Collegiate Times

Abraham Wood, a European explorer, founded the town of Blacksburg in 1671. Over the past 340 years, the town has seen many integral parts come together to give it a rich history. Virginia Tech is the biggest part of that.

Tech was founded in March of 1872, as a result of the Morill Land Grant Act. It was originally known as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. The college officially opened on October 1, 1872.

The first president of the school was Charles L. C. Minor, who served from 1872-79.  The first diplomas from the school were presented in 1875, to 12 students.

In 1888, No. 1 Barracks, or what is now Lane Hall, opened and housed 150 cadets.

The Corps of Cadets is one of two military organizations established as an integral part of a major U.S. university (along with Texas A&M). It officially began in 1872 along with the creation of the school, and was mandatory for over a half-century for all students. The Corps is a very distinct student group on campus; with its uniforms and marches on a daily basis, it represents the very core traditions  upon which the school was founded.

In 1891, John McBryde was named the fifth president of the school, in the same year that an athletic association was established. The following year, the school began participating in intercollegiate football, with its primary colors as black and grey.

In 1896, the name of the university became informally known as Virginia Polytechnic Institute, or VPI. The motto of the school became Ut Prosim, which is Latin for "That I may serve", which remains the school's motto today. This is also when the school colors became Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange.

In 1903, The Virginia Tech was established as the student newspaper, which did not become the Collegiate Times until 1970.

In 1919, Julian Burruss became the eighth president of the school. This was a landmark for Tech, as he was the first VPI alumnus to serve as president.

Forty years later, War Memorial Chapel was completed to honor the fallen VPI soldiers of WWII, and then later became s memrial for all wars.

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