Dan Crowder, better known as “Joker” by many of his friends, has a huge personality to go along with his huge heart. A senior history major from Christiansburg, VA, Dan is the Vice President of the VPI Cave Club and an operations officer and tuba player for the Marching Virginians. Whether he is leading a trip through one of the many caves around Tech or entertaining people with his antics as a VTuba, Dan makes the most out of life and shares his enthusiasm with the people around him.
Her Campus Virginia Tech: What do you plan to do after graduation?
Dan Crowder: After graduation I would like to take a few “me” years. I’m planning to go overseas and work. I would like to participate in the Teach and Learn with Georgia program. I really just want to see the world.
HCVT: What is your favorite movie?
DC: My favorite movie is hands down The Blues Brothers. What other movie could bring all the classic elements of a musical into a movie that guys can like? It has fast cars, music, guns, large explosions and a love subplot for the ladies.
HCVT: Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Virginia Tech?
DC: Hmm…my favorite memory of Virginia Tech. That’s a tough one. I think it was being with the VTubas sitting on the beach my freshman year during the Orange Bowl. We all had cigars waiting for 2009 to come. On New Year’s Eve, all the ships offshore and the boats on the intercostal waterway hit their horns to ring in the New Year. I’ve never been to a bigger party in my life. It also helped that the next day we went to the Orange Bowl, saw the Doobie Brothers perform live at half time, and beat the socks off Cincinnati. It really was just an out of this world trip.
HCVT: What’s your idea of a perfect date?
DC: Haha my perfect date. Well my typical first date with a girl is going to Boudreaux’s and sitting on the roof overlooking Main Street. I really like to hike though. If it were me, I would take her up to Buffalo Mountain in Floyd County or the War Spur Trail over in Giles. It’s my little way of setting myself apart and using my local knowledge to wow a girl. There is something that these girls from Northern VA and Richmond seem to like about a backwoods boy.
HCVT: What are your favorite books?
DC: Favorite books? Easy. The O’Brian Master and Commander series. These books are perfect for a naval history nut like me. They have all the action and all the cultural references a history major could want. They also keep to being relatively historically accurate. What more could you want?
HCVT: I know you play a few instruments. Which ones have you played and for how long?
DC: I play the Tuba and have done so for 5 years. I have also been playing the saxophone for 10 years. I played the sax in my high school marching band and I play the Tuba with the Marching Virginians. It’s been a wild musical ride for me. Music has taken me places and shown me things I never thought I’d see.
HCVT: Which building on campus are you most likely to be found?
DC: Haha Newman Library. I virtually live there. It’s kind of sad really.
HCVT: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
DC: I am actually dealing with this problem right now. I really have no idea where I want to go in the world. Part of me wants to say Istanbul. I also want to hit up Antarctica some time. I just want to go everywhere really.
HCVT: If you could meet anyone that has ever existed, who would it be and why?
DC: Hmm hard to say. Lots of people have existed. I think it would have been really interesting to meet Lord Nelson. He fought some pretty big naval engagements and was a master strategist. I doubt he’d have time for the likes of me though.