Dates

1851

Olin and Preston Institute opens

1862

Morrill Land Grant Act (July 2)

1869

Preston and Olin Institute chartered with collegiate powers

1872

Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College established as a land-grant institution. VTCC organized as one battalion with two companies

1875

First Corps trip (Richmond) was for the unveiling of the Jackson Monument

1881

All students required to live on campus

1882

Military system firmly established

1886

Academic Building 1 built (later became Rasche Hall)

1887

Academic Building 2 built (later became Brodie Hall)

1888

Barracks No. 1 built (present day Lane Hall)

1892

Cadet Band organized. First football game played. Original colors adopted (cadet gray and black)

1894

First VMI game played

1895

First Bugle published

1896

"Polytechnic Institute" added to name of college. Current school colors (Chicago maroon and burnt orange) adopted. Motto Ut Prosim adopted. University Coat of Arms adopted.

1898

Corps petitions governor for active military service. Bandsmen and Director enlist as Regimental Band, 2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

1901

First out-of-state Corps Trip (Buffalo, New York) was to the Pan American Exposition

1908

Honor System established

1913

Living turkey first attends football game as mascot

1916

First Guidon published as the YMCA Handbook (Rat Bible)

1917

First R.O.T.C. unit established (Army)

1918

VTCC enlisted as a unit of the regular Army and Navy Reserve

1919

Band first called Highty-Tighties. Virginia Tech designated as one of the nation's Distinguished Military Colleges

1921

Women admitted for first time as full-time students

1922

First Regiment organized

1923

First woman receives degree (Mary E. Brumfield)

1924

Only two years of Corps mandatory

1926

Future Farmers of Virginia (later FFA) founded at VPI by Walter S. Newman

1930

Civilian Student Union formed

1934

First Ring Dance (for Class of 1935). YMCA Student Handbook renamed 'Guidon"

1935

Honor Court established

1942

VTCC organized as brigade of two regiments (five battalions)

1944

Radford State Teacher's College becomes VPI Women's Division until 1964

1946

Air Force ROTC detachment established

1949

"Rad-Tech" campus (Radford Army Arsenal) closed

1952

Cooperative Education Program established. Board of Visitors appointed first full-time commandant since WWI

1953

First black student admitted (Irving L. Peddrew)

1958

First black student graduates (Charles L. Yates)

1962

First costumed Gobbler

1964

Corps of Cadets becomes a voluntary option

1966

Cadets and civilians unite to form one student government

1967

First black student to receive athletic grant-inaid (Jerry Gaines)

1968

Female students out number cadets for the first time

1970

"and State University" added to VPI's name

1973

Women admitted to the Corps of Cadets and organized into L Squadron

1975

Highty-Tighty Alumni Association established. The first female cadet, Marilyn Helmeyer '77, joined the Highty-Tighties

1976

Service academies admit women

1977

Smallest Corps since 1902 (325 cadets enrolled)

1981

Cadet dorms become the first co-ed dorms on campus

1983

Naval ROTC detachment established

1985

First black Regimental Commander (Derek A. Jeffries '86)

1987

First Female Regimental Commander (Denise A. Shuster '88). White Shirt introduced

1990

Company Commanders given rank of Cadet Major

1991

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Alumni Inc. is established. First female Drum Major (Lori L. Keck '92)

1993

Camouflage pattern battle dress uniform adopted as cadet field uniform, replacing OD green "Pickle Bag" fatigues

1995

Minor in Leadership Studies is offered. Emerging Leader Scholarships begin

1996

The Major General W. Thomas Rice Center for Leader Development is established

1998

3rd Battalion stands up with the addition of India and Kilo, with the inclusion of Band Company

2003

First Pylon Dedication Ceremony, honoring Army 1st Lt. Jeffrey Kaylor '01

2005

First female black Regimental Commander (Christina Royal '06)

2008

First foreign national Regimental Commander, Adnan Barqawi '09 of Kuwait (earned his citizenship before graduating in 2009)

2012

Shultz dining hall closes. Corps dining facility in Lavery Hall opens. Band Company splits into two sections. Lima Company stands up in 3rd Battalion. Multicam is introduced to replace the battle dress uniform

2013

Rasche Hall, built in 1897 as Barracks No. 2, is demolished making way for Pearson Hall East. Corps adds Battalion Senior Enlisted Advisors

2015

Brodie Hall, built in 1900 as Barracks No. 3 is demolished, making way for Pearson Hall West. Pearson Hall East opens. Cadet Matthew La Porte is posthumously awarded the Airman's Medal for his actions in Norris Hall on April 16, 2007. Lane Hall (Barracks No. 1) is added to the National Register of Historic Places

2016

Corps Ambassador, Growley II (call sign "Tank"), arrives on campus

2017

Pearson Hall West opens. Monteith and Thomas halls (built in 1949) are demolished

2018

Ensign Sarah J. Mitchell '17 becomes the first female added to the Pylons

2020

1st Lt. Gary Lee Miller is added to the Cenotaph 88 at the Pylons, becoming Virginia Tech's eighth Medal of Honor recipient listed there

2021

Mike Company stands up in 3rd Battalion. Construction begins on Corps Leadership and Military Science Building. Femoyer Hall, built in 1949, is demolished making way for new Corps residence hall. Construction begins on new Corps of Cadets Residence Hall (at site of previous Femoyer Hall). Growley II retires in Dec

2022

In January, Growley III (call sign "Stryker") assumes duties as Corps Ambassador. November and Oscar Companies reactivated and joined with Highty-Tighties to form 4th BN in late spring

2023

Corps celebrates 50 years of women in the Corps. The Corps Leadership and Military Science Building opens. Upper Quad Hall North opens

2024

Maj. Gen. Randal Fullhart, 35th commandant of cadets, retires. Maj. Gen. William Seely, USMC, is announced as the new commandant. Brig. Gen. Dwayne Edwards (U.S. Army Reserve (ret.), and member of VT faculty) is named interim commandant until Seely's arrival