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Type is exactly "Oral histories"
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Oral History with Jo Ann Underwood, November 4, 2014 (Ms2015-007)
Jo Ann (Murphy) Underwood pioneered tolerance of sexual minorities on the Virginia Tech campus. She and her family came to Blacksburg in the mid-1970s. She worked as a registered nurse at Virginia Tech’s Student Health Services and was appointed…
Oral History with Mark Weber, March 26, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Mark Alan Weber, class of 1987, was born and raised in Northern Virginia. When he was a student at Virginia Tech, he served first as secretary and then as president of the gay student group, Lambda Horizon. He earned a bachelor’s of business…
Oral History with John Gray Williams, October 28, 2014 (Ms2015-007)
John Gray Williams is a Career Advisor in Career Services at Virginia Tech. From 2005 to 2008 he also attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Arts in Public and Urban Affairs program. He has been active in LGBTQ activism…
Oral History with Aaron Wilson, June 26, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Aaron Wilson was born in Lynchburg, Virginia and currently resides in Palo Alto, California. Wilson graduated from Virginia Tech in 2006 with a BS in Computer Science. He works as a Software Engineer at Olark in San Francisco, California. In…
Oral History with Caroline Ickes, July 9, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Interview with Caroline Ickes regarding her affiliations with the LGBT community at Virginia Tech and in her personal life. Ickes discusses her identity as a straight individual who has been and advocate for and associated with the LGBT community.…
Oral History with Crysta Highfield, June 23, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Crysta Highfield was born in Dallas, Texas and now lives in Berkeley, California where she attends school at the University of California at Berkeley. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 with a BS and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering…
Oral History with Gwen Coleman, July 24, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Gwendolyn Coleman was born in Nankudo, Namibia before moving to Mays Landing, New Jersey. Gwen graduated from Virginia Tech in Spring 2015 with a degree in the Biological Sciences. In her oral history Coleman discusses her progressive views on…
Oral History with Michelle Oshinski, June 9, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Michelle Oshinski was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is currently earning a degree in English Education with a minor in Theatre, hoping to graduate in the Spring of 2016. Oshinski details her identity as a pansexual. She discusses how her…
Oral History with Tobias Quaranta, June 23, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Toby Quaranta was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and now lives in San Francisco, California. Quaranta received his bachelor in Political Science at Virginia Tech in 2006 and now works as an Account Executive for the Salesforce Foundation. In his…
Oral History with Katherine Staats, July 7, 2015 (Ms2015-007)
Katherine Staats was born in Landstuhl, Germany and currently resides in Austin, Texas. She graduated from Tech with her Bachelors on the PreMed track in 2008 and now has a residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. In her…
VT Stories Oral History with Buddy and Frances Russell, May 15, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Virginia Tech has always been an integral part of the life of George Edwin Russell, Class of 1952. Russell, known to most as Buddy, grew up on a country farm working with pigs, dairy cows, and beef cattle. This led Russell to join the 4H club as a…
VT Stories Oral History with Judge Danny Bird, October 9, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
To his grandchildren he is known as their “Hokie Pawpaw,” but to others he is known as Judge Danny W. Bird from the 27th Judicial Court in the state of Virginia. Bird, class of 1960, details his story of growing up on a dairy farm in Bland…
VT Stories Oral History with David Lowe, September 27, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
A life fully lived accurately sums up the the life of David Lowe. Lowe, class president of 1963 details his humble beginnings of growing up in a small working-class family in West Virginia. Lowe’s parents were both teachers, and in his story he…
VT Stories Oral History with Jess Fowler, May 22, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
As a Cadet in Virginia Tech’s Corps of Cadets, a student becomes an ethical ambassador for the Virginia Tech student body. Beyond the demanding physical challenges and regimented schedules, Cadets must follow a strict code of behavior. For Jess…
VT Stories Oral History with Marvin Boyd, October 9, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
As the new, starry-eyed freshman class arrives to Blacksburg in August, they begin to make their home in one of Virginia Tech’s twenty-seven residences halls. Their rooms are then the stage for the countless memories of their first year as Hokies.…
VT Stories Oral History with Eugene Banks, May 21, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Eugene Banks, class of 1950, had never even seen Virginia Tech before the day he enrolled. Banks began his education in 1946 at the age of 16. While he never visited the campus due to the United States’ gasoline rationing in the early 1940s, Banks…
VT Stories Oral History with Joseph Barlow, May 21, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Joseph Barlow was born on a farm in 1928, shortly before The Great Depression. Barlow never questioned where he was going to attend college; the answer was always Virginia Tech. Like his father, Barlow enrolled at Virginia Tech, and graduated with a…
VT Stories Oral History with Lisa Ellison, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Acceptance and equality are cornerstones of today’s Hokie Nation. Lisa Ellison, a member of the 1986 graduating class, was a prominent leader of social change here at Virginia Tech. Serving as the President of the Black Organizations Council and a…
VT Stories Oral History with John Bates, May 22, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
On the weekend of his 50th college reunion, John Bates finds himself pausing as he crosses the Drillfield on a quiet Sunday morning. It was as if he entered a “timewarp,” John states. As if the past 50 years had just rewound, and he was, once…
VT Stories Oral History with Todd Barnes, October 2, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
The Corps of Cadets has been an essential thread in the fabric of Virginia Tech since 1872. Foregoing the typically collegiate experience, freshmen arrive to Blacksburg and quickly transform from high school graduates into Cadets of the Corps. Todd…
VT Stories Oral History with James Godek, September 16, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
We mourn the loss of a persevering and inspiring member of the Hokie community. James Godek did a lot of things in his life, but one thing he never did is quit. The Corps of Cadets, the navy, Ironman triathlons, and brain cancer — Godek pushed…
VT Stories Oral History with Douglas Beaver, September 16, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Captain Douglas J. Beaver was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. During his childhood, his father’s naval career took them all over the world to places like: Japan, Washington, DC; Newport, Rhode Island; San Diego, California; the Philippines; and Germany.…
VT Stories Oral History with Jeffrey Bowling, October 23, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
When Jeffrey Bowling graduated from high school in 1976, he did not appreciate that his friends and family all assumed he would go to Virginia Tech just because he was from a family of Hokies. Both his older brother and sister attended Virginia Tech,…
VT Stories Oral History with Matt Fox, November 11, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Matt Fox grew up in Manassas, Virginia surrounded by the rich history of the area. As the youngest of three, Matt was the first in his family to attend college, where he chose Virginia Tech partially because of his mother. While at Virginia Tech he…
VT Stories Oral History with Michael Goode and Levi Daniels, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Michael Goode, born in Richmond, Virginia, attended Virginia Tech from 2001 to 2006, majoring in business information technology. While at Virginia Tech he felt disconnected from the culture as it was predominately white, which led him to take part…
VT Stories Oral History with April Cheek-Messier, October 22, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
April Cheek-Messier arrived at Virginia Tech for her master's degree in history in 1996. Prior to coming to Blacksburg, she attended undergraduate school at Hollins, and got a master's degree in both history and English. In the master's program at…
VT Stories Oral History with Apryl Alexander, April 21, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
As part of a military family, Apryl Alexander, class of 2005, grew accustomed to a lifestyle that took her to many parts of the world. At Virginia Tech, however, Apryl found a community and a home in which she could finally settle down. Due to the…
VT Stories Oral History with Lorraine Feury, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Lorraine Feury was born and raised as a first generation immigrant in Northern Virginia. Her parents lived in Sierra Leone before moving to England for college. Although they did not finish, they moved to America and raised Lorraine to value family…
VT Stories Oral History with Nikki Giovanni, March 14, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
Renowned poet, eight time NAACP award winner, University Distinguished Professor, and the list of achievements goes on, but much to Virginia Tech’s credit–Nikki Giovanni is a Hokie. Although she didn’t attend Virginia Tech for her degree, she…
VT Stories Oral History with Duston Scarborough, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Duston Scarborough was born in Anchorage, Alaska. As his mother was in the Navy, he frequently moved around, living in places like Puerto Rico and Texas. Upon settling down in Hampton Roads, he got involved in 4-H and took part in Congresses which…
VT Stories Oral History with John Frasier, May 19, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
The son of a head bookkeeper and a civil servant, John Frasier was born in 1933 and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. Although he grew up on the heels of the Depression and in the midst of WWII, John recalls a pleasant childhood. Always having been…
VT Stories Oral History with Kunmi Otitoju, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Kunmi Otitoju, born in Lagos, Nigera in 1983, attended Virginia Tech as a master's student in computer science from 2005 to 2007. Growing up, Kunmi grew up in Nigeria and attended primary and high school there. Her older sister was an exceptional…
VT Stories Oral History with Stephen Nehrt, November 20, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Steve Nehrt was born outside of St. Louis, Missouri in a town called Florissant, but he grew up in Springfield, VA. Drawn to the mountainous region of Southwest Virginia, he came to Virginia Tech in the Fall of 1975. After receiving his B.S. in…
VT Stories Oral History with Pamela Gryzbowski, November 11, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
Pamela Gryzbowski grew up in Springfield, VA as the youngest of seven. Following her siblings, she attended college, although at Virginia Tech, from 1987 to 1991 and majored in business. Upon graduating, she began working at a community…
VT Stories Oral History with Curry Roberts, November 21, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Curry Roberts grew up not too far from Virginia Tech’s campus in a small village in the western part of Bedford County. His parents grew up in the depression, and they met after WWII. Curry’s older brother also graduated from Virginia Tech, and…
VT Stories Oral History with Gene James, November 20, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Gene James grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia, born to a Virginia Tech family. His father and two brothers all graduated from Virginia Tech, which played an influential role in his decision to attend. He graduated in 1953, majoring in animal sciences,…
VT Stories Oral History with Greg Fansler, March 3, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
fter graduation, some Virginia Tech students are left with four years worth of memories, while others have memories surrounding the university that were created before enrolling or even after graduating. Greg Fansler, Class of 2002, is one example of…
VT Stories Oral History with Katie Frazier, October 10, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
Virginia Tech is known for its large campus and its striking architecture, and while it is easy to appreciate these features, many incoming students are easily intimidated by them. When Katie Frazier, Class of 2004, began her studies at Tech, she was…
VT Stories Oral History with Nick Moga, November 20, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
It is easy for us to view today’s version of Virginia Tech as a technologically advanced university that is particularly superior in the fields of science and math. Each day students utilize lab equipment and technology without considering what…
Oral History with Jackie Butler Blackwell, April 29, 1995 (Ms1995-026)
Oral History with Elaine Dowe Carter, October 19, 1995 (Ms1995-026)
Oral History with Marva LaJeune Felder Davis, March 27, 1999 (Ms1995-026)
Oral History with Dr. LaVerne "Freddie" Hairston Higgins, September 28, 2000 (Ms1995-026)
Transcript of oral history with Linda Adams Hoyle, November 3, 2000 (Ms1995-026)
First Black Woman to Graduate from Virginia Tech
Oral History with Marguerite Laurette Harper Scott, March 2, 1996 (Ms1995-026)
Oral History with Dr. Linda Edmonds Turner, March 2, 1996 (Ms1995-026)
VT Stories Oral History with General Carlton Everhart, September 23, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
Since childhood, General Carlton Everhart has strongly believed in the importance of honesty, integrity, and humility. He has lived life with these ideals prioritized first – from his humble beginnings on his family farm to his influential military…
VT Stories Oral History with Charles Tynan, May 17, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
A proud alumnus, Charles Tynan is no stranger to the Blacksburg area or Virginia Tech. From the years of 1947 to 1952 he was an undergraduate student, living in dorms and a cadet in the Corps. He spent the majority of his time devoted to academics,…
VT Stories Oral History with Wesley and Linda Patterson, April 29, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
At a time when the world was undergoing revolution, Wesley and Linda Patterson were enjoying the academic seclusion of Virginia Tech. They both began their undergraduate careers in 1972; Linda graduated with majors in mathematics and psychology in…
VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kraft, April 29, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
Christopher Columbus Kraft, Jr. is a Class of 1944 Virginia Tech graduate born. He was born on February 28, 1924 in the small town of Phoebus, Virginia, which later merged into Hampton, Virginia. Growing up, Chris knew everyone in his town, and they…
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