Welcome, Hokie Families!
A letter from Dean of Students Meaghan Davidson
The semester has officially started, and I am so happy to see our campus bustling with students again. I love seeing our newest Hokies learn their way around campus, finding home here. There’s nothing like taking a walk around the Duck Pond on a bright September morning, studying on the Drillfield as the tree leaves begin to turn, and catching up with new and old friends over coffee between classes.
One of my favorite fall traditions here is (of course!) going to football games. As students and alumni will tell you, jumping to Enter Sandman in Lane Stadium is a quintessential part of the Hokie experience. Even students who wouldn’t have considered themselves football fans before coming to Virginia Tech leave with core memories of cheering on their team.
This year, we are putting a renewed focus on football safety for our students. Student Affairs is partnering with Virginia Tech Athletics and the Virginia Tech Police Department to promote safe, fun game day experiences.
Starting this fall, we are implementing extra measures to help control crowd flow and support everyone’s safety and well-being. I recently worked with Chief of Virginia Tech Police Mac Babb to come up with a straightforward list of gameday logistics and conduct reminders for students. Whether or not your student is already a football fan, there’s a good chance they’ll attend a game this season. We see family members as partners in sharing these messages with students. Please encourage your student to familiarize themselves with this list in case they do end up attending a game (or all of them!).
Other helpful resources- The Lane Stadium A-Z Guide outlines our stadium safety policies.
- The Student and Family Guide helps prepare you and your student for game days.
We especially want to remind students that, as Hokies, wherever they are, they represent Hokie Nation. This is something to be proud of. Please encourage your student to bring the best of Hokie Nation with them, whether they are at a football game, in class, out with friends on the weekend, or anywhere else.
Thank you, and let’s go Hokies!
Meaghan Davidson, Ed.D.
Dean of Students
dean.students@vt.edu
The Dean of Students Office knows Virginia Tech. Encourage your student to get to know this caring and talented team of mentors and advocates! They can point your student in the right direction, be a sounding board, and assist with personal, social, and academic challenges. They want to get to know your student so they can walk with them along the way and cheer them on in true Hokie fashion!
