Back to school events, facts, and parking guide

Team Hokies
Friday, Aug. 18 and Saturday, Aug. 19
All day
Washington Street

Team Hokies is a group of more than 300 student volunteers who help students and their parents move into residence hall rooms during regular check-in on Friday, Aug.18, and Sat. August 19. Team Hokies will be located on Washington Street and can be recognized by their T-shirts. These volunteers can help unload vehicles, watch over belongings while you park your car, and help carry items to residence hall rooms. With this additional help, the move-in process becomes much easier and quicker, giving families more time to explore campus, settle in, and say goodbye. Volunteers finish their work in mid-afternoon each day.

This is an opportunity to see students helping students as parents are dropping off their sons and daughters.

Hokie Hype:
Saturday, Aug. 19
9:00 p.m.
Cassell Coliseum

Hokie Hype: The Ultimate Hokie Experience is a program representing the finest of what it means to be a Hokie. From the excitement of Hokie Athletics to the traditions that make the Hokie Nation unique, students are introduced to all that makes Virginia Tech proud. This year’s program includes the High Techs, the Virginia Tech Cheerleaders, the Highty Tighties, and a special guest appearance by Bud Foster, the defensive coach for the Hokie football team.

Welcome Back picnic
Sunday, Aug. 20
4:30 — 6:30 p.m.
Lane Stadium At the Welcome Back picnic, students will enter Lane Stadium through the tunnel, touch the Hokie stone, and enjoy a picnic-style dinner served by faculty and staff volunteers.

A pep rally begins at 5:30 and features the Virginia Tech athletic teams, the Marching Virginians, the Student Alumni Associates, and cheerleaders. The event is an excellent introduction to Hokie sports, the coaches and their teams, and a great catalyst for “Hokie Spirit.”

For a complete list of orientation activities during the first week of classes, visit the orientation website.

Facts:
• 19,046 students applied to Virginia Tech.

• Differing from a national trend, Virginia Tech male freshmen outnumber female freshmen, with a class that is 45 percent female and 55 percent male.

• In-state students account for 70.5 percent of the class, with 29.5 percent representing 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 36 foreign countries.

• There are approximately 2,091 new graduate students, including master's, Ph.D., and veterinary medicine students.

• The first-year undergraduate class comes to Virginia Tech with an average high school grade point average of 3.74; average SAT of 1,201.

• Most first-year undergraduates were born in 1988.

• Top five home states after Virginia are (in order) — Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, and New York.

• The most popular male names in the Class of 2010 are Matthew and Michael.

• The most popular female names in the Class of 2010 are Sarah and Lauren.

• The most popular last name in the Class of 2010 is Smith.

• Virginia Tech is the 20th largest on-campus housing program in the country with 8,925 beds.

• 1,458 are legacies – that is, their parent, sibling, or grandparent attended VT.

Additional Fun Facts:
For the members of the Class of 2010 . . .

. . . Ctrl + Alt + Del is as basic as ABC.

. . . Bert and Ernie are old enough to be their parents.

. . . For this group, stores have always had scanners at the checkout.

. . . They have always had a PIN number; directory assistance has never been free; and there has always been Lean Cuisine.

Parking:
During the four days of check-in, streets and parking lots closest to the residence halls will be designated as "30 minute loading" and reserved for resident student move-in. These areas include the following parking lots: Shultz, Owens, Dietrick, Coliseum, Hutcheson (Ag-Quad) and Engel lots, and the following streets: Old Turner, Kent, Washington Street, and Ag-Quad Lane and the south side of the Drillfield (both sides) from Sandy Hall up to the Library. Please do not park in these areas and remember the south side of the Drillfield will be closed to ALL TRAFFIC except for students that are unloading.

ALL vehicles parked in these areas, other than for the purpose of unloading, will have to be ticketed in order to provide space for the move-in process.

Additionally, Washington Street will become one-way road. Traffic on Washington Street will be allowed to move from west to east (from the Coliseum toward Kent Street & Downtown Blacksburg). We expect very (very) slow moving traffic along this corridor and strongly recommend avoiding Washington Street during these days (August 16-19).