Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, also known as Virginia Tech, is located in Blacksburg, Virginia. Virginia Tech is one of the nation's leaders in developing and using instructional technologies. The school is a land-grant university and research institution.
Virginia Tech is one of three public universities in the United States to offer the advantages of both the military-style leadership development program, led by the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and a traditional academic and social life. It also has the reputation of being the first school in the nation to open its military wing to women.
Virginia Tech was established as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872, under the provisions of Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. In 1896, the college reorganized its academic programs into a traditional four-year institution, and changed its name to Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute.
During the 1960s and 1970s, many facilities were added to the Virginia Tech campus. By 1970, the name of the institute was officially changed to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The university gained full VPI accreditation in 1923.
The main campus consists of more than 100 buildings and an airport on 2,600 acres. Virginia Tech comprises eight colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture and Urban Studies, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Natural Resources, Pamplin College of Business, Science, and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. The campus also contains a War Memorial Chapel built in honor of the fallen VPI soldiers of World War II. The university offers about 60 bachelor's, 76 master's, and 62 doctoral programs.
Virginia Tech assists research projects in various fields, from biotechnology to materials, guided by recognized faculties. The institution also is involved in economic and community development projects. They are ranked 55th among the research universities in the United States. The university’s undergraduate program is ranked 32nd among national public universities by U.S News & World Report.