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Campus Photo Tour

Be sure to visit the campus highlights page for more information on some of Virginia Tech's lesser-known attractions.

Located in Blacksburg, Va., Virginia Tech encompasses eight undergraduate colleges and a graduate school. We are also home to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. We offer more than 150 bachelor’s degree programs and 150 master’s and doctoral degree programs. With more than 33,000 full-time students, we have a 14:1 student to faculty ratio. Our main campus consists of more than 213 buildings, 2,600 acres, and an airport. Virginia Tech is ranked 44th in university research in the United States.

Burruss Hall 

Burruss Hall, named for former VPI president Julian Burruss, is the main administration building on campus. It also contains a 3,003-seat auditorium, a venue where major events such as commencement, presidential speeches, concerts, and arts shows are held. Burruss, like many of the buildings on campus, features a native limestone, which we refer to as "Hokie Stone."
In front of Burruss is the April 16 Memorial, which features 32 engraved Hokie Stones that honor the memory of the Hokies who lost their lives.

Burchard Plaza 

Burchard Hall is an underground studio space for students in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. The pyramids on the plaza allow natural light into the studio spaces. At the back of the plaza, Cowgill Hall also houses student studios, offices, and galleries for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Many of the college's programs are consistently ranked in the top programs in the country.

Engineering Quad 

Just past Burruss is the Engineering Quad, home to many of the classrooms, offices, and laboratories available to the engineering department. At the end of the Engineering Quad is the Joseph F. Ware, Jr. Advanced Engineering Lab, the home of a number of undergraduate engineering student design projects. It includes a showroom, machine shop, welding shop, computer aided design and manufacturing laboratory, eight self contained project bays and an additional project area on the ground floor. Engineering students from all academic levels and departments use this facility to design, fabricate and test their projects.

McBryde Hall 

On the corner of the Drillfield stands McBryde Hall, home to the Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Sociology, but most students will find themselves with at least one course in this building at some point during their time at Virginia Tech. McBryde Hall was also named for a former VPI president, John McLaren McBryde. He laid the foundation for Virginia Tech as we know it today by heading changes such as adopting the university motto of Ut Prosim and changing the school colors to orange and maroon.

Torgersen Hall 

Torgersen Hall is heavily focused on technology and is a popular study space for many students. Torgersen offers both computer labs and auditorium-style classrooms and plenty of study areas with ample computer hookups. Torgersen Bridge, which spans across Alumni Mall, is a quiet study space. This is a favorite for students because it easily accommodates laptops and provides workspace, but is designed to feel like a comfortable library reading room.

The Pylons & War Memorial Chapel 

The upper level of War Memorial Court is a special place to Hokies. The eight limestone pylons are etched with the names of Virginia Tech students and graduates who have died in battle, beginning with World War I. The Pylons envoke Virginia Tech’s core values. They are, from left to right, Brotherhood, Honor, Leadership, Sacrifice, Service, Loyalty, Duty, and Virginia Tech's motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

War Memorial Chapel is located underneath the Pylons and is entered from the Drillfield. The chapel is available to students, faculty, staff, or visitors who need a calm, quiet place to get away from the everyday bustle of life.

Upper Quad 

Upper Quad is home to the Corps of Cadets and represents many of the oldest buildings on campus, which were made of brick before we adopted Hokie Stone. When the school first opened, all students were admitted as cadets. Now, the co-ed program consists of more than 1,000 cadets and represents all branches of military ROTC. Upper Quad also houses the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, particularly the English and Communication programs in Shanks Hall.

Center for the Arts 

The Moss Arts Center is a newly-constructed facility serving Blacksburg and the New River Valley. It includes a 1,260-seat performance hall, visual arts galleries, an amphitheater, a four-story experimental cube, and multiple studios to support the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology. The center also houses a multimedia studio, production control room, newsroom, and associated classrooms to support the Department of Communication.

Squires Student Center 

Squires Student Center is a hub of student activity. Inside is a food court, an art gallery, several stages and theater production spaces, and offices for student publications such as the college's newspaper and campus radio station. BreakZone, a recreational center inside Squires, provides students with access to a bowling alley, billiard tables, ping pong games, and more. Squires is a great place to find out about events going on around campus or information about groups in which students might want to be involved.

Carol M. Newman Library 

Torgersen Bridge connects Torgersen Hall to the Carol M. Newman Library, the primary library on campus. Newman offers floors for both quiet study space and group work and features a cafe on the bottom floor. Computers, printing services, and research assistance are all available for student use. The library keeps late hours during the semester to better serve students' study schedules and often serves drinks and snacks during final exam weeks.

Residence Halls 

Just up the hill from Owens Dining Hall is Prairie Quad, a collection of newer, suite-style residence halls. Other residences on campus are styled in a traditional hall style, with community bathrooms on each floor. Room styles vary from one residence hall to another, but most rooms are intended for double-occupancy.

Dining Facilities

One of the most widely talked about parts of Virginia Tech is our award-winning dining. Much of that praise comes from our amazing dining centers and the dining experience that they produce. Turner Place is a state-of-the-art dining facility located behind McBryde Hall Old Turner Street on the academic side of campus. With glass walls and grand entrances throughout, Turner Place has a light, open feel. Housing eight separate restaurants, it offers a variety of cuisine that includes national brands and unique venues, some of which are the first of their kind on a university campus.

Fitness Centers

There are two main gyms on campus. McComas Hall houses the Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center, Charles W. Shiffert Health Center, and the Department of Recreational Sports. Its facilities include three gymnasium/volleyball courts, a cardio/weight training area, a swimming pool, aerobic studios, a suspended track, locker rooms, and a vending/lounge area.

In addition, War Memorial Gym also offers swimming, aerobics, and weight training, as well as raquetball, wallyball, and squash courts. Some smaller fitness centers are located inside several residence halls and are open to only that hall’s residents.

Athletic Facilities

Can you tell how we feel about our Hokie athletic teams? Our students practically live in maroon and orange. You can hear their thunderous cheers during home games at Lane Stadium. As members of the elite Atlantic Coast Conference, the Hokies provide fans a chance to attend some of the most competitive games in the nation.

The Drillfield 

The Drillfield is considered the center of the Blacksburg campus and the divider between academic and residential life. Between classes, the grassy spans is covered in students on their way to class. For students not in class, the Drillfield is a great place to sit and relax or start a pickup round of frisbee.

Downtown Blacksburg 

If you follow College Avenue away from campus, you will find yourself in beautiful, downtown Blacksburg. Along the way, you will pass Theater 101, a facility run by the School of Performing Arts and Cinema with both indoor and outdoor performance spaces. Downtown Blacksburg is a great source of food, shopping, and entertainment. Downtown actively hosts events throughout the year such as street fairs and parades for the community to enjoy. 

Southwest Virginia

Blacksburg, some 12,000 acres nestled on a plateau between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains, is special. Home to about 42,600 local residents, the town is considered small by most any standard, but don’t let its size or location fool you.

Because of its award-winning services, reasonable cost of living, safety, moderate climate, and abundant leisure activities, Blacksburg is consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live and has earned a reputation nationwide as a well-managed, stable, and forward-looking community.

Visit Us!

Want to see if Virginia Tech is right for you? Register to visit our campus and get a better feel for what life as a student in Blacksburg, Virginia is really like. We host admissions information sessions and student-led walking tours when classes are in session.

Campus tours typically follow each information session. These tours are given by Hokie Ambassadors, a group of dedicated students who volunteer their time to show you around Tech. The tour will last an hour and the majority of the tour will be of the exterior of campus. However, you will be able to see a model residence hall room and a standard classroom during your tour.

last updated July 2017