What is a Hokie?

“Class of 2022, I want to share something with you all. [Kameron holds up a placard.]

Do you all remember this? ‘What’s a Hokie? I am.’

Receiving this acceptance letter was an extremely exciting time for all of us. In a few months we would be moving to our new home in Blacksburg and starting our four years at Virginia Tech. We were officially Hokies! But back then, little did we know what ‘Being a Hokie’ was all about.

The opportunities we have had here at Virginia Tech have shaped us into the person we are today: a true Hokie.

So, I ask you. What does it mean to be a Hokie?

1. Hokies wear maroon and orange with pride. We all know it is officially burnt orange and Chicago maroon. But now, we Virginia Tech graduates can wear these colors with dignity and honor. 
2. We have made lifelong friends with people of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences. Hokies are real people who show their true selves. 
3. We learned every word to a Metallica song created 10 years before we were even born. Yet after four years, we Hokies have trained ourselves to jump for 4 minutes straight while belting out, “Exit Light, Enter Night.” 
4. We learned what an extra 10th of a kilometer really means when we run the 3.2 for 32 each April. This run highlights the Hokie sense of community where we honor all members of [the] Hokie Nation. 
5. We persevered through a global pandemic. We went online for a year and strengthened the bonds with our professors and classmates through a new medium called Zoom. We Hokies adapted to this new way of learning and persevered. 
6. We learned to experiment by taking challenging courses, joining interesting clubs, and volunteering in the local community. As Hokies, we have been afforded so many opportunities and have learned what inspires us and what doesn’t. 
7. We learned what it feels like to walk across the Drillfield in a snowstorm in the middle of January. Parents and friends, let me tell you, the wind chill factor on [your] weather app is NOT accurate for that walk. Only a Hokie can connect with that experience! 
8. And finally, we pursued our passions, both personal and soon-to-be professional. Sitting in front of me today, we have future Hokie chemists, geoscientists, data analysts, and neuroscientists. We are going to go out and change the world.