VT Stories Oral History with Bertram Kinzey, May 19, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Bertram Kinzey, Jr. arrived in Blacksburg as an architectural engineering student in 1940. While living in Richmond, Kinzey enrolled in the engineering extension program, which led him to Virginia Tech for his final two years of undergraduate. As a student, Kinzey lived in town and participated in community as an organist, eventually graduating in 1942. He began working in an architecture firm in Richmond, Virginia and transitioned into teaching architecture curriculum. In this interview, Bertram Kinzey covers his childhood in Berea, Ohio, attending Virginia Tech during World War II, and his career upon graduating.
date: 2016-05-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Theodore King, Jr., November 21, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Theodore King, Jr. grew up on a farm in Lunenburg County, Virginia. While in high school, King was recruited by many colleges, including Virginia Tech. He was drawn to the school because of its appeal to common people, as he was a lower class African American farmer, and felt he didn't fit in with more curated universities. Although Virginia Tech was his second choice school, he immediately fell in love with it upon arriving on campus. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelors in 1968, and remained until 1972 for a master's, both in economics. During this interview, King recounts his early life growing up and arriving at Virginia Tech, working as an RA, campus life during the Vietnam War and as a Black student. He feels that Virginia Tech served as a foundation for his later career, in working at a law firm and eventually the Maryland State Assembly.
date: 2015-11-21
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with James "Bud" Robertson, June 8, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: James "Bud" Robertson was born and raised in Danville, Virginia. There was a railroad close to his house, which led him to become interested in them (which he maintained throughout his entire life). The yardmaster understood his interest and offered to send Bud to college to become an engineer and work on the railroad, knowing that it would not happen. As a result, he went to Randolph-Macon College, graduating in 1955 with a bachelors in history. He went to Emory for both a graduate degree in 1956 and PhD in 1959. After completing his dissertation, he worked in Washington for the Kennedy Administration until 1965. After getting sick of Washington D.C., he left for Montana for a tenured position. Bud's Virginia Tech story starts in 1967, where he got a position in the history department and stayed until retirement. In this interview, along with his earlier years, Bud talks about his time working at the school, relationships with presidents and administrators, the athletic department, book collections, and current social issues.
date: 2018-06-08
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with James Boone, June 2, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: James Boone, born July 25th, 1915 is among the earliest Virginia Polytechnic students to be interviewed for VT Stories. He grew up in Holland and Ivor, Virginia, and arrived in Blacksburg in 1933. While at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, he studied business administration, and graduated in 1937. In this special interview, James Boone talks about his family history, his parents and relatives in the area, his fascination with railroads stemming from an early age. At Virginia Polytechnic, he covers influential professors, downtown life, living in the dorms, along with pranks done on fellow cadets.
date: 2017-06-02
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with George Fox, May 19, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: George Fox, born in Charleston, West Virginia, grew up in a Virginia Tech household. His father from Virginia Polytechnic Institute for industrial engineering in 1941 and claimed that their extended family has more than twenty graduates. Consequently, George did not have a choice in choosing schools, and went to Virginia Polytechnic in 1960 for mechanical engineering. After graduating in 1964, he enlisted in the Air Force as an aircraft engineering officer. He stayed for four years, then worked in General Electric Company for the rest of his career. In this interview, George Fox shares many stories from rat to senior year, including being one of the original cannon boys, shooting steam whistles, flooding the third floor showers, and putting cadets in laundry machines. Also in this interview, he talks about his time in the service, working after, and campus life.
date: 2017-05-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Frank Nolen, May 17, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Frank Nolen grew up in Macon County, North Carolina, raised with school in mind. In high school, he decided to attend North Carolina State College, but dropped out after encountering college chemistry. He transferred to Gaston Technical Institute, a two year technical school, and graduated early in January 1960. He eventually arrived in Blacksburg because of a job offer with General Electric in Shenandoah. After getting the job, Nolen's boss decided to send him to Virginia Tech for an engineering degree, which he graduated from in 1965. In this interview, Nolen recounts his path to Virginia Tech, becoming a student in the Corps, studies, his later career in General Electric, and then becoming a proud alumni.
date: 2016-05-17
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bob and Judy Slaughter, October 10, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Judy Swecker Slaughter was born into a Virginia Tech family as her father graduated class of 1935. Growing up in Woodstock, Virginia, she had decided to follow her father's footsteps and also attend. She arrived in 1966, studying psychology and graduated in 1970. Then years later, she returned and completed a master's in education. Bob Slaughter grew up in Roanoke, Virginia as a Virginia Tech fan. He ended up attending the school on a football scholarship and played all four years, graduating in 1970. He started as a business major, but switched to marketing education as he wanted to coach for a career. In this interview, Judy and Bob talked about adjusting to campus life, particularly Bob balancing sports and academics. They covered campus culture in the late 1960s related to gender expectations, participating in campus events, going to the Lyric, and their careers after graduating.
date: 2015-10-10
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with First African American Women Students, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Marguerite Laurette Harper Scott, also known as Chick, grew up in Norfolk, Virginia in a family of Virginia State graduates. Although she intended on doing the same, when Virginia Polytechnic recruiters visited her high school, her father decided it was the place for her. She studied sociology and history, and graduated in the class of 1970. LaVerne Hairston Higgins, commonly known as Freddie, grew up in Roanoke, Virginia and arrived at Virginia Tech through following her math teacher from high school. While at Virginia Polytechnic, she was heavily involved in social activism and studied math. Linda Edmonds Turner grew up in Halifax County and arrived at the school through the Rockefeller Foundation. She is a triple Hokie, receiving her Bachelor of Science in 1970, master's in 1976, and PhD in 1979. Upon arriving to Virginia Polytechnic Institute, these women did not know they would be among the first Black female students of the school. However, they turned into trailblazers for later classes of students, especially in challenging the schools traditions. In this interview, the women talk about their experiences at Virginia Polytechnic through this intersectional lens. They recount experiences with discrimination on campus and pockets of acceptance they found, professors they butted heads with, displaying the Confederate flag during home games, stories from Hillcrest, and participating in social activism on a predominately White campus.
date: 2016-04-22
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with John "Jack" Kise, May 19, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Jack Kise was born in New Haven, Connecticut and moved around several times before landing in Portsmouth, Virginia where he spent most of his school years. In high school, he took an interest in Virginia Tech as he had several friends attend and liked engineering. He attended from 1952 to 1956, and studied electrical engineering. After graduating, he moved to Chicago and worked for VEPCO. In this interview, Jack covers his life before and after Virginia Tech, his campus life including notable professors, influential Virginia Tech figures, and the reach of Hokie Nation.
date: 2016-05-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris and Maria Kappas 6/6, May 13, 2019 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: In this final installment of an oral history series, Chris Kappas is joined by his wife, Maria Kappas, to talk about their life working in the restaurant industry and raising a family in Blacksburg. In this interview, Maria recounts emigrating from Greece in 1969, where she met Chris shortly after. The pair talk about their family, both immediate and extended, and working in the Greek's and Souvlakis.
date: 2019-05-13
rights: Permission to publish materials from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kappas 5/6, December 6, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: The fifth oral history interview in a series about the Greek community in Blacksburg, local history, and the restaurant industry with Chris Kappas. In this interview, Kappas talks about establishing Souvlakis in the Blacksburg community as a Greek food restaurant. He covers the later years of running the restaurant, with raising his kids and seeing them transition to adulthood and move away. Then into his retirement of transitioning ownership to Mike Buchanan, and into property management and serving on the town council.
date: 2018-12-06
rights: Permission to publish materials from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kappas 4/6, August 31, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: The fourth oral history interview in a series with Chris Kappas, longtime Blacksburg local and restauranteur. In this interview, Chris Kappas talks about becoming principal partner in the Greek's restaurant with his father's former business partner, Jim Havelos. He covers restaurant operations, including running the Cellar and transitioning ownership, opening Souvlakis, and the proper pronunciation and consumption of "gyro". He ends on talking about downtown, including local businesses, Steppin' Out, the International Festival, and city planning.
date: 2018-08-31
rights: Permission to publish materials from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kappas 3/6, August 20, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: The third installment of a series of oral history interviews with Blacksburg local, restauranteur, and active community member Chris Kappas. This oral history interview begins with Chris talking about his childhood growing up in war-torn Greece. He discusses the Greek Civil War following World War II, which led to his eventual passage to the United States. He talks about restaurant history, including his father's relationship with the Black community in Blacksburg, and expanding restaurant operations. After briefly moving to Richmond following graduation from Virginia Tech, he returned to Blacksburg to work in the restaurant and eventually take it over from his father.
date: 2018-08-20
rights: Permission to publish materials from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kappas 2/6, August 7, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: The second session in a series of oral history interviews with Chris Kappas, local Blacksburg restaurateur and land lord. In this interview, Chris Kappas recounts his early life growing up in the Greek countryside during World War II while separated from his father. He moved to the United States after the war at eight years old, and talks about adjusting to life in Blacksburg, working in the restaurant, and stories of his father. From the success of the business, his father, Nick Kappas, helped their family immigrate from Greece and eventually developed offshoots of the Greek's restaurant, now (officially) called the Blue Ribbon Restaurant. These enterprises turned into Souvlakis, which started as a push cart on College Ave, the Mediterranean, turned Greek's Two, and the Cellar.
date: 2018-08-07
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Chris Kappas 1/6, July 30, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
description: The first in a special series of interviews with Chris Kappas, a local Blacksburg businessman, land lord, and restaurateur. Born in Greece in 1938, Chris Kappas is the son of Nick Kappas, early Greek immigrant and restaurateur in Southwest Virginia. In this interview, Chris recounts his father's story of immigrating to the United States at thirteen years old, and creating a life for himself in Roanoke, Va. During Nick Kappas' career working in restaurants, he became a beloved figure in the Blacksburg community, particularly by the Corps of Cadets, and relocated to North Main Street. Here, he opened his own restaurant in 1922, the Busy Bee Restaurant, more commonly known as the Greek's. Chris Kappas covers the early history of the restaurant, through name changes and working in Blacksburg as one of the few Greek immigrants, up to his birth in 1938 just before World War II.
date: 2018-07-30
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Emily Haynes Cooper, Tara Fortune, Jeryl Payne, and Kaye Pereras, April 22, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Emily Haynes Cooper Tara Fortune Jeryl Payne Kaye Pereras
date: 2016-04-22
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.

VT Stories Oral History with Natalie Strawn Kelly, November 20, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Natalie Strawn Kelly grew up in Blacksburg, and was nearly predestined for Virginia Tech. She graduated in 1974, majoring in Elementary Education. In this interview, she talks about her time at Virginia Tech, taking classes, living in Northern Virginia, and the excitement of football games. A Hokie family through and through, she remains active in Virginia Tech affairs as an alumni, serving on the Alumni Association Board, as a Hokie Club Representative, and member of Women in Leadership and Philanthropy.
date: 2015-11-20
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Jerry Hulick, June 8, 2018
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Alumni Association
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
subject: University History
description: In this VT Stories oral history interview, Ren Harman interviews Jerry Hulick, Class of 1973. Hulick discusses his time at Virginia Tech during the protests of the Vietnam War and the changing landscape of the culture in Virginia Tech and Blacksburg. Hulick highlights his love for the university motto of "Ut Prosim" through his philanthropic work both inside and outside the university, including the Mobile Autism Clinic, the Dean of the College of Science Roundtable, and his "Giving Day" challenges.
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Clara Cox, March 23, 2018
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: University History
subject: University Archives
subject: Education, Secondary
description: In this VT Stories interview from 2018, Manisha Sharma interviews the former Director of University Publications Clara Cox in the Holtzman Alumni Center. In this oral history Cox talks about her rise through the ranks of university relations, her current work supporting the Council on VT History, and her love and affinity for the university.
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Kevin Crofton, September 29, 2017
subject: University History
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: Virginia, Southwest
subject: Aerospace engineers
subject: Montgomery County (Va.)
subject: Oral histories (document genres)
description: In this nearly hour long interview, Ren Harman, Project Manager for VT Stories, interviews Kevin Crofton, Class of 1982, in the Holtzman Alumni Center on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. In this interview, Kevin reflects on his time growing up, his decision to attend Virginia Tech, and his extensive history of philanthropy to Virginia Tech, including naming the Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering.
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bob Quisenberry, April 3, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Oral histories (document genres)
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Corps of Cadets
description: Bob Quisenberry, Class of 1962, discusses his life and career, including his time as a student at Virginia Tech and his continued involvement with the university in the decades since.
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Ida Powell, May 17, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Women
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: Blacksburg (Va.)
subject: Home economics
description: Ida Powell graduated from Virginia Tech in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in home economics. In this hour-long interview, Powell discusses her experience as a female student attending Virginia Tech's campus in the 1950s as well as her humanitarian work following graduation.
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Mary and Willis Blackwood, May 10, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Football
description: In an hour and 10 minute interview of Mary Nolen Blackwood and Willis Blackwood, Ren Harman asks about their lives as they connect to Virginia Tech. Along with early life at Virginia Tech and family life, this interview touches on their continued charity to the University, achievements and honors bestowed upon them from the University, and the Real Estate Program they initiated on campus.
date: 2018-05-10
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Roger H. Moore, April 26, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Alumni Association
description: Roger H. More was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland in 1942. From an early age he knew that he would attend college, but planned on going to Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. These plans changed when his best friend and his bother went to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and convinced Roger to attend also. While at Virginia Tech, he majored in general science and took part in the German Club and Sigma Nu, along with the Corps. After graduation and serving in the U.S. Army Security Agency, he worked in telecommunications. He remains involved in Virginia Tech affairs through the Legacy Society and the College of Science.
date: 2018-04-26
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Gerald Miller, May 16, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Corps of Cadets
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Alumni Association
subject: University History
description: Gerald Miller grew up on a farm in Harrisonburg, Virginia. From an early age, he had responsibilities and schooling expectations drilled into him, which heavily guided his career. He attended Virginia Tech and graduated in 1965, majoring in Agronomy. In this interview, he talks about his time at Virginia Tech, including his infamous rat year and the German club. After graduating, he was assigned to Ft. Leonard Wood where he decided to get a master’s and PhD in soil science from Iowa State while in the military. Decades later, he still takes part in Virginia Tech through five year reunions and credits it with changing his life.
date: 2018-05-16
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Douglas Martin, May 5, 2019 (Ms2016-015)
subject: April 16, 2007 shootings
subject: Diversity in higher education
subject: Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Alumni Association
description: Douglas Martin, Ed.D. is Director Emeritus in the Department of Human Resources at Virginia Tech. This nearly hour-long interview contains his first-hand account of several impactful people and events that shaped Tech in the last half century. Most of the individuals mentioned have since been dedicated a building on campus.
date: 2019-05-10
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Jim Hatch, March, 7, 2019 (Ms2016-015)
description: Jim Hatch went to Lynchburg College as an undergraduate, majoring in management. Upon graduating, he attended Virginia Tech for a Master’s of Accounting and graduated in 1972. Afterwards, he began working as a public accountant and remained active in Virginia Tech affairs. In this interview, Jim talks about his first memories of Virginia Tech, working in accounting, serving on the Advisory Board for the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, and going on to win the Pamplin’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
date: 2019-03-07
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Mallory Foutch and Anna LoMascolo, March 19, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Mallory Foutch came to Virginia Tech in 2016 after attending both undergrad and grad school elsewhere. During school, she was a passionate social activist and feminist, which she turned to in her work here with the Women’s Center as a program coordinator. Anna LoMascolo came from a long line of Hokies. She went to Virginia Tech for undergrad majoring in communication studies. After graduating, she moved to New York and California, before coming back to Blacksburg and getting a PhD in sociology. She got involved with the Women’s Center first as a volunteer, but turned staff, eventually becoming a co-director. In this interview, Anna and Mallory talk about their work in the Women’s Center, how they got there, struggles, and work they’ve done creating a safe space on campus for the community.
date: 2018-03-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Rosemary Blieszner, March 19, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Rosemary Beiszner came to Virginia Tech as a foot in the door to the academic world. She attended undergraduate at Mercyhurst College, studying home economics. She went on to pursue a master’s degree in family and child development at Ohio State. Finally, she earned a PhD from Penn State in adult development and aging. In this interview, Rosemary talks about her journey to Virginia Tech, falling in love with the campus, and her thirty-seven year long career here, from a one year teaching position to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
date: 2018-03-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Frank Beamer, June 7, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Frank Beamer was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina in 1946, but grew up just across state lines in Fancy Gap, a suburb of Hillsville, Virginia. Growing up on a farm, hard-work was instilled in him from an early age, along with the value of higher education, as per his parents’ expectations. In high school, Beamer was active in sports, playing football, basketball, and baseball, and graduated with 11 varsity letters. Football became his ticket out after several Roanoke Times articles piqued the interest of VPI coaches, leading him to sign with Virginia Tech. While here, Beamer majored in vocational education, played defensive back on the team, and started his coaching career at Radford High School. Upon graduating in 1969, he began teaching math at Radford High School in order to keep coaching. His coaching career continued in 1972 as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland, College Park, then moving to The Citadel for seven seasons. In 1969, he was hired as the defensive coordinator at Murray State University, and was later promoted to head coach. After six years as head coach, he was hired as head coach at Virginia Tech after a series of NCAA violations under the previous coach. In this interview, Beamer talks about his years leading up to coaching at Virginia Tech, and his time here. His years rebuilding the team after first arriving, but then winning the Independence Bowl in 1993, leading to a streak in Bowls, culminating in the 1999 season. Bolstering the program’s academics, football rallying the school in the wake of tragedies, and what he’s learned in his twenty-nine years at the school.
date: 2018-06-07
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Pat Hyer, March 5, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Pat Hyer grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, in a household where education was paramount. She attended undergraduate school at Hillsdale College, receiving a scholarship to the University of Michigan for a master’s degree in French. After working for a few years, she returned to the University of Michigan for another master’s degree in community college and adult education. She moved to Virginia for her husband’s Ph.D., and began working with female activists groups at ODU. She got her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, and stayed to work on faculty. In this interview, Pat covers her life and education before Virginia Tech, her work in feminist activism at the school – including establishing the Women’s Center – and working as the state coordinator for the Virginia Network of Women in Higher Education.
date: 2018-03-05
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Mary "Prim" Jones, March 27, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Mary “Prim” Jones grew up in Blacksburg and around campus. Although she considered other colleges, she chose to attend Virginia Tech for her undergraduate degree, studying mechanical engineering as an early female student. She graduated in 1962, and moved to Northern Virginia and began working at Atlantic Research Corporation as a structural engineer. She eventually got her master’s degree in mechanical engineering from George Washington, and continued working in the field. She was inducted into the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Academy of Engineering Excellence. In this interview, Prim recounts her life as a pioneer of women in engineering. At Virginia Tech, she was one of six women in her class to begin, and one of three to graduate. She reflects on the isolation where her male peers and professors would intentionally oust her, despite her accomplishments and ties to the department. In her professional career, being discriminated against on the basis of her gender, but persevering. To end, she reflects on the changes in the university, particularly in relation to gender equality on campus.
date: 2018-03-27
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bill Starnes, April 26, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: William (Bill) Starnes, Jr., Virginia Tech class of 1955, never seriously considered any other school. Bill always knew that he was going to college, and because his father attended the university, having graduated in 1924, it seemed like the perfect place to be. Growing up in Lee County, VA, Bill enjoyed all that his hometown had to offer him as a youth, including the outdoor activities and the great education he received before heading off to college. An only child, he was raised by two parents who valued education just as much as he did. His mother and father, both from Scott County, VA, were teachers as well, and that only made education much more important to Bill. Although he knew Virginia Tech was where he wanted to attend, Bill actually began his higher education at the age of fifteen at a different institution, spending two years at Union College in Barbourville, KY, where he first discovered his love for chemistry. Before Bill decided on a major, he had thought about careers in many different fields, even music, as he is a jazz piano player who has performed in the French Quarter of New Orleans. But after one semester of chemistry at Union under a very inspirational professor, Dr. Rupert Hurley, Bill decided that was it, and chemistry was what he wanted to study. After two years at Union, taking all the courses Dr. Hurley had to offer, the transfer to Virginia Tech made even more sense to Bill, because he knew he could further his education in chemistry here because of the strong programs in the sciences that the university offered.Three years later, Bill graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Chemistry, and too many memories to count. Some of Bill’s fondest memories were of a friend who purchased a fire-engine-red hearse from the Christiansburg Fire Department. They and their cronies rode to football games in the hearse, and once, because the police thought it was an official vehicle, they stopped the traffic for blocks and waved the h…
date: 2018-04-26
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Doug Montgomery, March 26, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Doug Montgomery grew up in Radford, Virginia, playing baseball and golf, knowing that he would continue in higher education. Now a proud triple Hokie of industrial engineering, Doug graduated with a BS, MS, and Ph.D in 1965, 1967, and 1969 respectively. After finishing his PhD, he taught at Georgia Tech for fifteen years, briefly at University of Washington, and landed at ASU. In this interview, Doug covers his early childhood before Virginia Tech, his years at the school, and life after as a professor of industrial engineering.
date: 2018-03-26
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Susan Anderson, March 3, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Susan Anderson got her passion for social justice and community service from her family. From a young age, she was taught by her mother to stand up for those in need. Her grandparents were involved in their communities, and her grandfather worked in public health. Anderson was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and grew up in Amherst County. She attended the University of Mary Washington as an undergraduate and majored in mathematics and classical civilization. She was an active member of many organizations, including the service organization Circle K and several honor societies. Since the university had recently become co-ed and was home to mostly women, Anderson wasn’t exposed to gender inequality on campus. When she came to Virginia Tech for graduate school, however, her eyes were opened to the lack of female representation. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a master’s in mathematics in 1982 and became a mathematics instructor here; she is currently a senior instructor. Throughout her time at Virginia Tech and in Blacksburg, Anderson has gotten involved with many social causes, especially those involving women’s rights and environmental issues. She has also been on the Blacksburg Town Council since 2006 and began her third term as vice mayor, the second female vice mayor in Blacksburg’s history, in January of 2018. Although Anderson had always been supportive of organizations advocating for social justice during graduate school, she had never been directly involved until she became an instructor. She was reading the New River Free Press, an alternative news publication, and decided to become a volunteer with the paper. Working with the Free Press was the catalyst that got her involved in community issues and made her well-known in the community. She was treasurer for the paper until it ceased publication in 2007. In addition to her work with the Free Press, Anderson became involved, and is still involved, with the Montgomery County chapter of the National Organizat…
date: 2018-03-05
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Ezra "Bud" Brown, April 3, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Dr. Ezra A. “Bud” Brown grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana knowing he was expected to attend college. After graduating high school, he attended Rice University and after switching majors a few times, ultimately chose math. When he graduated from undergrad, he immediately entered a master’s program at LSU and continued with his Ph.D. He arrived at VPI in 1969, working as a professor and remained for 48 years. In this interview, Bud covers the role of mentorship in his academic career, his journey in becoming a beloved professor, and his love of the school.
date: 2018-04-03
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Mayer Levy, April 6, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Mayer Levy was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia to a VPI family, and came to VPI partly on that influence and through a scholarship. He graduated in 1960 as a biology major, and continued to dental school at Georgetown. After finishing in 1964, he moved back to Newport News and has remained there since. In this interview, Mayer talks about his time at VPI in the Highty-Tighties, working in dentistry, and his work being an active alumni.
date: 2018-04-06
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Kimberly Williams, March 20, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: For Kimberly Williams, Virginia Tech has filled many roles. From 2002 to 2008 it was her university, and recently her place of employment – but it is, and has been, much more. A graduate of the class of 2008, she majored in psychology with sociology and creative writing minors. She went on to do home-based counseling, worked with the Radford Women’s Resource Center, and earned her M.F.A. degree at Cornell University where she taught courses on African-American Science Fiction and Feminist Memoir. Now, she serves as Assistant Director for the VT Black Cultural Center, focusing on its restoration. Virginia Tech was the springboard for Williams’s career. Today, she gives back to the community she calls home in hopes of providing others with the opportunities to follow their dreams – just like she did. Kimberly was raised in an Air Force family; she never stayed in one place for very long. While maintaining friendships was difficult, she was fortunate to visit different places and experience their cultures including Paris and Germany. Her family prioritized education highly; from a young age, Williams knew college was guaranteed in her future. She has loved for as long as she can remember and aspired to be a poet despite her parents’ reluctance towards the idea. The first time she visited campus she noticed a lot of diverse candidacy and students. Coming from a small high school class, Williams anticipated expanding her community, experiences, and identity. Virginia Tech’s beautiful campus and outreach contributed to her final decision to attend, as well as having Nikki Giovanni on the faculty. One of her first memories of attending Tech was noticing the strong sense of community and school pride in the area; the sheer volume of VT gear seen on locals was humorously “borderline cultish.” Unfortunately, Williams felt intense pressure as a minority on campus, especially during a time when tensions regarding affirmative action. Her parents encouraged her to stick it out de…
date: 2017-03-20
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Rich and Libby Carpenter, November 19, 2016 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Although Rich and Libby Carpenter each experienced their own unique version of Virginia Tech, they can both attest to the sense of community that they felt during their time here. Rich Carpenter, class of 1967, did not join the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets until after he had already served in the United States Army, so his college lifestyle was different than those of other cadets. Despite these differences, however, Rich continued to maintain his commitment to the Corps, occupying multiple positions on the Honor Court throughout his undergraduate years, and he still formed lasting relationships with other cadets. Following his undergraduate years, Rich went on to receive his master’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1969, as did Libby Carpenter in 1971 as part of the first group of students to receive a master’s degree from Virginia Tech’s English program. The couple stayed in Blacksburg for many years afterwards, with Rich working for an equity investments and insurance company and Libby teaching at Blacksburg High School. Even after they moved the couple remained connected the Virginia Tech, sending a daughter to study interior design and returning for multiple visits. They also fund scholarships for Virginia Tech students and have served on multiple committees and associations through Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech gave Rich and Libby Carpenter a place to begin their lives and start a family together. They created their home in Blacksburg, and they return with fond memories and pride in the direction the university is going.
date: 2016-11-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Matt Winston Jr., April 6, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: As one of Virginia Tech’s first black graduates, Matt Winston’s father was able to share a number of stories, both positive and negative, about the university. While he did hear stories of his father being called by the university’s president and asked to not attend ring dance so as to avoid stirring racial tensions, Winston was also told stories of the incredible leaders and supportive students within the university. His father told him the truth about some of the hardships he faced at Virginia Tech, but he also made sure to inform Winston of the many positive qualities of the university, particularly in terms of academic excellence. While he was aware of some of his father’s experiences at Tech, Winston, Class of 1990, says that his father wanted him to have the freedom to form his own opinion of the school based on his own experiences there. He made the choice to attend Virginia Tech to receive a degree in marketing management after being contacted directly by Norrine Bailey Spencer, the Associate Dean of the College of Business, and asked to join the university. Since then he has formed relationships within the Virginia Tech community both as a student and a faculty member. As a student, Winston was struck by the beauty of the campus and encouraged by the camaraderie of the students. He was able to enter Virginia Tech’s student body among others that he knew from his high school, allowing him to come in with a previously built support group, and he networked and formed new relationships to expand this support group as well. He remembers the hiring of Frank Beamer and Nikki Giovanni, both of which occurred the year after he enrolled, and he remembers the increase in Hokie Pride that followed after those hires. He can also share stories of watching superb athletes, experiencing nearly every natural disaster possible in Blacksburg, and visiting the most popular dance spots of the time. During his time here, Winston has been able to use the relationships he built to…
date: 2017-04-06
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Neal Henshaw, April 13, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
description: Neal Henshaw took a roundabout path to becoming a Hokie. He was born in Buckingham, Virginia, and despite being familiar with Virginia Tech, he decided to go to BYU and pursue Spanish education. After graduation, he worked several jobs to help support his family and put his wife through medical school. After finishing her residency, the Henshaws moved to Blacksburg where Neal began working in Newman Library. As a faculty member, Neal took advantage of free master's classes and got his master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology in 2013. In this interview, Neal covers growing up, attending college, and starting a family. He talks about sacrificing his dream of becoming a basketball coach for his family, moving to and integrating into Blacksburg, and his life since.
date: 2017-04-13
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Linda Plaut, February 23, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: You don’t have to graduate from Virginia Tech to be a Hokie. After moving to Blacksburg as a faculty spouse, Linda Plaut joined the university’s staff as a part-time teacher. What started as a temporary position blossomed into a permanent career of building lifelong friendships and igniting the torch of gender equality on Virginia Tech’s campus. During her years at Tech, Plaut promoted equal rights among faculty and shed light on gender discrimination throughout history. She continues to exemplify Hokie ideals by advocating civility, inclusion, and creativity within the Blacksburg community. Before joining the Virginia Tech family, Plaut led a career in music. A love for the violin and a natural affinity led her to share the arts with others. She taught music and conducted orchestras in Pittsburgh, Boston, and Philadelphia elementary schools; she also performed with several city groups such as the Boston Pops, Philadelphia Opera, and with singer James Brown. Plaut came to Blacksburg in 1983 at a time when the university needed more faculty. She accepted an offer of a two-year part-time contract to teach humanities courses. Having no prior experience teaching in that field, she devoted her first year of teaching to nights of studying material. In time, Plaut became an exceptional humanities teacher – so exceptional, that she kept her position for 23 years. She expanded from humanities to honors, leadership, and women’s studies courses. A classical violinist with passion for the arts, Plaut noticed a significant lack of female composers in history. She decided to request a grant to exclusively play concerts written by women. Initially, instructors could not receive grants, but the Women’s Resource Center realized that the majority of instructors at Tech were female. They supplied Plaut with funds to go to the Library of Congress and find music by female composers. She found so many wonderful compositions that she and other musicians put on six concerts entirely writte…
date: 2018-02-23
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bob Bates, October 2, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Education has always been important in the life of Robert “Bob” Bates, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (now College of Science). Both of his parents were college-educated, and his mother was a teacher, while his father worked for the U.S. government. The youngest of four, Bates and his siblings were all expected to attend college. Although it was difficult for his parents to pay for all of their educations, they still made it a priority, and as Bates said, “there was no other option” but for him and his siblings to further their education. He decided to study biology at Lewis & Clark College, a small liberal arts college in Portland with around the same student population as his high school — a stark contrast from the universities that would later become central in his life. He enjoyed his time at Lewis & Clark because he had the opportunity to do research, study abroad in Japan, and feed his growing interest in microbiology and virology, the study of viruses. After graduating from Lewis & Clark in 1966, Bates obtained his master’s degree in Bacteriology and Public Health from Washington State University in 1969. He then began working toward his doctorate at Colorado State University, although his now-wife Wendy, whom he met at Washington State, was still teaching elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, at the time. After a few months of dating long distance, Wendy moved to Colorado, and the two married while Bates finished his doctorate in microbiology with a specialty in virology, which he received in 1972. After completing his formal education, Bates ended up at Virginia Tech partly by chance. He found out about an opening in a faculty position while attending a national meeting for microbiologists. Although he had never heard of the university or the town of Blacksburg before, he got an interview, received the position, and moved all the way from Colorado to Blacksburg just a few months after graduating from Colorado State. As a professor on ten…
date: 2017-10-02
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Mickey Hayes, October 19, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Mickey Hayes, born as Charles Joseph Hayes, Jr. was born in Pittsburgh in 1941, moved to Norfolk very shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and finally settled in Virginia Beach for the rest of his childhood. Here, he mostly spent his time away from conventional beachside activities. Instead, he fished, crabbed, and went water-skiing on the Lynnhaven River. As a teenager, Mickey grew interested in his parents’ work: operating an ornamental plant nursery. He spent these teenage summers weeding in rows of plants while his friends worked as lifeguards on the beach. But this time Mickey spent working for his parents planted a seed for his future career at Virginia Tech and beyond. Before continuing, the question must be asked: why Mickey? Mickey rarely uses his full name. He’ll tell you his parents selected the nickname out of thin air and his mother wanted a name to stand out from his father, Charles Joseph Hayes, Sr. (also known as Charles Hayes, an influential horticulturist/plantsman who, among other ornamental varietal introductions, created the highly popular U.S. plant-patented “Chuck Hayes Gardenia”). The nickname sticks with Mickey now, so much so that rarely anyone acknowledges him by his full name. When the decision to attend college became apparent, Mickey needed to select a Virginia school due to cost. Still, why did he go to VT? Well, his father was active in and a past President of the Virginia Nurserymen’s Association, an organization in which the Virginia Tech Horticulture Department has always been both supportive and active. Virginia Tech also provided Mickey the option to pursue a degree in ornamental horticulture with a major in landscape design, which fit Mickey’s plans to become a landscape architect. Mickey’s arrival to VT strayed from the path of others, too. Back in the early sixties, students at Virginia Tech were required to be a member of the Corps of Cadets for at least their first two years. Some exceptions did exist, though. To get a…
date: 2017-10-19
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Matthew Winston Sr., February 9, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
subject: African American history
description: Matt Winston Sr., Virginia Tech class of 1959, was born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1938, the youngest of three children. Though he grew up in a time of warfare and racial segregation in a poor family, he enjoyed his childhood. He remembers being hardly aware of the hardships around him, to which he says: “Someone was looking after me but I didn’t know it.” While at Booker T. Washington high school, he excelled in academics and caught the attention of his physics teacher, who had started his own guidance program. This teacher suggested that Matt get an engineering education at a Virginia university, which up to that point Matt and other Black students had thought impossible. He ended up getting a grant from a foundation to attend college and decided to come to Virginia Tech. He recalls being overwhelmed by the Virginia Tech campus and to be living in the mountains. At the time, Virginia Tech was largely attended by World War II veterans, and Matt remembers there being a behavioral distinction between the men who had served and those like him who weren’t and saw college as “freedom to get away from home.” As one of the earliest Black students to ever attend Virginia Tech, Matt remembers some instances of discrimination, but he also states that he had an easier time than other Black students who came before him, such as Charlie Yates. Matt was unable to attend the Ring Dance because he was Black and recalls getting a call from President Newman telling him so. He also remembers an instance where a professor stopped teaching one of his classes because he didn’t want to teach a class with a Black student in it. Though Matt had troubles and sometimes felt isolated during his early years at Virginia Tech, he also states that he cannot remember a troublesome incident with any student. He was also welcomed by the Black community in Blacksburg and grew a family-like bond with other African American individuals in the town. Following his graduation in 1959, Matt got a job at NASA’…
date: 2018-02-09
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Todd Ogle, April 03, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
description: Todd Ogle grew up in Northern Virginia and pursued his undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech from 1992 and 1996. Although he never planned on attending the school, during a visit his loved the student experience and he chose it. During undergrad, he studied communications and eventually pursued a master's and doctorate in teaching instructional technology. In this interview, Todd talks about his undergraduate experience at Virginia Tech, pursuing further education, and coming back to teach at the school. He emphasizes leaving the community better than he found it, and hopes to do so in his work with designing courses for students.
date: 2016-04-03
rights: Permission to publish materials from VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bill Latham, May 21, 2015 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: On the residential side of campus, there is an academic building where researchers from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and College of Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE) work diligently to find solutions to environmental issues and improve the quality of life for all of Earth’s inhabitants. This is Latham Hall. In 2006, Latham Hall was named after an outstanding alumni and integral member of the Hokie community, Bill C. Latham, after he and his wife, Betty, made a large donation to the University to support research. Latham has remained an involved member of the Virginia Tech community since he graduated with a degree in General Agriculture in 1955. Why did Latham choose to come to Virginia Tech, a University he has had unbreakable ties with for over the past 50 years? Simple. His mother. Latham’s mother wanted her son to experience a broad education in agriculture. The Lathams own hundreds of acres of farmland in Prince William county in northern Virginia: the same farmland Latham has lived on since he was brought back from the hospital as a baby in 1933. With an education from Virginia Tech, Latham was prepared to operate the farm, while working in the banking and hotel businesses on the side to provide for education for his four children. The University was much different back when Latham began his studies in 1951. During that time, the majority of the student body was made up of the Corps of Cadets. However, Latham was not interested in joining the military after graduation. He had a farm to return to. Leaving the Corps of Cadets meant that Latham became one of the one thousand civilian students on campus. He made the most of this experience, becoming the president of the growing civilian body. Latham has a variety of anecdotes from his years as a student — from standing up to an irate English professor, to learning how to pilot in a rented J3 Cub, a well-known, lightweight aircraft. One of the most memorable stories happened his senior…
date: 2015-05-21
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Bill Roth, January 26, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Bill Roth grew up in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania playing ice hockey. He attended Syracuse University studying multimedia journalism, wanting to work in sports broadcasting. After graduating, he was hired at Virginia Tech as the “Voice of the Hokies,” doing radio for Virginia Tech athletics, and worked here for 27 years. In this interview, Roth talks about his journey into sports broadcasting, college athletics, and the work which placed him in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
date: 2018-01-26
rights: <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=47&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdigitalsc.lib.vt.edu%2Ffiles%2Fthumbnails%2Fspec_forms%2FPubPermission.doc%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3EPermission+to+publish+material+from+the+VT+Stories+Oral+History+Collection+must+be+obtained+from+Special+Collections%2C+Virginia+Tech.%3C%2Fa%3E">Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Virginia "Ginney" Fowler, March 23, 2018 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Ginney Fowler was born in Lexington, Kentucky but moved around for the majority of her upbringing. From age four to seventeen, she lived in Texas, Montana, Kentucky, Oregon, and Florida, but then entered the University of Kentucky as an early entrant. Although she started as a philosophy major, Ginny switched into English, graduating in 1969. She continued with a graduate program at the University of Pittsburgh, and stayed for a PhD, defending in 1976. She came to Virginia Tech in a stroke of luck. After finishing her PhD, Virginia Tech went through a massive hiring process in building a College of Arts and Sciences. She arrived as an assistant professor in 1977, and spent her career at the school, teaching and writing. Although she began as a Victorian scholar in grad school, her research agenda changed to focusing on female and minority writers, which she emphasizes the importance of. In working at Virginia Tech, she specifically emphasizes the importance of liberal arts education. In this interview, Ginny talks about her journey to arriving at Virginia Tech, changes she’s seen on campus, her research agenda, and concerns she has for the university.
date: 2018-03-23
rights: <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=47&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdigitalsc.lib.vt.edu%2Ffiles%2Fthumbnails%2Fspec_forms%2FPubPermission.doc%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3EPermission+to+publish+material+from+the+VT+Stories+Oral+History+Collection+must+be+obtained+from+Special+Collections%2C+Virginia+Tech.%3C%2Fa%3E">Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
type: Oral histories

VT Stories Oral History with Jack Evans, March 3, 2017 (Ms2016-015)
subject: University History
description: Dr. Jack Evans grew up in California before moving to Colorado for several years. He moved again in high school to Reno, Nevada, where he then attended undergraduate at University of Nevada, Reno and majored in biology. After graduation, he planned on moving to Virginia to be closer to his girlfriend (now wife) Mary, with the vague intention of working at Virginia Tech. Jack’s professor at UNR connected him to Dr. Cranford, who then connected him to the Entomology Department, which landed him a job. After falling in love with the campus, he stayed to do his master’s and PhD in education, then began working as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. In this interview, Jack covers his life as a first generation college student, moving across the country to Virginia, and becoming a beloved biology professor at the university.
date: 2017-03-03
rights: Permission to publish material from the VT Stories Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives.
type: Oral histories