I am a Hokie

I tried to stay strong on April 16. But, at times, waves of overwhelming emotion caused me to burst into tears. The pain was almost more than I could bear. I am a Hokie.

I was lucky to get into Virginia Tech in 1979. Quite honestly, I was even luckier to graduate in 1984. Some of the greatest days of my life were spent on that pastoral campus, surrounded by castles made of Hokie stone. In the fall, the leaves change to create a panorama of orange and maroon, just in time for football season. In the winter, the campus looks like picture on a holiday card. Spring signals a time to get outside and play Frisbee on the Prairie or take a walk through Slusher beach. Although this spring was different, we passed through those dark days, and we've come back even stronger.

The term “Hokie Nation” is not just a marketing phrase that was designed to support our football team. We are a powerful community and we will always be a tight-knit society. We share the same memories; the cold wind in your face as you walk across the Drillfield on your way to class, visions of Eddie Royal racing down the sideline, a juicy cheeseburger at Mike’s, and a laugh with your friends at Top of the Stairs.

For the rest of our lives, we will raise our voices and proclaim with boundless pride, “I AM A HOKIE!”