About

Land Acknowledgement

Virginia Tech acknowledges that we live and work on the Tutelo / Monacan People’s homeland, and we recognize their continued relationships with their lands and waterways. We further acknowledge that the Morrill Land-Grant College Act (1862) enabled the commonwealth of Virginia to finance and found Virginia Tech through the forced removal of Native Nations from their lands in western territories. We understand that honoring Native Peoples without explicit material commitments falls short of our institutional responsibilities. Through sustained, transparent, and meaningful engagement with the Tutelo / Monacan Peoples, and other Native Nations, we commit to changing the trajectory of Virginia Tech's history by increasing Indigenous student, staff, and faculty recruitment and retention, diversifying course offerings, and meeting the growing needs of all Virginia tribes and supporting their sovereignty.

Labor Recognition

Virginia Tech acknowledges that its Blacksburg campus sits partly on land that was previously the site of the Smithfield and Solitude Plantations, owned by members of the Preston family. Between the 1770s and the 1860s, the Prestons and other local White families that owned parcels of what became Virginia Tech also owned hundreds of enslaved people. We acknowledge that enslaved Black people generated wealth that financed the predecessor institution to Virginia Tech, the Preston and Olin Institute, and they also worked on construction of its building. Not until 1953, however, was the first Black student permitted to enroll. Through InclusiveVT, the institutional and individual commitment to Ut Prosim (that I may serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence, we commit to advancing a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

The Mission of Wa:ǫšpépioį : Indigenous Student Summer Outreach Program

Wa:ǫšpépioį means "student" or "one who wishes to know" in Yesa:sahį, the Tutelo-Saponi Language, which is spoken by the Yesah / Monacan /Tutelo-Saponi peoples on whose ancestral homelands Virginia Tech occupies. This translation was credited by Desiree Shelley (Monacan Indian Nation). The program offers Native youth the opportunity to engage in the university campus experience and with the many possibilities for postsecondary studies, campus programs, events and networks. This dedictation of the Wa:ǫšpépioį : Indigenous Student Summer Outreach Program applied through the workshops and activities conducted with Instructional Staff to support cultural, experiental, and academic experiences.

The Goals For  Wa:ǫšpépioį : Indigenous Student Summer Outreach Program

Encourage a pluriversal atmosphere in which students can further their self-assurance, both as Indigenous Individuals, Indigenous Community Members, and Indigenous Intellectuals, in academic institutions like Virginia Tech.

Create opportunities for students to learn from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous professionals, ensuring that cultural wisdom and life experiences are passed on to younger generations while building networks of support.

Displaying elements that allow students to flourish by fusing the culture of their communities with their areas of interest, such as the merging of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Scientific Ecological (SEK).

Equip students with the skills and confidence to thrive in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous spaces, helping them become effective cultural ambassadors and advocates for Indigenous issues within broader academic and professional contexts.

Provide workshops and experiences that help students develop leadership qualities rooted in Indigenous values such as humility, respect, reciprocity, and collective responsibility.

Exploring the possibilities for students to approach specialized fields while including aspects of their culture, such as Language, craftsmanship, and customs.

Promote the importance of cultural and communal storytelling concepts and Knowledge-keeping for Indigenous youth. Incorporate programming that encourages students to explore and showcase their talents in storytelling, visual arts, music, and other creative expressions rooted in their cultural heritage.

Showing useful resources and materials that students and their families can utilize to further their education pursuits and career development. Provide clear pathways for students and families to access scholarships, grants, tutoring, internships, and mentorship programs tailored to support Indigenous learners.