Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Geography
Minor: Africana Studies
Student Self Identifies as: Black Heterosexual Male

Summary

I am part of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which is a full-time commitment. I also [have a leadership role] in the Black Organizations Council.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Black
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

High School Experience: Public school in Southwestern Virginia that was predominantly Black with a graduating class of about 400 students. There was a mix of students who went to college, the armed forces, and the workforce, but the majority of students went to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Geography
Minor: Africana Studies

Extracurricular Activities: I am part of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which is a full-time commitment. I also [have a leadership role] in the Black Organizations Council.
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
They have both had a big impact in that they’ve opened avenues for me to meet various people of different backgrounds. Through the Black Organizations Council, I also got to meet the Central Park Five.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
For my particular major, there are a lot of labs and application-based work in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Once or twice a week, I’ll have a lab and lab report due and the labs will make up around 50% of your grade. Exams will also have a big factor, but it’s mostly labs and classwork.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
They do a good job of creating various opportunities for you within the field and making connections for you. However, I do feel like sometimes they lack in the number of career fairs they have. There’s one main one, but I feel like there could be more. The professors do a good job of making up for that, though.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
Most of the time it’s collaborative and sometimes it can be competitive as well. It depends on the professor because most professors do a good job of making sure everybody has equal access to resources and extra help, but when they don’t do that it can be more competitive.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re pretty accessible. They respond fairly quickly over email. They provide resources to alleviate the gap in and outside of the classroom, but their availability will be highly dependent on how many students are trying to get in touch with them.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I was originally an engineering major, but I wasn’t learning the math at a pace that was appropriate for Virginia Tech, so I switched to a different major. I’m definitely happy with my choice now. I’ve definitely seen a boost in my GPA and interest in what I’m learning since changing to Geography.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Were there any resources available that helped you learn?
There were definitely some organizations that were helpful like Help Me Help You [through the American Society for Engineering Education] that I used while I was an engineering major. Those are helpful also for making connections in the school.

Reasons to Attend

1) There are great programs for undergraduate students all around.
2) The alumni network is great. Once you’re in the alumni network, people look out for you.
3) There is camaraderie around being a Hokie when it comes to sporting events.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) Depending on your outlook or perspective, some professors can lack an open mind. There is not much diversity within the faculty and staff.
2) There have been issues with sexual harassment and sexual assault. [See The Hill article, “Virginia Tech students protest over handling of student’s rape claims.”]

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman – Junior: Pearson Hall with two roommates or one roommate. I lived with other people from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
How was transitioning from your hometown in Southwestern Virginia to Blacksburg, VA in terms of location?
I’m from a kind of country or backwater area, so the transition was nice. I enjoy the laid-back atmosphere with things still going on in Blacksburg.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s pretty safe from my standpoint. As a Black male, you have to be extra cautious about where you are at certain times because I feel that some people may have a stereotype about a Black male walking down the street. I’ve had cases where I’m walking late at night and people get antsy or think that I’m following them when in reality I’m just walking to my dorm. That happens on-campus and sometimes off-campus.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I usually hang out with friends, go to a party, or go do another fun activity like see a movie or something. If I go to a party, it’s usually at a friend’s off-campus house that’s about 15-minutes away. There is a pretty separate Black and Latinx nightlife scene and White nightlife scene, and I participate more in the Black nightlife scene. I try to venture out when I can, but most of the time I’m with my friends in the Black nightlife scene.
What is the impact of Greek life on the weekend options at Virginia Tech?
I’d say it’s a pretty heavy impact, especially when you look at Greek life from a Caucasian perspective. But Black Greek life is not as influential. There’s a more significant Caucasian fraternity presence throughout the semester. For me, Greek life does not have much of a factor in my nightlife experience just because I am not involved with the Caucasian fraternities. [About 19% of the undergraduate population is involved in Greek life.]
What is an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a weekend option or a night out?
We like to go to the movies or we’ll stay in and play video games.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Virginia Tech? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I’m pretty happy. I just wish we had a bit more variety of things you can do when it comes to the arts for things out of the norm. It’s hard to go see a concert in Blacksburg.

Campus Culture

I met them through one-on-one interactions that I had daily through the Corps of Cadets and also just engaging with people in the [Squires Student Center].
How would you describe the overall social scene?
I’d say that it feels welcoming, but at times it can feel separated by subconscious bias over race and things of that nature. Everyone’s in college and everyone’s trying to get a degree, so sometimes people block out those issues that people face because they don’t want to address them.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think people mix pretty well, but I have heard of and seen discrimination amongst different people when it comes to the inclusivity of people who are fluid in sexual orientation or of different races. Sometimes I find my White counterparts can have trouble discussing those topics.
How would you describe the Black community? How strong is it?
It’s definitely strong, but it could be stronger. We’re always looking for ways to improve that community. It feels strong to me because you can reach out and talk to any senior of color and they will point you in the right direction for the help and resources you need. Also, everybody is open to giving you advice in terms of classes and things of that nature.
How do you like the size of Virginia Tech in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 29,500 students?]?
I think it’s been a pretty good experience in terms of the number of people. I’m a people person, so it doesn’t bother me too much. It does take a toll in terms of dining areas or study spaces. When you’re actually trying to get in a zone to study, you have to scour campus to find spaces where there aren’t people. Also, if you go to a dining space right at noon for lunch time, it’s going to be packed and you feel the size. [See The Collegiate Times article, “Finding the best times to do things on campus.”]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
People mix pretty well. Nobody holds being a part of Greek life or not being in Greek life against someone. Regardless of whether you’re in Greek life or not, people will try to get to know you and be inclusive.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
Not recently, but I feel like it’s provided me with various connections and outlooks. The alumni network does do a good job of trying to keep you in the loop when there are opportunities available to particular major or people. I’ve done some networking and had conversations with alumni that have been helpful.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I used them for a resume review and a cover letter review. They provide pretty good feedback on what you should update and what changes to make.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I’ve used Microsoft Excel and Access, I’ve used Geographic Information Systems and Python in my Geography courses, and I used MatLab in engineering classes.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy is the office to work with?
I use financial aid and they are fairly responsive. At times, it is harder to get to know them, and sometimes I don’t think they process documents in a timely manner for the students. Even though you upload the documents, it takes them a while to process them.