Virginia Tech Magazine | Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor
Spring 2008

The "it's a small world" for Hokies award goes to ...

In the Winter 2007-08 issue of Virginia Tech Magazine, the news item "VictorTango takes third in DARPA Urban Challenge" caught my eye. First of all, congratulations to Virginia Tech for winning third place in the event. I thought you might also find it interesting that my firm, C. Forbes Inc., provided the draped medallion awards for the DARPA event, along with the participation coins [at left]. I thought you would like to know what a small world it is sometimes.

Chip Forbes '80 | Richmond, Va.

"It's a small world," part deux
My Fall 2007 Virginia Tech Magazine arrived amid a flurry of falling leaves and other distractions, so several days passed before I perused its contents. Much to my great surprise, I saw my granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Koss, smiling back at me from page 10 ["Campaigning for a brighter future"]. What a thrill not only to see Sarah but also to read the caption describing her accomplishments at Virginia Tech and to see a piece of her amazing artwork from her private collection. While Sarah's late grandfather, James Thomas Harlow Jr. (mechanical engineering '52), was attending Virginia Tech, I was working as a secretary to President Walter Newman and Building Manager Stuart K. Cassell. I also worked in the offices of J.R. Abbott, director of buildings and grounds, and P.C. Vandenberg, planning engineer.
Those were the days of "awakening the sleeping giant" that the university would become, requiring massive construction for its habitat. One such exciting project was the completion of the War Memorial. When we left Virginia Tech after James' graduation, we were expecting our daughter, Carol (accounting '75), who went on to graduate from Virginia Tech, where she met George C. Koss (marketing '74; M.B.A. '75). They married, and Sarah, who is currently attending Virginia Tech, is their daughter. You can see that we've been a proud Hokie family for three generations. We are deeply honored and appreciative that you spotlighted Sarah in your article about the kickoff of The Campaign for Virginia Tech: Invent the Future. As recipients of Virginia Tech's sterling educational offerings, we wish the campaign a stunning success--and more! Ruby Via Harlow \| Roanoke, Va.

Practical pride

My job requires that I fly long distances and use rental cars. Many times, I've found myself wandering through parking lots, trying to remember what type and color of car I'd rented that particular trip. A few years ago, however, I discovered a simple solution: a VT magnet. Simply stick one to the back of your rental car when you put your luggage into the trunk. This trick makes spotting your rental car a breeze and also allows you to show the world your Hokie pride. Steve Critchfield '80 \| Blacksburg, Va.