dates

Page 83: Significant Historical Dates at Virginia Tech

1851 - 1896

• 1851: Olin and Preston Institute opens.

• 1862: Morrill Land Grant Act (July 2) established, promoting education in agriculture and mechanics.

• 1869: Preston and Olin Institute chartered with collegiate powers.

• 1872: Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College established as a land-grant institution. Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (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; military system firmly established.

• 1886: Academic Building 1 built, later becomes Rasche Hall.

• 1887: Academic Building 2 built, later becomes Brodie Hall.

• 1888: Barracks No. 1 completed, now known as Lane Hall.

• 1892: Cadet Band organized. First football game played at Virginia Tech. Original school colors (cadet gray and black) adopted.

• 1894: First VMI game played.

• 1895: First Bugle Pubished.

• 1896: "Polytechnic Institute" added to the name of the college.

• Current school colors adopted are Chicago maroon and burnt orange. 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) for 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).

• 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. Pedrew).

• 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-in-aid (Jerry Gaines).

• 1968: Female students outnumber 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.

• 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: Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Alumni Inc. 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 offered. Emerging Leader Scholarships begin.

• 1996: The Major General W. Thomas Rice Center for Leader Development established.

• 1998: 3rd Battalion stands up with the addition of India and Kilo, including 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).

• 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 introduced to replace the battle dress uniform.

• 2013: Rasche Hall, built in 1897 as Barracks No. 2, demolished for Pearson Hall East.

• 2015: Brodie Hall, build 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. Lane Hall 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 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 the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building. Femoyer Hall, built in 1949, demolished for a new Corps residence hall; Growley II retires.

• 2022: Growley III (call sign "Stryker") assumes duties as Corps Ambassador. November and Oscar Companies reactivated and joined with Highty-Tighties to form 4th BN; Corps celebrates 50 years of women in the Corps.

• 2023: Corps celebrates 50 years of women in the Corps. The Corps Leadership and Milirary 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.