Compiled and written by Virginia Tech archivists, No Ordinary Moment is organized around three principal themes—the land-grant mission, the evolving campus, and the long tradition of innovation—which, taken together, provide an overlapping view of Virginia Tech’s past, present, and future. Along the way, the book highlights the many notable milestones in the university’s history, including its founding as a land-grant college in 1872, the granting of university status in 1970, and the arrival of female students and students of color. Likewise, the book illuminates the long-standing curricular strengths of the university in engineering, agriculture, architecture, and the sciences, as well as the liberal arts, athletics program, and social traditions shared by students, alumni, and the community. Also covered are the establishment of the Virginia Cooperative Extension and colleges for medicine and veterinary medicine, and Virginia Tech’s leading example in new technological fields and applied sciences, such as cybersecurity, transportation, autonomous vehicles, and bioinformatics.

No Ordinary Moment is a book for anyone who wants to learn more about the history and culture of Virginia Tech—from alumni, faculty, and students to members of the Hokie nation wherever they might live.