As we enter this summer period at Virginia Tech, we are certainly enjoying the nice weather - even though we had to endure several rainstorms over the past weeks.
For some, there is the sense of relief that the spring semester is over, for some it is the start of summer vacations, and for others it is a time to take that last course needed so that they can graduate, while some are finally able to catch up on projects. However, summer at Virginia Tech is also so much more, as it is an essential time for the campus on many levels.
My first experience at Virginia Tech actually took place in summer 1995, as I was a student delegate from the University of Florida attending the National Association of College University Residence Halls conference that was being held in Blacksburg.
I can still remember the bus ride as we accessed I-81 and entered the New River Valley. My group stayed in Pritchard Hall, and we walked all over the campus for three days from places like Squires to Cassell to McBryde to the Field House. I never imagined that three years later, I would be starting my professional career at Tech in July 1998 and, coincidently, being in charge of Pritchard Hall. If it had not been for that earlier experience and exposure to Tech, I might not have even considered the opportunity and would not be here today.
Right now, we have individuals on the campus going through similar conference experiences as they participate in various sport camps, educational conferences, or training institutes.
Participants vary in age levels, backgrounds, and where they're from. Here at Tech, they'll experience programs such as College Bound for students with disabilities, additional certification training for foreign language instructors, or the annual FFA and 4-H conferences, where students from the Commonwealth attend and participate in a wide variety of competitions.
These and other experiences not only have a short-term impact, but also a long-term impact, as they help introduce the campus to prospective students, future employees, and future allies/supporters of the university.
Even now, you may come across these individuals in the dining hall, see them walking around in groups, or bump into them in the library or in Squires. It is important to know that these individuals are here for a reason and that it is impacting them, as well as the university.
It is crucial for us as students, faculty, and staff to be ambassadors of the university for these individuals and to treat them accordingly.
In addition, there are college students from other universities doing research at Tech. Rather than stay at their home campuses, these students have decided to seek undergraduate research opportunities at Virginia Tech, working with interested faculty and staff.
One such program that provides these experiences is the Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program. MAOP is just one of several experiences provided by different departments for summer research opportunities. This summer research experience can be a tremendous springboard for these students to get hands-on research experience and exposure to Tech. This exposure could potential lead them to consider graduate opportunities or other experiences at Tech.
While we have spoken about the impact on people, we can't forget the importance of the summer on the university infrastructure. The physical shell of the campus is just as important, as we would not want to visit a campus with broken sidewalks, falling doors, or potholes in the roads.
Summer provides an opportunity to take care of needed maintenance work throughout the campus, whether it is on the roads, in the actual buildings, or on the actual grounds. We may think it is an inconvenience, but without the summer period, this work would happen during the academic year and cause greater inconveniences.
Unfortunately, funding and other pressures don't allow for all of the projects to be done in the summer, so they have to be prioritized. Without the summer, we would face a campus in disrepair.
In the end, summer provides an opportunity for the entire atmosphere to slow down. While it used to be said that the summer was a slow period, behind the scenes in administrative/academic offices, summer is not only the time to take care of those projects and efforts that were not done in the academic year, but also the time to plan ahead for the next one. Without summer, this needed planning time would be lost.
While we enjoy the less hectic nature and pace of the summer in Blacksburg, it is important to remember the valuable role that the summer period plays for the university and the community. The summer will be gone before we know it; soon it will be August and the start of another academic year.
Ray Plaza serves as the Special Projects Coordinator in Academic Support Services.