bring in an average mid-career salary of $91,500.
18
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Graduate
U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2013” (spring 2012)
• The College of Engineering’s overall graduate program ranked 24th among all schools of
engineering, up one place from the 2011 survey.
• Four departments within the College of Engineering finished in the top 10 of their respective
category. The Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering ranked eighth
among civil engineering programs, with the environmental engineering program ranking seventh.
The Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering ranked third among industrial/
manufacturing programs. The biological systems engineering department, also part of the College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences, ranked seventh in the nation among biological/agricultural
programs.
• The career and technical education graduate program in the College of Liberal Arts and Human
Sciences’ School of Education ranked fifth among vocational and technical specialties.
• The public affairs program in the School of Public and International Affairs, College of Architecture
and Urban Studies, ranked 37th in the nation.
• Two programs within the College of Science were rated among the best in the nation. In the
geosciences department, the paleontology program ranked ninth and the earth sciences program
ranked 28th.
• The Pamplin College of Business ranked 37th among the nation’s best part-time M.B.A. schools.
DesignIntelligence ranked the graduate landscape architecture program fourth in North America, the
graduate interior design program 10th, and the graduate architecture program 12th.
General Information
With more than 23,700 undergraduate students, about 6,800 graduate students, and more than 3,300
faculty members and researchers, Virginia Tech offers more degree programs and awards more diplomas
than any other university in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Virginia Tech’s fully computerized library contains more than 2.3 million volumes, an array of specialized
collections, and numerous electronic databases.
Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top 15 schools in the nation in number of patents received.
Virginia Tech is one of only three public universities in the United States to support both a military and a
nonmilitary student lifestyle (the others are Texas A&M and North Georgia College and State University).
Membership in the corps of cadets was mandatory for all able-bodied males until 1964, when it became
optional. The corps preceded the federal service academies by first admitting women in 1973.
The Center for Digital Government named Blacksburg the sixth-most technologically advanced town in
the nation among urban areas with a population of 30,000 to 74,999.
Research
For fiscal year 2010, Virginia Tech ranked 47th in the nation for total research and development
expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Research and development
expenditures for 2011, for which there has not yet been a ranking, were $450,058,000.
Each year, the university receives significant external support from an ever-expanding base of sponsors
for research, instruction, and outreach projects. In fiscal year 2012, the university received more than
$260.9 million to conduct research.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
19
Seven research institutes have been created to draw upon established strengths and build resources:
• 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
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
The largest research institutes at the university are the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and the Virginia
Tech Transportation Institute.
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), with almost 300 employees and $104 million in active
research awards, has a mission to save lives, time, and money for the transportation industry. Facilities
include the 2.2-mile, two-lane, fully instrumented “Smart Road” and more than 51,000 square feet of office
and specialized laboratory space — such as an asphalt lab, fully equipped garages, instrumentation bays,
and a machine shop for working on VTTI’s vehicle fleet.
The Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI), with more than 200 people and $109 million in active research
awards, combines information technology, medicine, and biology to solve problems in the biomedical,
environmental, and agricultural sciences. VBI research has contributed to public health and national safety.
The Fralin Life Science Institute is dedicated to increasing the quality, quantity, and competitiveness of
life science research, education, and outreach at Virginia Tech by coalescing resources around existing
and emerging strengths within the life science community. Institute researchers investigate vector-borne
disease, infectious disease, obesity, molecular plant sciences, and cancer biology.
Focused on the intersection of the arts, creative technologies, and learning, the Institute for Creativity,
Arts, and Technology will contribute to society through programs that promote creativity, critical thinking,
and life-long learning. It will provide an innovative environment within which to conduct and apply
transdisciplinary, collaborative research that will enhance learning in pre-kindergarten through high
school and higher education environments. Targeted research and scholarship areas will include creative
and critical thinking skills; learning advancement, especially in math, science, social studies, and language
arts; and innovation of transdisciplinary educational experiences.
The Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science is building capacity at the intersection of
engineering, science, biology, and the humanities. Thrust areas include nanoscale science and engineering,
nano-bio interface, sustainable energy, safe and sustainable water, national security, cognition and
communication systems, renewable materials, and emerging technologies. Researchers from across
the university are taking advantage of the Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory and
building collegial partnerships as they use the resources of two new buildings — one in the university’s
engineering corridor and one in the life sciences corridor.
The Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment is strengthening the university’s competitive position
in the social sciences, humanities, and the arts. The institute provides organizational, technical, and
financial support for targeted creative, interactive, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary research
endeavors that address issues of social and individual transformation. The Global Issues Initiative is
researching trade policies and poverty in Pakistan and the Philippines and the implications of agricultural
subsidies in eight countries, among other issues. A Center for Public Health Practice and Research has been
established to foster interdisciplinary, collaborative public health practice and research activities at Virginia
Tech and among external public health agencies, organizations, practitioners, and researchers.
20
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
The Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute was created in 2009 to make major scientific advances
in understanding and addressing the fundamental processes of human health and disease with
development of new approaches to diagnosis, treatments, prevention, and cures. The mission is to
become a premier institute of interdisciplinary and translational research within the medical sciences,
to facilitate research-based medical education, and to improve patient care through discovery and
partnerships with clinicians. The first faculty members’ research emphasis areas are: brain function of
children and adults in health as well as in neurological and psychiatric disorders; molecular studies
of cancer and heart development; infectious diseases in children; addiction and substance abuse;
development of novel neurorehabilitation strategies for traumatic brain injury, PTSD, depression, and
seizure disorders; and early life educational interventions for children at risk.
Other areas of research achievement and ongoing investigation throughout the university include highperformance computing; advanced materials; wireless telecommunication; housing; human and animal
health; cognition, development, and behavior; the environment; and energy, including power electronics,
biofuels, fuel cells, and solar-powered building structures. In the social sciences, scholarship and creative
work include cultural expression and literature; interactions between ideas, technology, and people; and
performing arts.
The university is affiliated with two human medical schools, each with a significant research component.
The Virginia Tech–Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences integrates
the capabilities of the Virginia Tech College of Engineering, Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Virginia Tech’s research includes
biomechanics, cellular transport, computational modeling, biomaterials, bioheat and mass transfer,
biofluid mechanics, instrumentation, ergonomics, and tissue engineering.
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine welcomed its first class in August 2010. Curriculum value
domains are basic sciences, clinical sciences, research, and interprofessionalism. Students and clinicians
will be partners in the research enterprise.
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc. (VTIP) was established as a nonprofit corporation in 1985 to
support the research mission of the university by protecting and licensing intellectual properties that
result from research performed by Virginia Tech faculty and staff members and students. During fiscal
year 2012, 17 U.S. patents and 65 foreign patents were awarded to VTIP, and 32 license and option
agreements were signed.
The Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC), a private nonprofit corporation affiliated
with Virginia Tech, was established in fall 2010. With offices in Northern Virginia and Blacksburg, VTARC will foster applied research and development, and management of large contract research projects.
It will apply Virginia Tech’s basic and scholarly research achievements, expertise, and collaborations
across multiple disciplines to solve complex national challenges in intelligence, cyber and information
technology, national security, energy, and health.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
21
Colleges
College Of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Virginia Cooperative Extension are part of a consortium
that released the “Virginia Farm to Table Plan: A Strategic Plan for Strengthening Virginia’s Food System
and Economic Future.” This entrepreneurial initiative contains 38 distinct recommendations related to
business and production management, market development, food system planning, management and
policy, food security, food safety, diet and health, and implementation.
U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools 2013 survey ranked the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Biological Systems Engineering seventh among biological
and agricultural programs in the country.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the first college at Virginia Tech to provide publications in
an e-book format. Virginia Cooperative Extension’s free publications are available for iPads, iPhones, and
iPod touch.
Ground was broken for the new Human and Agricultural Biosciences Building 1, a 93,860-square-foot
facility that will house the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ departments of Biological Systems
Engineering and Food Science and Technology. The state-of-the-art building will have open-plan
laboratories, pilot plant research space, a sensory/flavor-testing suite, prep kitchens, and more. It is
scheduled to open in late 2013. It is the first building in the new Biosciences Precinct, which will have
more than 400,000 square feet of research facilities.
The college established the Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results, or VALOR, program — a
new adult leadership development program that aims to prepare leaders to meet future challenges in
Virginia’s agricultural community, create collaborative solutions, and promote agriculture throughout the
state.
In fiscal year 2012, the college had record research expenditures of $41,830,830 — an increase of 8.6
percent over the previous year. Several departments also set records for their amount of research awards.
The college received 585 awards for a total of more than $44 million.
Researchers in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences made a discovery that will help lead to the
understanding of how mosquitoes spread diseases, such as West Nile virus and dengue fever. Kevin
Myles and Zach Adelman, both associate professors of entomology, identified a novel antiviral pathway
in the immune system of mosquitoes.
The college and Virginia Cooperative Extension are part of three-year study to develop, implement, and
evaluate a food security strategy to enhance the resilience of the Southern Appalachian region, with a
special focus on local food access and affordability for low-income populations.
Outstanding Faculty
Researchers in the Department of Horticulture were part of a team of international scientists who
successfully sequenced the genome of the potato, the world’s third-most-important crop. The concept for
the project was based on the doctoral work of Richard Veilleux, the Julian and Margaret Gary Professor of
Horticulture.
22
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Carl E. Zipper, associate professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist for crop and soil
environmental sciences, received Virginia Tech’s 2012 Alumni Award for Outreach Excellence.
Pablo Sobrado, assistant professor of biochemistry, was awarded Costa Rica’s 2011 National Technology
Prize for his significant contribution to the diagnosis and treatment of infectious and tropical diseases.
Sobrado researches issues related to Chagas disease, tuberculosis, and fungal infections that infect more
than 20 million people worldwide.
Dini Miller, associate professor of entomology, received the university’s 2012 Alumni Award for
Excellence in Extension. She is an urban pest management specialist for Virginia Cooperative Extension.
An international research team led in part by Associate Professor Boris Vinatzer in the Department of
Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science used the latest DNA sequencing to track a pathogen that
is devastating the international kiwifruit back to its likely origin in China.
Department of Entomology assistant professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist Chris Bergh
prepared the application for a new pesticide to fight off the stinkbug in Virginia, which has been causing
problems for growers and homeowners alike.
Susan D. Day, assistant professor of urban forestry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the
College of Natural Resources and Environment, helped develop the nation’s most comprehensive system
for rating the sustainable design, construction, and maintenance of built landscapes.
Scott Jessee, Russell County agriculture and natural resources agent for Virginia Cooperative Extension,
received Virginia Tech’s 2012 Alumni Award for Excellence in Extension.
Professor John M. McDowell, in the Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science,
published a paper demonstrating how a protein called enhanced disease susceptibility 1 activates
different components of the plant immune system. The discovery will help scientists enhance disease
resistance in crops.
Paul Siegel, whose decades-long career has contributed to international research on animal genetics,
received an honorary doctorate from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala,
Sweden. Siegel is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Animal and Poultry Sciences in the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Jeffrey Derr, professor of plant pathology, physiology, and weed science at the Hampton Roads
Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach, was named a Weed Science Society of
America (WSSA) Fellow in recognition of his meritorious contributions to weed science and the WSSA.
Shawn Askew, associate professor of plant pathology, physiology, and weed science, and turfgrass weed
science Extension specialist, received the Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Early Career
Weed Scientist Award.
Janet Rankin, in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, was elected the next president
of the American College of Sports Medicine, the largest organization of its kind in the world.
Student/Student Group Achievers
The 4-H Livestock Judging Team placed third overall at the 2011 National 4-H Livestock Judging
Competition.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
23
A team of eight Virginia Tech graduate students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
and the College of Natural Resources and Environment won the national GeoLeague Challenge at the
American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing conference. The society is one of the leading
professional organizations devoted to advancing research and applications of geospatial data.
The Virginia Tech Soil Judging Team finished first out of 21 teams and more than 125 contestants at the
National Collegiate Soil Judging Championship. This win marks the fourth time that Virginia Tech has
taken home the prestigious trophy.
Catherine Larochelle, a doctoral student in agricultural and applied economics in the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences, received an Outstanding Dissertation Award from Virginia Tech’s Graduate
School. Larochell won the social sciences category.
A team from the Department of Food Science and Technology finished in second place in the Developing
Solutions for Developing Countries competition in which the students invented a mango-based product
that addresses common nutrient deficiencies in Kenya.
Students from the Department of Dairy Sciences took second place at the National Intercollegiate Dairy
Cattle Judging Contest at the World Dairy Expo.
College Of Architecture and Urban Studies
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
Lumenhaus, Virginia Tech’s entry in the Solar Decathlon Europe, was declared the most-efficient structure
in the decathlon, beating out 16 other solar houses from seven countries on three continents. Lumenhaus
placed in almost all of the 10 judging categories, including tying for first in architecture, taking second in
communication and social awareness, and placing third in industrialization and market viability and in
lighting. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) also selected it as one of only nine recipients of the
2012 AIA Institute Honor Awards for Architecture.
The Myers-Lawson School of Construction is partnering with the Pamplin College of Business to offer
a new simultaneous degree option at the master’s level. Students now have the opportunity to earn an
M.B.A. alongside an M.S. in either construction engineering management or building construction in two
years.
The undergraduate program in architecture in the School of Architecture + Design was ranked third
in the 13th annual America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools study conducted by the journal
DesignIntelligence. The school’s undergraduate program in interior design was also ranked in the study’s
top 10 in its field. The graduate landscape architecture program, offered in both Blacksburg and in the
National Capital Region, was ranked 12th in North America.
Following several years of careful planning, Tech’s government and international affairs program is
partnering with the University of Kent campuses in Brussels and in Canterbury to offer Virginia Tech and
Kent students a dual master’s degree in public and international affairs and in international studies.
Outstanding Faculty
Professor Laurel McSherry was named one of five Research Award winners in the 2011-12 William
Turnbull Competition, sponsored by the California Architectural Foundation. The five projects, all dealing
with “Drylands Design,” were awarded research grants of $10,000 each from the Arid Lands Institute at
Woodbury University.
24
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Joseph Schilling, research assistant professor and associate director of the Metropolitan Institute at
Virginia Tech, and Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Alan Mallach coauthored “Cities in Transition: A
Guide for Practicing Planners,” published by the American Planning Association (APA). The two authors
presented the report at the 2012 Virginia APA Conference.
Keith and Marie Zawistowski, both assistant professors of practice, received the Grand Prize from the
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) for their practice curriculum, described
by the prize committee as “engaging students in the often ‘mundane’ subject of professional practice by
introducing it as a design problem — an innovative means to make the subject relevant to students.”
NCARB also awarded Joseph Wheeler, Robert Dunay, Robert Schubert, and David Clark a 2011 NCARB
prize for their work on Lumenhaus.
Robert Dunay, the T.A. Carter Professor of Architecture in the School of Architecture + Design, was
named one of the 25 Most Admired Educators of 2012 by DesignIntelligence. This is the third time that
Dunay, who is also the director of the Center for Design Research, has received this recognition from the
magazine.
ACSA also recognized James Bassett with the ACSA/AIAS New Faculty Teaching Award, given jointly
by ACSA and the American Institute of Architecture Students. This award recognizes demonstrated
excellence in performance during the formative years of an architectural teaching career.
Derek Hyra, of the School of Public and International Affairs, was named to the U.S. Small Business
Administration’s Advisory Council on Underserved Communities.
Anne Khademian, a professor with the Center for Public Administration and Policy in the School of
Public and International Affairs, was elected a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow.
Four professors from the School of Architecture + Design were among 25 faculty members in North
America named Most Admired Educators of 2010 in the 11th annual America’s Best Architecture and
Design Schools study by DesignIntelligence. They were Brian Katen, Ronald Kemnitzer, Patrick Miller,
and Lisa Tucker.
Student/Student Group Achievers
A group of industrial design and architecture students led by Prof. Akshay Sharma is working to see how
design can improve the everyday lives of people in poor communities. The program, entitled “Designing
Empowerment,” focuses on the technical and social factors that define life for the world’s poorest
and attempts to create practical tools to assist them. Two projects undertaken by this group received
international recognition: “Immune,” a cell phone-based vaccination solution, was named the winner of
the 2012 Design for All Foundation Award; “laXmi,” a financial literacy system for illiterate women, was
named a finalist for the 2012 World Design Impact Prize. Both projects were selected as Bronze Award
winners in the prestigious International Design Excellence Awards program from the Industrial Designers
Society of America.
Two interior design students received top honors in the annual student design competition sponsored
by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Hannah Chessman was awarded first place, and
Jennifer Boyd received an honorable mention. This is the third year in a row that a Virginia Tech interior
design student has won one of the two national competitions for students of interior design.
A team of five Virginia Tech students from the colleges of Architecture and Urban Studies and
Engineering won first place in the Associated Schools of Construction/Associated General Contractors
Region II Heavy-Civil competition. The student teams were given a construction problem statement at 7
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
25
a.m. on the day of the competition and had until 8 p.m. that same day to develop a solution, an estimate,
and construction schedule. The teams had to consider concrete placement, traffic control, structural steel
erection, bridge construction, and conventional concrete in their solution for the fictional Port Everglades
Bridge project in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
College Of Engineering
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
Virginia Tech is the home of the commonwealth’s leading College of Engineering, known in Virginia and
throughout the nation for the excellence of its programs in engineering education, research, and public
service.
Virginia Tech educates almost half of all the engineering graduates produced in Virginia, and it is among
the top five providers of engineering baccalaureates in the U.S. Recruiters named the college as one of the
top five places to hire new graduates, according to an independent Wall Street Journal survey.
Among the many highlights of 2011-12, the College of Engineering brought in more than $205 million, or
approximately one fifth of the overall university’s capital campaign goal of $1 billion. The college raised
$50 million more than its target of $155 million.
In addition to the Signature Engineering Building entering year two of its construction, two new
engineering research buildings are underway. Space@VT will occupy most of the first floor of the
first building in the new Phase II expansion of the Corporate Research Center. Aerospace and ocean
engineering will have space on the first and third floors of the new Technology Research and Innovation
Center in Hampton Roads. An aerobiology building and the VT Propulsion Lab are in planning stages.
In U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2013” survey, released in September 2012, the
college’s undergraduate program ranked 16th among all accredited engineering schools, and sixth among
public universities.
The magazine’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2013” survey, released in April 2012, ranked the
college’s graduate program 24th among the nation’s engineering schools. The Charles E. Via Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering ranked eighth among civil engineering programs and seventh
among environmental engineering programs; the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems ranked
third for industrial/manufacturing programs; and the biological systems department ranked seventh
among biological/agricultural programs.
In the college’s annual accounting to the American Society of Engineering Education, it reported $152.7
million in research expenditures for fiscal year 2011. This is a college record, and up to 13 percent from
$134.8 million in fiscal year 2010. The National Science Foundation (NSF) ranked the college 10th in the
nation for research in fiscal year 2008 (released in April 2010 and not yet updated). Overall, the college is
a quarter-of-a-billion dollar annual enterprise with approximately one-half of that money raised each year
through direct research dollars generated by the faculty.
The School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences’ research is growing exponentially. From its birth
in 2000 with almost no research spending, the numbers climbed to more than $16 million by 2011
(latest reported number). In just about a decade, it rose from unranked to 37th in the nation. A new
undergraduate minor starts in fall 2012.
26
University Facts & Figures 2012-13
In March 2012, with funding from the NSF, the Center for Tire Research, or CenTIRe, was established. It
focuses on developing new tire materials, as well as the manufacturing, modeling and simulation, and
testing of tires. Saied Taheri, associate professor of mechanical engineering, serves as the director. The
group already has 12 tire and auto companies as members, including Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.,
Michelin North America Inc., Bridgestone Firestone North American Holdings Ltd., Ford Motor Co., and
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
Virginia Tech opened its new Brüel & Kjær Laboratory for Aerospace Vibration and Acoustics. The
laboratory is part of Virginia Tech’s National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) Research and Innovation
Laboratories in Hampton, Va. It contains instrumentation and equipment for measuring and analyzing
vibration and sound, and is sponsored by Brüel & Kjær. NIA’s labs are directed by Christopher R. Fuller,
who is Virginia Tech’s Samuel Langley Distinguished Professor of Engineering.
Outstanding Faculty
Twelve current, adjunct, or emeritus faculty members are also members of the prestigious National
Academy of Engineering. Eleven current or emeritus faculty members are University Distinguished
Professors; four are Alumni Distinguished Professors; one is a McArthur Genius award recipient; and two
have received the Benjamin Franklin Medal.
The 2012 National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates Presidents Award
recipient is Bevlee Watford, the college’s engineering associate dean for academic affairs and the director
of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity. Watford was cited for her support for the
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational program.
In December of 2011, the Brain Trauma Foundation honored the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University
biomedical program with its 2011 Brain Trauma Foundation Award. Stefan Duma, professor and head of
the biomedical engineering program for Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, accepted the award in New York,
saying the research advancements made by the biomedical engineering program will help reduce the risk
of traumatic brain injuries in both automobile accidents and on the football field.
Duma, who holds the Harry Wyatt Professorship in Engineering, oversaw research published in February
2012 that prompted Pop Warner — which has more than 285,000 children ages 5 to 15 in its leagues — to
issue rules changes to limit concussions. Duma’s study, the first of its kind for participants that young,
placed sensors in the helmets of seven youth football players ages 6 to 8 during their 2011 season. Duma’s
research has shown that the damage from concussions can be cumulative, and that the brains of younger
athletes may be particularly susceptible.
Panos Diplas, professor of civil and environmental engineering, is the 2012 recipient of the Hans Albert
Einstein Award, presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is also a member of a team
receiving the 2012 Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Award, presented by the same society. Diplas’ Einstein
honor is the result of “his significant contributions in river and sediment transport, macroscopic relations
for bed load transport, riverbed sediment sampling, self-formed channels, ecohydraulics, and the
microscopic study of sediment transport and its relation to turbulence,” according to the award citation.
Charli, the robotic Hokie, was featured in Time magazine’s issue on the greatest inventions of 2011. Also,
Charli and his creator, Dennis Hong, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and his engineering
students from the RoMeLa Laboratory, were the subject of a cover story in the Washington Post Magazine.
Charli is the first untethered, autonomous, full-sized, walking, humanoid robot with four moving limbs
and a head built in the United States.
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Wu Feng, of the computer science department, unveiled the supercomputer HokieSpeed, built for
$1.4 million, just one-tenth of a percent of the cost of the Top500’s current No. 1 supercomputer, the K
Computer from Japan. The majority of funding for HokieSpeed came from a $2 million National Science
Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant. HokieSpeed has enough computational capability to
place it at No. 96 on the most recent Top500 List, the industry-standard ranking of the world’s 500 fastest
supercomputers. But more intriguing is HokieSpeed’s energy efficiency, which ranks it at No. 11 in the
world on the November 2011 Green500 List, a compilation of supercomputers that excel at using less
energy to do more. On the Green500 List, HokieSpeed is the highest-ranked commodity supercomputer
in the United States.
Five faculty members won National Science Foundation CAREER awards in 2012. They are Rafaella
DeVita and Shane Ross, of engineering science and mechanics; Joseph Baker and Chao Wang, of electrical
and computer engineering; and Holly Matusovich, of engineering education. Four new faculty members
brought their CAREER awards with them. Sixty-nine current engineering faculty have received this
prestigious honor.
Student/Student Group Achievers
The engineering students at Virginia Tech were chosen as the most philanthropic in the country for 2012,
as well operating the nation’s best Student Engineers’ Council, according to the results of the recent
annual competition hosted by the National Association of Engineering Student Councils at Purdue
University. The council was cited for its donation of more than $100,000 to the college during the year, as
well as more than $1 million in the past 10 years. This money was used for various engineering projects.
Tech’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory team dominated RoboCup’s 2012 international humanoid
robot soccer competition for the second year in a row, once again wining the adult- and kid-sized
humanoid soccer robot competitions.
Senior design team BOLT placed second at the TTXGP eGrand PrixRace at the Portland International
Raceway in summer 2012. TTXGP is the world’s first zero-emissions motorcycle race series, and Virginia
Tech’s entry, BOLT, stands for Battery Operated Land Transportation. The team received funding for the
design of BOLT from the Virginia Tech Student Engineers’ Council, Boeing, General Motors, FFR Trikes,
Areva, Plastics One, Kollmorgen, and Solutia.
For the third consecutive year, a team of doctoral students from the Department of Computer Science
and Center for Human-Computer Interaction won first place in the 3-D User Interfaces contest. The
2012 competition required students to build a computer application that allowed two users to navigate
through a complicated 3-D environment without any direct verbal communication.
College Of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
The apparel program in the Department of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management was ranked
No. 15 in the world by FashionSchools.org. The program was cited for its focus on new technologies and
consumer-centric industry information, as well as its internship program.
The M.F.A. program in creative writing in the Department of English was again recognized by Poets
& Writers Magazine. In 2012, the program improved its ranking to No. 23 among 400 M.F.A. programs
nationally, moving up nine positions since 2011. The program continues to enjoy excellent rankings in
other areas as well: 16th in poetry and 29th in fiction.
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Outstanding Faculty
Mark V. Barrow Jr., professor and chair of the Department of History, was selected as the winner of
the 2011 Susan Elizabeth Abrams Prize, awarded biennially for the best book in the history of science
published by the University of Chicago Press. Barrow received the recognition for “Nature’s Ghosts:
Confronting Extinction from the Age of Jefferson to the Age of Ecology.”
Co-edited by Robert E. Denton Jr., chair of the Department of Communication, and John Hendricks,
“Communicator-in-Chief: How Barack Obama Used New Media Technology to Win the White House”
won the 2011 Distinguished Book Award from the Applied Communication Division of the National
Communication Association.
University Distinguished Professor and Department of Political Science Chair Timothy W. Luke was
honored at the combined Western Political Science Association annual meetings and the 10th anniversary
celebrations for the Environmental Political Theory Workshop. The event’s concluding roundtable,
“Great Works in Environmental Political Thought,” featured Luke’s “Ecocritique: Contesting the Politics
of Nature, Economy, and Culture,” as one of three benchmark works that continue to anchor and orient
contemporary scholarship in this area of political thought.
Erika Meitner, associate professor of English, won the 2012 Emily Clark Prize for Poetry from the
Virginia Quarterly Review. She was selected for her series of poems, titled “This Is Not a Requiem for
Detroit,” published in spring 2011. Annually, the quarterly recognizes the best work in each literary genre
published in the previous year’s issues.
Fred Piercy, professor of human development, was appointed editor of the Journal of Marital and Family
Therapy, the flagship journal of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the
largest family therapy journal in the world.
The National Council on Family Relations conferred its prestigious Fellow status on Joyce Arditti,
associate professor in the Department of Human Development. Arditti is known nationally and
internationally for her disciplined study of marginalized groups (e.g. prisoners and the families of
prisoners), including issues of poverty, diversity, and social justice, and the intersection of families and
social policy.
Benjamin Sax, assistant professor in the Department of Religion and Culture, was named faculty principal
of the residential college at West Ambler Johnston. Jennifer Quijano Sax, assistant program director for
education abroad in the Office of International Research, Education, and Development, accepted the role
of Senior Fellow. They live in the faculty apartment of the residential college, which houses more than
800 students and just opened this fall after extensive renovations. Three other CLAHS faculty members
are serving as associate faculty principals: Sheila Carter-Tod, an associate professor of English; Matthew
Gabriele, an associate professor in religion and culture; and Erika Meitner, an associate professor of
English.
Student/Student Group Achievers
Nicole Faut, an interdisciplinary studies major in the Department of Religion and Culture who also has
minors in history and medieval and early modern studies, received a 2012-13 Fulbright award. Faut’s
experience with creative expression paved the way to India, where she will work on her project, titled
“Bhiti Chitra: The History and Applications of Murals in South India.” Faut also received a Critical
Language Enhancement Award and will spend three months taking advanced classes in Hindi in an
immersion experience.
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Robyn Jones, a master’s candidate in educational leadership and policy studies in the School of
Education, was selected as the 2012-13 graduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of
Visitors. Jones earned her bachelor’s degree in pre-law and public policy from Virginia Tech in 2005. As
an undergraduate, she was elected class president in 2002 and served as a senator and executive director
in the Student Government Association and as a resident advisor.
Damion Blake, an ASPECT student, was awarded a Latin American Security, Drugs, and Democracy
Fellowship. He was among 20 doctoral candidates and junior researchers at top-ranked research
universities and Latin American Studies centers to receive this prestigious fellowship. Blake returned
to his native Jamaica to study the place and power of the Jamaican don in the country’s inner-city
communities.
The Virginia Tech Relay For Life and its 5,500 participants raised more than $600,000 for the American
Cancer Society. Virginia Tech was ranked the No. 1 university in terms of online fundraising, according to
American Cancer Society reports. The event was directed by Emily Feeney, who graduated with a degree
in communication.
Philipp Kotlaba was named the 2012 Outstanding Graduating Senior in the college. A member of the
University Honors Program, Kotlaba received his degree with three majors (international studies,
German, and psychology). After being accepted at several of the nation’s elite schools, he chose to enter
Yale University’s School of Law.
Jennifer McCloud, a doctoral candidate in curriculum and instruction in the School of Education, was
awarded the 2011-12 CLAHS Outstanding Doctoral Student award and the CLAHS 2012 Graduate
Humanities Fellowship. McCloud specializes in English as a second language and multicultural
education.
College Of Natural Resources and Environment
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
The National Science Foundation has ranked the university’s agricultural science and natural resources
research program in the top five among the nation’s universities and colleges since 2007. This ranking
includes figures from the colleges of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Natural Resources and Environment,
and Veterinary Medicine.
The college’s forestry, fisheries, and wildlife programs have consistently ranked among the top in the
nation. In its most recent ranking of doctoral programs, the National Research Council rated Virginia
Tech’s graduate program in forestry as one of the country’s best.
A new bachelor of science degree in meteorology, the first in the commonwealth, was initiated in spring
2012. The degree program, which resides in the Department of Geography, prepares students for careers
in meteorology and weather forecasting with a significant focus on geospatial information technology,
and unites data from both the natural and human environments. Enrollment numbers easily surpassed
expectations.
The college’s Leadership Institute develops leadership abilities in some of its top undergraduate students
to prepare them for managing natural resources for sustainability and biodiversity. In this two-semester
special study sequence, select students with demonstrated leadership skills and academic ability
strengthen their talents through in-class discussion and hands-on leadership projects.
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Faculty and students in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation are collaborating with
researchers across the globe to help save tigers, one of the world’s most endangered species, from
extinction. In the mountains of Nepal, researchers are using genetic sampling to identify individual
tigers and track their movements. A study in Sumatra is the first of its kind to systematically investigate
the use of different land cover types for tiger habitat. The study’s use of geographic information system
technology was featured in a cover story in GeoWorld magazine.
The college renamed its wood science and forest products department the Department of Sustainable
Biomaterials to more accurately reflect the wide scope of education and research being conducted.
In recent years, faculty expertise has diversified to include education and research activities in
nanomaterials, drug delivery, adhesion science, advanced composites, nontimber forest products,
biofuels, aseptic packaging, and sustainable biomaterials.
The college’s urban forestry program collaborated with state and nonprofit partners to develop a
specialty license plate to raise awareness of the value of community trees. Proceeds from the “Virginia
Loves Trees” plate will benefit Virginia Tech’s urban forestry program and its partner, Trees Virginia, the
state’s Urban Forestry Council.
The college took the lead in organizing three interdisciplinary events on campus. The International
Year of Forests celebration highlighted the life and legacy of Aldo Leopold, father of the American
conservation and wildlife management movement. The Showcase of Female Scientists, which examined
the challenges facing graduate students, faculty, and staff in the sciences, included noteworthy speakers
and a panel on work and life balance. The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Ecological Society of America’s
annual conference, one of the largest ever held by the chapter, offered students a valuable opportunity to
network with experts from across the region.
The college collaborated with Primland, a 12,000-acre sporting resort near Meadows of Dan, Va., on a
field guide for the property as well as a geocache trail, which were unveiled at a weekend event that also
celebrated Primland’s new tree house accommodations. The college continues to partner with Primland
on a number of ongoing projects at the site, including a cultural plant survey, water quality work, golden
eagle research, and naturalist courses for guests and employees.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation worked with the Virginia Department of Game and
Inland Fisheries on a statewide management plan for more than 200,000 acres of land on 39 wildlife
management areas. A two-year study, in which more than 4,000 wildlife management area users were
surveyed for their input on the agency’s management techniques, was one of the first in the country to
solicit user input.
Outstanding Faculty
Associate Professor Kathleen Alexander continues to stay at the forefront of research on the humanwildlife interface. She received a National Science Foundation grant to investigate the links between
humans’ and animals’ influence on water quality and, in turn, how water quality affects their health.
She is leading a team to study the management and control of water-borne diseases through a National
Institutes of Health grant. And she found evidence that buffalo may be an important species in the
transmission and persistence of the brucellosis pathogen in Botswana.
Geography instructor John Boyer, known for his Plaid Avenger alter ego and his unorthodox teaching
methods, has embraced social media in a way unmatched by few other faculty members. Not only does
he use social media to communicate with the 3,000 students in his oversized World Regions course, his
online campaigns have brought noteworthy guests to campus, including a visit by Martin Sheen and
Emilio Estevez to promote their film “The Way.” His class participated in an exclusive online interview
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
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with Burmese political activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in what EdTech Digest
called “the best use of Skype ever.”
Post-doctoral researcher John “J.D.” Willson co-authored a study on the impact of invasive Burmese
pythons on mammal populations in the Everglades. His collaborative research, which attracted national
attention, found that the huge snakes — probably descended from escaped or released pets — appear
to be wiping out the area’s populations of raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and other small mammals. The
findings suggest that the pythons will have dramatic effects on the overall ecosystem of the Everglades.
Janaki Alavalapati, professor and head of the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental
Conservation, was named a 2011 Senior Fellow in the U.S. State Department’s Energy and Climate
Partnership of the Americas program.
Sarah Karpanty, associate professor of wildlife, was elected to serve as president of the Faculty Senate for
2012-13.
Brian Murphy, professor of fisheries, is president of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries
Society.
Marc Stern, associate professor of natural resources education and communication, has been selected as a
Scholar of the Clemson University Institute for Parks, one of the largest concentrations of park researchers
in any U.S. academic institution.
Daniel Hindman, associate professor of wood engineering, has been named editor of Wood Design Focus,
a journal produced by the Forest Products Society.
Michael Schwarz, an adjunct assistant professor and an aquaculture specialist at the Virginia Seafood
Agricultural Research and Extension Center, was presented with a letter of entrustment from the Jeju
Special Self-Governing Province of South Korea naming him an honorary ambassador for the island.
Schwarz is also president-elect of the World Aquaculture Society.
Alan Thornhill, an adjunct faculty member in the college’s National Capital Region graduate program,
was selected as the first chief environmental officer of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a unit of
the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Robert “Bob” Smith, associate dean of engagement, was appointed by the U.S. secretary of agriculture
to the Forestry Research Advisory Council, representing the interest area of forestry schools and state
agricultural experiment stations.
Three Extension educators received Gold Awards from the Association of Natural Resource Extension
Professionals: Scott Barrett for the Virginia SHARP Logger Program, Jennifer Gagnon for the Virginia
Forest Landowner Update newsletter, and Adam Downing for the “Four Minutes to a Better Backyard”
video.
Student/Student Group Achievers
Danielle Williams, who received an executive master of natural resources degree, was named a finalist for
a Presidential Management Fellowship, a highly competitive two-year post-graduate fellowship with a
federal agency. Fewer than 10 percent of the 9,000 applicants become finalists.
Katelin Shugart-Schmidt, a master’s student in fisheries and wildlife sciences, was named Virginia Tech’s
2012 Graduate Woman of the Year for her contributions to the Virginia Tech graduate community.
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The Hokies for Wetlands Team took first place in the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote
Sensing’s 2012 GeoLeague Challenge. The winning paper, prepared by the team of eight master’s and
doctoral students, appeared in the June 2012 issue of the journal Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote
Sensing.
Baojuan Zheng, a graduate student in geography, received the William A. Fischer Memorial Scholarship
from the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
Geography student Kathryn Prociv is challenging the belief that tornadoes break up as they hit mountain
ridges. Prociv was interviewed as the Storm Chase team prepared for its first trip of the 2012 season.
The student team of Wyatt Blevins (wildlife science) and Carson Rejzer (building construction) took fifth
place and a $5,000 prize in the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship.
Wildlife sciences graduate student Claudia Wultsch and her conservation dog Bruiser were featured in a
National Geographic homepage segment on scat studies.
Matt Hillman, a wildlife sciences master’s student conducting research on the North Carolina coast,
saved the life of a woman drowning in a rip tide. He was nominated for the U.S. Coast Guard Lifesaving
Award.
Clark DeHart, a wildlife science major, is a cast member of the award-winning television program “Aqua
Kids,” which shows young people the importance of preserving and protecting marine and aquatic
environments.
Pamplin College of Business
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
U.S. News & World Report ranked the Pamplin College of Business undergraduate program 40th overall
among the nation’s undergraduate business programs and 24th among public institutions. Pamplin’s
ranking places it in the top 10 percent of the 445 U.S. undergraduate programs accredited by AACSB
International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).
Other notable rankings:
• The undergraduate program ranked No. 52 overall, No. 37 by employers, according to Bloomberg
Businessweek.
• The M.B.A. program ranked No. 84, while the evening M.B.A. program ranked No. 37, U.S. News &
World Report.
• The masters of information technology program ranked fourth in the nation for teaching practices
and student engagement, 10th for faculty credentials and training, and 16th for student services and
technology, U.S. News & World Report.
• Accounting and information systems was among the top 25 undergraduate programs in accounting,
Public Accounting Report 29th Annual Professor’s Survey, 2010.
• Management and marketing had two faculty members among the world’s top 25 business ethics
scholars, Journal of Business Ethics, 2010.
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• Hospitality and tourism management: four faculty members among world’s top 50 tourism scholars,
Tourism Management, 2009.
The college developed an innovative program to help alleviate the critical national shortage of business
school faculty. Pamplin is among four U.S. business schools that have launched the first post-doctoral
“bridge-to-business” programs approved by AACSB International. The programs are designed to prepare
individuals with doctorates in nonbusiness, but related, disciplines for new careers as business faculty
members.
Six Pamplin majors are routinely in the 10 majors most sought after by recruiters visiting campus.
Outstanding Faculty
Faculty members who have received Fulbright awards are hospitality and tourism management Associate
Professor Vince Magnini, business law Professor Janine Hiller, management Professor Richard Wokutch,
accounting and information systems Professor France Belanger, hospitality and tourism management
Professor Mahmood Khan, and management Professor Larry French.
Business information technology Assistant Professor Alan Abrahams won the Decision Sciences
Institute’s 2011 Instructional Innovation Award for his pilot study on using “expeditionary learning,” an
educational approach used in the natural sciences, to teach e-commerce technologies.
Management Assistant Professor Steve Gove and his co-authors received the 2011 Sage Publications/
Robert McDonald Advancement of Organization Research Methodology Award by the Academy of
Management’s research methods division. The award recognized the scholarly contributions of their two
2005 Strategic Management Journal articles addressing measurement error in the management literature.
Management Associate Professor Jeffrey Arthur and his co-authors received the 2011 Best Paper Award
of the Academy of Management’s human resources division for their paper, “How a climate for incivility
affects business unit performance: testing a linkage model.”
The world’s top hospitality and tourism scholars include Pamplin’s Vince Magnini, Ken McCleary, and
Zvi Schwartz, according to a study in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism
Research.
Management Professor Richard Wokutch and marketing Professor Joseph Sirgy are listed among the most
productive researchers in business ethics, according to a study in the Journal of Business Ethics, which
ranked Virginia Tech 15th among the top 25 academic institutions in this field.
Anthony T. (Terry) Cobb, associate professor of management, received the university’s 2011 Edward S.
Diggs Teaching Scholars Award, presented annually to three Virginia Tech faculty members to recognize
exceptional contributions to the teaching program and learning environment. Cobb developed a
unique pedagogy of using self-managed student teams in his classes to address complex projects. His
textbook, “Leading Project Teams: An Introduction to the Basics of Project Management and Project
Team Leadership,” is designed for instructors in professional programs for use in class as well as in the
workplace.
Pamplin faculty members are tackling major issues in industry, finance, management practice, and
information technology, to name a few areas. Their research has contributed to greater understanding
of business issues, has been cited in government hearings and court testimony, and has played a role in
policymaking. Though sponsored research is not a central aspect of the research programs of business
schools, several Pamplin faculty members have attracted national funding for their research while
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
working as members of interdisciplinary teams. Based on publication in the leading academic journals
in their fields, the college’s departments are also regularly ranked among the nation’s or world’s top
programs for scholarly productivity.
Pamplin’s senior faculty members teach many of the required courses, and students learn from the
professors who win teaching and research awards, write the books used in classrooms everywhere, serve
as consultants to companies, or have worked in business and industry. The college has had 22 winners of
the university’s Wine Award for teaching excellence since the award was established in 1957.
Student/Student Group Achievers
Through two student-run investing groups, Pamplin students manage about $10 million of Virginia
Tech’s endowment. SEED (Student-managed Endowment for Educational Development) manages about
$5 million through stock investments and is believed to be the nation’s largest student-run portfolio that
is managed as an extracurricular activity. BASIS (Bond And Securities Investing by Students) manages
about $5 million in bonds and other fixed-income securities and is one of a handful of bond-only studentinvestor programs in the nation. SEED’s faculty advisors are finance professors John Pinkerton and Mike
Kender; BASIS is advised by professors George Morgan and Derek Klock.
Pamplin students are overseeing and advancing the college’s social media activities through a newly
established organization, PRISM (Pamplin Reinventing Social Media), under the guidance of marketing
instructor and faculty advisor Donna Wertalik.
A team led by Wertalik received the 2012 CASE District III Award of Excellence for the redesigned
website and social media platform for the marketing department. CASE is the Council for Advancement
and Support of Education.
Notable Alumni
The college is named in honor of alumni Robert B. Pamplin, the retired CEO of Georgia-Pacific who died
in June 2009 at age 97, and businessman and philanthropist Robert B. Pamplin Jr. The college’s notable
alumni include David Calhoun, chairman and CEO of The Nielsen Company and former vice-chair of GE;
Lance Smith, retired U.S. Air Force general and former commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command;
Terry Blevins, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Landmark Media Enterprises; Trish
Cox, chief operating officer of Schwab Advisor Services; Lynne Doughtie, national managing partner of
KPMG’s U.S. advisory services; Shirley Edwards, audit and advisory services partner at Ernst & Young;
C.E. Andrews, president and chief operating officer of RSM McGladrey, a subsidiary of H&R Block;
Vahan Janjigian, vice president and executive director of the Forbes Investors Advisory Institute, Forbes
chief investment strategist, and author of “Even Buffet Isn’t Perfect: What You Can and — Can’t — Learn
from the World’s Greatest Investor”; and Denman Zirkle, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley
Battlefields Foundation.
College of Science
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
The Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery is a critical new center committed to interdisciplinary
discovery of new drugs, therapies, and delivery mechanisms. The center collects faculty from across the
college and serves as a conduit with other colleges.
The College of Science is working in collaboration with the Institute for Arts, Creativity, and Technology
by using art to inspire advances in molecular structure and symmetry, and teamed science to provide new
means to convey science with novel avenues for effective communication.
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The Integrated Science Curriculum is a gateway for science majors and a vehicle to introduce emerging
degrees in nanoscience, neuroscience, computational science, and systems biology. A second class of 26
students entered in fall 2012.
The college hosted the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s MACRO2012 International
Congress — 1,400 scientists from 52 countries gathered at Virginia Tech. This prestigious event rotates to
the United States every 15 years.
Outstanding Faculty
Patricia Dove, C.P. Miles Professor of Science in the Department of Geosciences, was elected a member
of the National Academy of Sciences for sustained excellence in original scientific research. She will be
inducted in April 2013 during the 150th annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
William H. Woodall, professor of statistics, was given the Box Medal by the European Network of
Industrial and Business Statistics. The award recognizes an extraordinary statistician who has made
remarkable contributions to the development and application of statistical methods in business and
industry.
David G.I. Kingston, University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, has been named to the National
Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Thomas H. Ollendick, University Distinguished Professor of Psychology, received an honorary doctorate
from Stockholm University and was one of only 10 individuals internationally to receive the honor.
Timothy E. Long, professor of chemistry and associate dean of the College of Science, and member of the
Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute at Virginia Tech, was presented with the Pressure Sensitive Tape
Council Carl Dahlquist Award for his research relating to adhesive tape technology. He was also named
a Mark Scholar by the American Chemical Society, Division of Polymer Chemistry. The award is one of
three given annually to leaders in the combined fields of polymer science and engineering.
Jackson R. Webster, professor of ecology, received the 2012 William E. Wine Award. The award is an
automatic induction into the Academy of Teaching Excellence.
Yili Hong, assistant professor of statistics, was named a DuPont Young Professor. He was one of only 18
professors given the distinction from 11 U.S. and six international universities.
T. Daniel Crawford, professor of chemistry, received a 2012 Alumni Award for Excellence in Research.
The award is presented annually to no more than two university faculty members who have made
outstanding research contributions.
Lee Cooper, professor of psychology and director, Psychological Services Center, received the 2011-12
Diggs Teaching Scholar Award.
Vito Scarola, assistant professor of physics, received the 2011 DARPA Young Faculty Award, which
identifies and engages rising research stars in junior faculty positions.
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Student/Student Group Achievers
Kayvon Izadpanah, of Sterling, Va., and a recent graduate in biological sciences and biochemistry with
minors in international studies, medicine and society, and chemistry, and Carly Stephens, of Centreville,
Va., a recent graduate in biological sciences with a minor in Spanish, were selected as the 2012 Virginia
Tech Man and Woman of the Year.
Virginia-Maryland Regional College Of Veterinary Medicine
Noted Accomplishments/Honors
The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), in collaboration with the
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, launched a new master of public health program in response
to a critical shortage of trained public health professionals. The program, which offers concentrations in
public health education and infectious disease, integrates and expands public health opportunities at the
university.
One of the most common causes of lameness in horses — an injury to tendons or ligaments — can now
be treated at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center with platelet rich plasma (PRP). PRP is
derived from blood that is drawn from an equine patient and run through a centrifuge, which separates a
solution’s less-dense components from its heavier ones.
For the past several years, Dr. Elankumaran Subbiah, assistant professor in the Department of
Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, and a team of researchers from the college have conducted
innovative research to develop a treatment for cancer. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and
the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program of the Department of Defense have provided
major funding for Subbiah’s work, which focuses on creating a cancer therapy from genetically altered
Newcastle disease virus. This innovative work will continue thanks to a pledge from Robert Garst in
memory of his wife, Maria, who died from cancer. The Maria Garst Memorial Fund for Cancer Research
will enable Dr. John Rossmeisl, an associate professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical
Sciences, to take Subbiah’s work on brain tumors from the research laboratory into the clinical setting.
In response to an increased need for qualified veterinarians in North America, particularly those in
the public sector, the first-year class size has been increased. In addition, the new Veterinary Medicine
Instructional Addition includes a state-of-the-art clinical techniques laboratory, as well as small group
teaching spaces and faculty offices.
The Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine has partnered with the U.S. Animal Health
Association to create mentoring, education, and networking opportunities for veterinarians and
veterinary students. In response to increased demands for veterinarians in the public sector, the center is
working to expand activities in the areas of public health, public policy, international veterinary medicine,
organizational leadership, and the One Health Initiative.
Outstanding Faculty
Dr. Ansar Ahmed, professor of immunology and head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and
Pathobiology, completed research on a new, nonradioactive alternative to determining the proliferation of
lymphocytes. The paper he authored on his research surpassed 500 citations in the citation index ISI Web
of Science, a prestigious honor earned by few in the field of life sciences.
Dr. Jennifer Barrett, assistant professor of surgery at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, was
selected to serve on the Founders’ Committee for the North American Regenerative Society.
Dr. Sandra Diaz, assistant professor of dermatology in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences,
achieved diplomate status with the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
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Dr. X.J. Meng, a virologist in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, was
elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Meng, a professor of molecular virology in
the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, researches emerging and re-emerging viral
diseases that impact veterinary and human public health. Meng developed the first vaccine fully licensed
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to protect against porcine circovirus type 2 infection and its
associated diseases, which constitute a major threat to the global swine industry.
Dr. Bonnie Smith, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, was
awarded the national Carl J. Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Award, an honor that celebrates her
as the best among the thousands of professors teaching in the nation’s 28 colleges of veterinary medicine.
Dr. Anne Zajac received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Veterinary
Parasitologists (AAVP). She also authored a book under the auspices of the organization, the royalties
of which have added thousands of dollars to the AAVP student travel fund. Zajac was the first female
president of the organization.
Student/Student Group Achievers
Anne Dewar ‘11, Jenny Miller ‘12, and Sarah Brauning ‘12 won the national American Association of
Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Quiz Bowl competition. The VMRCVM students beat out 23 teams from the
United States and Canada at the AABP Convention.
Dr. Kathryn Simmons, VMRCVM alumna, was selected as a 2010-11 American Veterinary Medical
Association Congressional Science Fellow. Simmons graduated with the college’s charter class in 1984.
This is the second consecutive year that a VMRCVM alumna has been selected for the prestigious
fellowship.
Dr. Jean Richards ’06, former student of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, has
been selected as a Fellow for the 2010-11 American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science
& Technology Policy Fellowships. The fellowships help to establish and nurture critical links between
federal decision-makers and scientific professionals to support public policy that benefits the well-being
of the nation and the planet.
Dr. Claire Simeone ’11 was awarded first place in the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners 19th
Annual Student Case Report Contest.
Other areas
Distance Learning and Summer Sessions
There were 24,356 credit eLearning enrollments at the undergraduate and graduate levels representing
823 course offerings during 2011-12.
Growth continued in undergraduate enrollments with 18,442, equivalent to 614 30-seat classrooms. In
2011-12, the Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL) targeted Curriculum for Liberal Education (CLE) courses as a way to enhance undergraduate distance-learning offerings through the delivery
of 54 different CLE courses.
Seventy-three percent of first-time, full-term freshmen in the 2008 entering cohort have taken an online
course. One hundred percent of the university’s academic departments are engaged in developing and/
or delivering courses at a distance.
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
The university’s graduate distance-learning portfolio included 560 courses and 852 course sections.
The graduate certificate in nuclear engineering, developed from within the Department of Mechanical
Engineering, successfully went through university governance in FY11 and online course development
was conducted during FY12.
IDDL offered professional development opportunities and built partnerships with Nigeria, South Africa,
and Senegal in fall 2011. Visiting scholars from Egypt participated in the master online instructor certificate during the spring 2012 semester.
Quality assurance remains a priority while providing design and consultation services utilizing researchbased pedagogical practices to improve distance learning at Virginia Tech. To support this commitment,
IDDL provided more than $200,919 (Provost Enterprise Fund Course Development Fund) for new course
development and $15,000 for research fellowships.
More than 160 faculty members participated in IDDL professional development offerings. Additionally,
more than 90 faculty participated in one-on-one instructional design consultation.
Outreach and International Affairs
Outreach and International Affairs’ Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) continued to provide
valuable programs that connected the expertise of Virginia Tech to local, state, national, and global needs
of individuals, organizations, and communities. The CPE team successfully delivered 244 programs that
were attended by approximately 21,000 participants.
Continuing and Professional Education also is heading up Virginia Tech’s role in a $60 million, fiveyear grant project funded by the U.S. Army Education Outreach Program. CPE is collaborating with the
university’s Office of Academic Assessment and the VT-STEM initiative on the project, which is an effort
to nurture students’ interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The
project brings together 10 national STEM outreach programs under one umbrella.
CPE’s Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement (COTA) generated more than $1.2
million in gross sales revenue for the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in FY 2012. From 2004 to 2012,
COTA has generated about $45.5 million in gross sales at the hotel and conference center.
Since 2008, more than $8.5 million worth of renovations have been made at the Hotel Roanoke &
Conference Center, including upgrades of all guest rooms and conference facilities. In 2012, the facility
received Hilton Hotel’s Best Property Operations-Americas East Award in recognition of long-term
effective management.
The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center recently was named a top-10 meeting destination
in a readers’ choice survey by ConventionSouth. Inn and conference guests also can enjoy golf packages
at the nearby Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, which was ranked among the 10 Best Campus
Courses for 2011 by Golfweek magazine.
The Office of Economic Development is spearheading a $1.7 million, three-year federal grant project
aimed at creating new jobs in Southwest Virginia’s transportation equipment manufacturing industry.
Because of its track record in activities that help create jobs, the Office of Economic Development also has
been awarded a $500,000 University Center grant to further its regional economic development efforts
over the next five years. The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration chose
fewer than two dozen universities to receive the competitive grants.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
39
The Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED) manages research programs
focused on sustainable agriculture, resource management, and pest management in more than 25
countries around the world. It also oversees Virginia Tech’s Office of Education Abroad, Women and
Gender in International Development, Graduate Certificate in International Research, and Peace Corps
programs.
During the past year, OIRED continued to manage a five-year, $28 million grant from the U.S. Agency
for International Development to revamp the agriculture curriculum in Senegal’s institutions of higher
education. The Education and Research in Agriculture in Senegal project is part of a U.S. government’s
Feed the Future Initiative, aimed at ensuring that countries around the world can feed themselves.
OIRED also oversees a $9.4 million, five-year project designed to help train the next generation of
agriculturalists in post-conflict South Sudan. The project’s focus is establishing agriculture and natural
resource management curricula in South Sudan’s universities.
The Upward Bound program at Virginia Tech was recently awarded a five-year grant worth $1.85 million
by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education, TRIO Programs. Upward Bound
is one of six federal TRIO Programs designed as educational opportunity outreach programs to assist
first-generation college and disabled students in progressing from middle school to post-baccalaureate
programs. In 2011 the university’s sister program, Talent Search, received a five-year funding grant of $1.6
million from the Department of Education, renewing its outreach to middle and high school students in
Southwest Virginia.
The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute offers language-related programs and services for
academic and professional development on the Blacksburg campus and at the National Capital Region
campus. The Intensive English course series serves 300-400 students each semester. The institute also
has provided pre-academic training to about 90 Fulbright scholars from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the
Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East.
During the past year, more than 600 students enrolled in eight different graduate programs at the Virginia
Tech Commonwealth Campus centers. The six centers also serve a wider field of clients. For example,
the Southwest Center in Abingdon presented a variety of professional development, training, and STEM
programs that attracted about 9,600 participants, including K-12 administrators, teachers, and students, as
well as members of civic organizations.
Virginia Tech has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll as
one of the nation’s leading colleges in service for the past seven years, and VT Engage: the Community
Learning Collaborative is a university leader in implementing service efforts. During the past year,
about 2,700 undergraduate and 430 graduate students participated in service-learning and experiential
programs that were integrated into 84 courses in more than 28 departments.
Student Affairs
Cook Counseling Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services and offers
a pre-doctoral internship in professional psychology that is accredited by the American Psychological
Association.
The Cranwell International Center, in conjunction with the Council of International Students
Organizations, 62 student organizations, and more than 200 volunteers, hosted the 53nd International
Street Fair in 2012. With 13,000 attendees, it is the largest and longest-running international street fair at
any university in the U.S.
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University Facts & Figures 2012-13
Virginia Tech is one of only three public institutions in the U.S. to offer full-time military and civilian
student lifestyles (the others are Texas A&M and North Georgia College and State University). The Corps
of Cadets annually commissions approximately 80 percent of its graduates; VMI, the Citadel, and Texas
A&M commission 35 to 50 percent.
Four hundred twenty-one cadets entered in fall 2012 for New Cadet Training to push the overall corps to
more than 1,065 cadets, the largest regiment since 1968.
Success of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets’ leader development effort is demonstrated by the consistent
selection of cadets as recipients of the university’s most prestigious student-leadership awards. In 2012,
Cadet Amanda McGrath was named the university’s Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year, marking
the eighth time in past nine years a cadet has earned this honor. She was also recognized with the Women
in Leadership and Philanthropy’s Undergraduate Woman in Leadership Award, the third time in the past
four years this award has gone to a cadet.
The Princeton Review consistently ranks Virginia Tech Dining Services as one of the top three in the
nation for Best Campus Food.
Dining Services is at the forefront of the sustainability movement nationally, with composting, a
university garden, local purchasing, extensive sustainability training, classroom instruction, and creation
of a sustainable dining venue.
Virginia Tech is rated a “4 star” (out of five) institution by Campus Pride, the national rating organization
for LGBT-friendly campus environments. The recent addition of a campus LGBTQ coordinator will allow
the university to expand its collaborative efforts among faculty, student, and community supporters of
LGBTQ issues.
Schiffert Health Center is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
The Big Event community service project celebrated its 10th anniversary at Virginia Tech in 2011 by
holding the second largest event in the nation, involving more than 6,731 volunteers who completed more
than 950 service projects for the local community.
Virginia Tech Relay For Life is one of the top collegiate relays in the country.
More than 19,000 students are members of the more than 700 officially registered clubs and organizations
at Virginia Tech.
To learn more about Virginia Tech, including more recent measures of
success and notable announcements, visit www.vt.edu.
2012-13 University Facts & Figures
41
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, gender,
national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Anyone having questions concerning
discrimination or accessibility should contact the Office for Equity and Access.
©2012 University Relations