VTEC highlights Virginia Tech University and its efforts in advancing opportunities for Virginia Tribal Citizens and Indigenous communities. 

​

Virginia Tech University has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering a supportive environment for Indigenous communities. In 2016, a dedicated physical space was established as a community center, providing Indigenous students, faculty, and staff a space for gathering. The university has since organized annual powwows, observed Indigenous Peoples Day, and actively participated in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Land acknowledgments have evolved into a more formal university language, approved in 2023. Virginia Tech's Indigenous faculty/staff group advocates for Native employees, while the center conducts diverse programming, including cultural workshops and heritage month events.

 

The university hosts a Native grad ceremony, provides 1:1 advocacy for students, and offers an American Indian Studies minor. Multiple grant programs support Indigenous students, fostering peer mentoring, leadership education, internships, and community engagement. An Indigenous Community Garden, Tribal outreach activities, and collaboration with Solitude-Fraction further demonstrate the university's dedication. Virginia Tech actively engages in Indigenous language conferences, supports an active Indigenous Alumni group, and offers two Native scholarship opportunities. For a detailed overview of these efforts and projects, you can explore the full document here.