Virginia Tech campus visits going virtual

As Virginia Tech has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, one result has been a very different Blacksburg campus atmosphere. Most students have elected to stay home following spring break, and there are reduced campus operations.

One of the groups affected by the changes are potential Hokies. Many of this population are considering the colleges to which they will apply, and campus visits are critical in that decision. On a normal day, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions provides an information session followed by a campus tour. The tour is led by a student, giving unique insights into the student experience as well as a campus overview. In addition to daily tour options, springtime is usually a season full of large events, which provide expanded visit opportunities during peak times of student interest.

Students who have been offered admission for fall 2020 are a second group who normally have a host of visit options during spring. Events such as Hokie Focus are annual traditions that gather faculty and staff from around campus, providing potential new students the chance to discuss final questions before they make their college choice.

Admissions has assembled a set of virtual options with the intention of duplicating as many of these experiences as possible. For students considering applying, a virtual portal now exists with several options. The customary information session is presented in two parts, and the campus tour has been divided into several different stops. Additional videos are present for the Corps of Cadets, first-generation students, and more.

Courtesy Virginia Tech Media Relations

For students who have been offered admission, the Hokie Focus event scheduled for April 4 has been re-tooled as a fully virtual occasion. A mix of live virtual events and pre-recorded videos will come online on the morning of April 4, with a schedule page available in the interim to allow students to plan ahead for any live events in which they might participate. The schedule page will be continuously updated in the days leading up to April 4 as campus constituents are able to commit to the new format.

“It’s been a unique time in the history of our university, but we’re adapting at high speed,” said Undergraduate Admissions Director Juan Espinoza. “We’re very fortunate to have a strong campus community that rallies together. I hope that sense of community is obvious to the students who are thinking of coming here.”