Virginia Tech Magazine
Alumni Association
Spring 2010
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Alumni Association news

In addition to the 135th anniversary of the Alumni Association, this year also marks the 20th anniversary of a popular event: Summer Around the Drillfield.

Plan to come back to Virginia Tech July 22-24 to get a close look at research and other endeavors on campus and to experience some of the New River Valley's outdoor attractions. Summer Around the Drillfield invites alumni to attend a family-friendly event and to take a peek at the ever-changing face of the university's campus.

Pete Dye River Course at Virginia Tech Virginia Tech researchers Blue Ridge Mountains in Southwest Virginia
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, the Alumni Association has gathered presenters from all academic colleges. Faculty will share their expertise in actual laboratories or work settings. The presentations will be appropriate for both children and adults, and some will include an interactive component.

The afternoons will be open, allowing attendees to choose from a wide variety of outdoor activities, including a round of golf at the newly renovated Pete Dye River Course or the on-campus course, tubing on the New River, or hiking to popular sites. Evenings provide further opportunities to socialize, with a Henderson Lawn outdoor concert and a themed dinner on the final night.

Don't miss this special 20th anniversary of Summer Around the Drillfield. For a more detailed look at the schedule of events and to register, visit our website at www.alumni.vt.edu/reunion/index.html.

eLearning opportunities sustain solid alumni connections

Did you know ...

More than 11,400 undergraduate Virginia Tech alumni have earned one or more graduate degrees at Virginia Tech since 1979.

Virginia Tech currently offers 17 graduate degrees, 21 graduate or post-baccalaureate certificates, plus two professional studies course series (K-12 teacher focus) through eLearning.

Currently with more than 20,000 enrollments per year, Virginia Tech is one of the nation's leaders among public higher education institutions in delivering eLearning courses and programs.

Virginia Tech undergraduates' interest in taking individual distance-learning courses while on campus is increasing, with more than 10,000 undergraduate online enrollments in 2009.

eLearning opportunities sustain solid alumni connections

It's no surprise that Virginia Tech alumni remain actively connected to the university, whether through reading alumni communications or attending sporting or social events. More and more Virginia Tech alumni are also sustaining rich academic connections to their alma mater via online educational opportunities offered through the university's Office of Distance Learning and Summer Sessions. One such alumna is Lavonda Perkins (business and information technology '06, M.A. instructional technology '09).

"I knew I wanted to go to graduate school as soon as I finished my undergraduate degree at Tech and thought it would be really convenient to take the courses online," says Perkins, who enrolled in the online instructional technology master of arts program. "I also wanted to go to Virginia Tech for graduate school because of its strong academic program and reputation."

VTOnline - eLearning @ Virginia Tech
Freedom and convenience are some of the most appealing attributes of Virginia Tech's online programs, and these factors allowed Perkins to stay on course with her studies while moving three times for her job. "I've not only grown academically in regards to instructional design but also become even more aware of the importance of education," notes Perkins, who will be putting her master's degree to work by developing eLearning strategies in the field of corporate training.

Perkins says her online educational experience fit perfectly within her lifestyle, citing it for helping her to polish her time-management skills. "My suggestion to anyone who is considering an online degree program is to plan, plan, plan!"

Virginia Tech Online, the gateway to the university's eLearning offerings, serves as a one-stop shop for applying, registering, and selecting courses from anywhere in the world. Visit www.vto.vt.edu today to review all of Virginia Tech's current eLearning offerings, or call 866/791-4898.

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