Virginia Tech has been historically proud of many of its unique traditions and characteristics, but some are better known than others. Everyone knows about the yearly ring dance, but does everyone known about the school’s video game lab? A great deal of Virginia Tech students don’t seem to be aware of a lot of the neater things going on around their campus. Every once in a while, you may accidentally discover one of Virginia Tech’s best-kept “secrets.” While information about most of these places, events, etc. are usually fully available, they are not publicized in quite the way that the school’s ring dance would be. Here are six fun facts about your school that you probably never knew!
6) Attention, communication majors: Your department has its own video game lab. Officially called the VT Gaming and Media Effects Research Laboratory (G.A.M.E.R. lab), this oft-overlooked marvel is located in the basement of Shanks Hall. Directed by Dr. James Ivory, it is, as you may have guessed, used for research related to how video games affect the way we think and communicate.
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5) Corey Moore, a Virginia Tech defensive end for the 1999 football team, was said to have the scariest eyes in college football. They were considered so unique that ESPN Magazine wrote an article all about him and his concentration techniques that year.
4) Virginia Tech slaughters large animals on-campus. This might go without saying, seeing as the university is well known for its agriculture school. There are “slaughter rooms” where animals soon become your next meal. Well, probably not, but you get the idea.
3) The school has a “Campus Master Plan” detailing all long-term construction goals for the university and more. The Center for the Arts, the Turner Place dining facility, the West End Market renovations, the East Ambler-Johnston residential college, New Hall West, and plans to get air conditioning and wireless Internet into the residence halls are all part of the plan.
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2) Virginia Tech’s music department has a recording studio. This may not sound that exciting, but one would be surprised to learn just how gorgeous and state-of-the-art this place is. Located off of Main Street, the studio is used to give music technology students a place to record their curricular and extra-curricular work. (Unfortunately, you have to be part of the program to gain free access.)
1) Virginia Tech is the sole school participating in something called the Blind Driver Challenge. A handful of engineering students, in partnership with the National Federation for the Blind, have been working for quite a while to design vehicles that blind persons can operate independently. While the NFB’s challenge was essentially an open invitation for any university feeling capable to participate, as of 2009, Virginia Tech is the only school to accept the challenge.
I don’t doubt that there are more fun facts to discover, many of which are potentially more interesting than what you see above. Some of the research and projects that Tech takes on are unbelievable. So perhaps you should start paying closer attention. As a special friend of mine would say, “Respect your school!” Or, in this case, go out and be curious about your school. You’ll be amazed at what you might find.