Friends of History

We invite all alumni and community members who wish to collaborate with us on advancing the work of history education to join Friends of History at Virginia Tech by making a gift of at least $50 annually to the Department of History Annual Fund.

Friends of History members will receive access to special opportunities for advocacy and community education, information about upcoming department events, special stories about faculty and student work, and some unique History swag!

The Friends of History at Virginia Tech is a group composed of alumni and community supporters who share a commitment to robust history education in the university and throughout our communities. The group supports the Department of History in its mission to foster historical thinking, global awareness, and civic engagement among students; prepare students for a dynamic 21st century workforce; and strengthen connections among Hokies, past and present.

In organizing this group, we aim to create a community of allies and advocates who can help enhance student experience, support faculty excellence, and promote the work that the department does as a national model for innovative, engaged, career-connected humanities education, where historical understanding helps Hokies refine their sense of service in the spirit of Ut Prosim.

Members of the Friends of History at Virginia Tech group will have access to unique resources and opportunities to support the department’s work through:

1. Supporting Student Success and Professional Development
   The department provides support for all students to pursue internship opportunities, experiential learning, and career development training. You can help support this work by:
   • Working with department leadership to develop new opportunities with museums, archives, non-profits, government agencies, and private-sector organizations who can support paid and unpaid internships for undergraduate and graduate students.
   • Mentoring current students and participating in professional development activities that support student career development through graduate study and/or professional skill building.
   • Helping students network with alumni and professionals across diverse industrials.
   • Providing financial support for student research, travel, and experiential learning opportunities, ensuring that all students have access to transformative educational experiences.
2. Advancing Faculty Excellence and Departmental Initiatives
   Students consistently reference our passionate and dedicated faculty as the primary factor in their success inside and outside of the classroom. You can help support faculty in doing this important work by: 
   • Supporting faculty research, teaching innovation, and professional development by contributing to fundraising and endowment growth.
   • Advocating for departmental priorities and programs within the broader university and alumni community.
   • Celebrating and publicizing faculty achievements in scholarship, public history, and community engagement.
3. Strengthening Alumni and Community Connections
   Alumni and community connections have been the foundation of our innovative, student- and community-centered work. You can help support the department’s efforts by: 
   • Helping us build a robust and active alumni network by participating in events, mentoring opportunities, and department social media.
   • Sharing the History Department newsletter, which highlights students, faculty, and alumni stories.
   • Sharing your own career paths so that we can better articulate the impact of the department and provide clearer data to aid in mentoring and recruitment.
   • Partnering with the department to host public lectures, panels, and events that place Virginia Tech history students and faculty at the center of local, regional, national, and international conversations.
4. Promoting the Public Value of History
   Our department is dedicated to community engagement and public history, broadly defined. You can help us ensure that robust history education is available to all people by: 
   • Working with the department to promote public history projects, exhibitions, and oral history initiatives in partnership with local and regional organizations.
   • Supporting student involvement in community-based research and service learning that enriches our understanding of our shared past.
   • Advocating for the work that the department does in fostering historical literacy, civic awareness, and critical thinking within and beyond the university.

Are you doing exciting things with your history degree? Tell us your story!

Do you have an exciting local history related event you want to share? Are you a local community member with potential student internship opportunities? Contact Clay Adkins, our Community Engagement Coordinator!