Virginia Tech’s president defends NIH research funding
President Sands warns NIH cuts will harm research, national security, and Virginia Tech’s future as Trump-era policies challenge higher education.
Out and About – April 2025
1. On March 10, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner rode the Metro with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority CEO Randy Clarke to discuss the impact of government funding on the transit system and other topics. (Photo courtesy Sen. Warner’s office) 2. U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia Tech President […]
Va. Tech Innovation Campus opens first academic building
The first academic building of Virginia Tech‘s Innovation Campus in Alexandria opened to students Tuesday as classes commenced. Virginia Tech started construction on the first academic building of the $1 billion campus in September 2021 and had planned to open the $302 million building in August 2024, but supply chain issues delayed the opening of the 300,000-square-foot, […]
Va. Tech Innovation Campus building opening delayed
The opening of the first academic building on Virginia Tech‘s Innovation Campus has been delayed to spring 2025, the university announced Thursday. Virginia Tech started construction on the first academic building of the $1 billion campus in Alexandria in September 2021 and had planned to open the $302 million building this August. The delay on […]
Va. Tech extends president’s contract through 2027
Metallica won’t be playing “Exit Sandman” anytime soon — Virginia Tech President Tim Sands will stay on as the university’s president though the 2027 academic year. The university’s board of visitors voted unanimously to extend Sands’ contract during a quarterly meeting Tuesday, according to a news release. Sands is Tech‘s 16th president and has served [[...]
Va. Tech Innovation Campus hires communications and marketing director
The Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria hired Franki Fitterer as the director of communications and marketing, the university announced Monday. Fitterer joined the campus’ team on Aug. 25. Fitterer will direct marketing and communications strategy for the Innovation Campus and will focus on enrollment marketing and the campus’ brand strategy. “We are thrilled to […]
GMU establishes President’s Innovation Advisory Council
George Mason University President Gregory Washington on Monday announced he has formed an advisory roundtable of nearly 30 regional business executives and community leaders to focus on the university’s innovation initiative. The President’s Innovation Advisory Council will focus on issues such as GMU’s efforts to increase the pipeline of tech workers. George Mason’s innova[...]
Virginia Tech Innovation Campus director named to National Academy of Engineering
Virginia Tech announced Monday that Lance R. Collins, vice president and executive director of the university’s Innovation Campus, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for 2021. The former Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering at Cornell University was named as head of Tech‘s Innovation Campus in February 2020. He had led Cornell’s college of […]
Tech Innovation Campus announces advisory board
Amid its inaugural virtual semester, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria is already kickstarting its future tech talent production through the creation of an advisory board, for which top Virginia executives will provide guidance to the campus on business partnerships and projects. Top executives from Qualcomm, Boeing, KPMG, Northrop Grumman, The Carlyle Group and […]
Va. Tech selects architecture firm for first Innovation Campus building
Virginia Tech has selected Detroit-based architecture and planning firm SmithGroup to design the first academic building for its Innovation Campus in Alexandria, the university announced Friday. SmithGroup responded to a public request for proposals (RFP) issued last summer by Tech after its June announcement that it would build its Innovation Campus in Alexandria. The RFP […]
Virginia Tech Innovation Campus names Cornell dean as executive director
Lance R. Collins, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering at Cornell University, has been selected as the first vice president and executive director of Virginia Tech‘s $1 billion Innovation Campus, which is set to open in Alexandria‘s North Potomac Yard area in the fall. He will join Virginia Tech as of Aug. 1. The Innovation […]