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[[Image:VT_shield.jpg|right|thumb|School shield]]

[[Image:VT_shield.jpg|right|thumb|School shield]]

[[Image:VT_seal.gif|right|thumb|School seal]]

[[Image:VT_seal.gif|right|thumb|School seal]]

'''Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University''' ("Virginia Tech", formerly "Virginia Polytechnic Institute" or "VPI") is a public land-grant university founded in 1872, serving, according to its mission statement, "the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world community."  It is taxpayer-supported.

'''Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University''' ("Virginia Tech", formerly "Virginia Polytechnic Institute" or "VPI") is a public land-grant [[university]] founded in 1872, serving, according to its mission statement, "the Commonwealth of [[Virginia]], the nation, and the world community."  It is taxpayer-supported.

It has 26,370 students on-campus, about 17% of whom are graduate students.  It has a strong sports and engineering programs, resulting in much larger percentage of male students than most colleges: 58.1% male and 41.9% female.  Many of its students are from foreign countries.

It has 26,370 students on-campus, about 17% of whom are graduate students.  It has a strong sports and [[engineering]] programs, resulting in much larger percentage of male students than most colleges: 58.1% male and 41.9% female.  Many of its students are from foreign countries.

[[Image:800px-2007 Virginia Tech massacre candlelight vigil.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Students gather for a prayer vigil after the massacre that took thirty-two lives]]The school received international attention after one of its seniors, Seung-Hui Cho, massacred thirty-two students and faculty on April 16, 2007.  Cho had written and submitted as coursework disturbing papers that, in hindsight, appeared to reflect an unstable person obsessed with violence.

[[Image:800px-2007 Virginia Tech massacre candlelight vigil.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Students gather for a prayer vigil after the massacre that took thirty-two lives]]The school received international attention after one of its seniors, [[Seung-Hui Cho]], massacred thirty-two students and faculty on April 16, 2007.  Cho had written and submitted as coursework disturbing papers that, in hindsight, appeared to reflect an unstable person obsessed with violence.

Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, with 132 students, a president and three professors: one each in English; natural philosophy and chemistry; and technical agriculture and mechanics.<ref>Heatwole, Cornelius Jacob (1916), ''A History of Education in Virginia,'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=BuscAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA204&dq=%22virginia+polytechnic+institute%22&as_brr=1#PPA207,M1 pp. 204-7]</ref>  

Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, with 132 students, a president and three professors: one each in [[English]]; natural [[philosophy]] and [[chemistry]]; and technical agriculture and mechanics.<ref>Heatwole, Cornelius Jacob (1916), ''A History of Education in Virginia,'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=BuscAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA204&dq=%22virginia+polytechnic+institute%22&as_brr=1#PPA207,M1 pp. 204-7]</ref>  

Great expansion took place between 1890 and 1896, the student body growing to about four hundred and its name was changed to "Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute."<ref name=histnotes>[http://classof2004.alumni.vt.edu/chapters/volunteers/handbook/Chapter01.html#Section2 Virginia Tech History Notes]</ref>. In 1944, the name became "Virginia Polytechnic Institute," and in 1970 "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University", with "Virginia Tech" being used for informal purposes such as athletics.

Great expansion took place between 1890 and 1896, the student body growing to about four hundred and its name was changed to "Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute."<ref name=histnotes>[http://classof2004.alumni.vt.edu/chapters/volunteers/handbook/Chapter01.html#Section2 Virginia Tech History Notes]</ref>. In 1944, the name became "Virginia Polytechnic Institute," and in 1970 "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University", with "Virginia Tech" being used for informal purposes such as athletics.

Stull said later that the word "Hoki" was a pure invention, meant to be an attention-grabber. An "e" was later added to the word, and ''Hokie'' became the nickname for Virginia Tech students. 1896 was also the year in which the school colors were changed from black and gray to burnt orange and Chicago maroon, and in which the college seal and school motto&mdash;''Ut Prosim,'' "That I May Serve&mdash;were adopted.<ref>[http://www.vt.edu/about/hokie.php What is a Hokie?], Virginia Tech website: origin of "Hokie," school colors, seal, motto</ref>

Stull said later that the word "Hoki" was a pure invention, meant to be an attention-grabber. An "e" was later added to the word, and ''Hokie'' became the nickname for Virginia Tech students. 1896 was also the year in which the school colors were changed from black and gray to burnt orange and Chicago maroon, and in which the college seal and school motto&mdash;''Ut Prosim,'' "That I May Serve&mdash;were adopted.<ref>[http://www.vt.edu/about/hokie.php What is a Hokie?], Virginia Tech website: origin of "Hokie," school colors, seal, motto</ref>

Military training has always been a feature of Virginia Tech, which is one of six designated ''senior military colleges'' in the United States.<ref>The others are Norwich University in Vermont, North Georgia College and State University, Texas A&M, The Citadel in Charleston, SC, and Virginia Military Institute.</ref> All students were cadets when it opened in 1872.<ref>[http://www.vtcc.vt.edu/About/History/ Tech Corps of Cadets: History]</ref>

Military training has always been a feature of Virginia Tech, which is one of six designated ''senior military colleges'' in the United States.<ref>The others are [[Norwich University]] in [[Vermont]], [[North Georgia College and State University]], [[Texas A&M]], [[The Citadel]] in [[Charleston]], SC, and [[Virginia Military Institute]].</ref> All students were cadets when it opened in 1872.<ref>[http://www.vtcc.vt.edu/About/History/ Tech Corps of Cadets: History]</ref>

Virginia Tech became, not only the first all-white public school in Virginia to desegregate, but also the first historically white land grant school anywhere in the south to do so<ref>http://www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/fall97/feature1.html</ref> in 1953, with the admission of Irving Linwood Peddrew as an electrical engineering student. The Board of Visitors ruled that no state-supported school for Negroes offered comparable training, and the Virginia attorney-general had advised that Supreme Court rulings took precedence over Virginia's racial segregation laws.<ref>"Negro to Study at V. P. I.; 1st of Race to Enger State-Aided White School as Freshman." ''The New York Times,'' September 12, 1953, p. 19</ref>   

Virginia Tech became, not only the first all-white public school in Virginia to desegregate, but also the first historically white land grant school anywhere in the south to do so<ref>http://www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/fall97/feature1.html</ref> in 1953, with the admission of Irving Linwood Peddrew as an electrical engineering student. The Board of Visitors ruled that no state-supported school for Negroes offered comparable training, and the Virginia attorney-general had advised that Supreme Court rulings took precedence over Virginia's racial segregation laws.<ref>"Negro to Study at V. P. I.; 1st of Race to Enger State-Aided White School as Freshman." ''The New York Times,'' September 12, 1953, p. 19</ref>