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Virginia State University
VSU
Motto"Building a Better World"
EstablishedMarch 6, 1882 (1882-03-06) (142 years ago)
TypePublic, land-grant, HBCU
Endowment$13.8 million[1]
PresidentDr. Keith T. Miller
Academic staff300
Students6,000
LocationEttrick, Chesterfield County, Virginia,
United States
CampusSuburban, 236 acres (95.5 ha)
Former namesVirginia State College for Negroes
ColorsOrange and Blue
         
AthleticsNCAA Division II
NicknameTrojans
AffiliationsCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Websitewww.vsu.edu

Virginia State University is a historically black, land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Ettrick, Chesterfield County, near Petersburg, Virginia. Founded on March 6, 1882 (1882-03-06), Virginia State developed as the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans[citation needed]. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

History[]

File:Virginia State University 2006.jpg

University entrance

Following the American Civil War, William Mahone (1826–1895) of Petersburg, Virginia was the driving force in 1870 to combine the Norfolk and Petersburg, South Side and the Virginia & Tennessee railroads to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O). The new line extended from Norfolk to Bristol. After the AM&O struggled to operate for several years under receiverships, the railroad was sold at auction in 1881 and became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway.

Mahone, a former Confederate general, led Virginia's Readjuster Party. He was a major proponent of public schools for the education of freedmen and free blacks. Elected by the state legislature as a United States Senator from Virginia, he arranged for the proceeds of the AM&O sale to help found a normal school for black teachers near Petersburg. Alfred W. Harris, a black attorney who was a state delegate, introduced the bill that established the institute. In 1882, the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute at Ettrick was established.

"The next morning I asked my father about the school for coloured people, which was being projected under the influence of General Mahone at Petersburg, now a State Normal School. He told me much about it. It was to open the following fall. The Hon. John M. Langston, he said, a coloured man who was as well educated as any white person that he knew of, was to be the president. He said I might go if I wished and that he would do what he could to help me. It being a state school, and he having certain strong friends in the Republican Party (General Mahone among them), Hon. B.S. Hooper, a member of Congress from the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia, would probably arrange for me to have a scholarship."

—Dr. Robert Russa Moton

Virginia State's first president was John Mercer Langston, former dean of Howard University's law school, and later elected to Congress as the first African-American Representative from Virginia (and the last until 1972). The board of trustees was composed of prominent African-American men, with one seat for a white man. Until the mid-1960s, following federal civil rights legislation that ended racial segregation, the faculty of the collegiate program and the normal school was exclusively African American.

In response to the 1890 Amendments to the federal Morrill Act, Virginia designated the normal school as one of its land grant colleges. The United States Congress required that states either open their land-grant colleges (supported by all taxpayers) to all races or else establish additional land-grant educational facilities for blacks. Following the Reconstruction era, white Democrats had regained power in the Virginia state legislature (and across the former Confederacy); they had established Jim Crow racial segregation in public facilities, including schools and colleges.

In 1902, the legislature revised the school's charter and renamed it the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute. With expansion of programs and a four-year curriculum, in 1923 the college was renamed Virginia State College for Negroes, shortened to Virginia State College in 1946.

In 1979, the institution's addition of more departments and graduate programs was recognized in a change of name to Virginia State University. Meanwhile, the school's two-year branch in Norfolk, founded in 1935, was expanded to a four-year curriculum and renamed Norfolk State College. Following additional expansion of programs, it is now Norfolk State University.

The third season of BET's reality television series College Hill was filmed at Virginia State University in 2006.

In 2003, the university accepted its first students in its first Ph.D. program.

On July 1, 2010, President Keith T. Miller was named as the 13th president of Virginia State University. He previously served as President of Lock Haven University. Miller earned his bachelor, master and doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona.

Main Campus[]

File:Library VSU 2006.jpg

Library

The university has a 236-acre (0.96 km2) main campus and a 416-acre (1.68 km2) agricultural research facility. The main campus includes more than 50 buildings, including 15 dormitories and 16 classroom buildings. The main campus sits atop a rolling landscape overlooking the Appomattox River in Ettrick, Virginia near Petersburg.

File:Virginia State University chapel 2006.jpg

Campus 2006

Residence Halls[]

Branch Hall[]

Branch Hall is a freshmen female residence hall at Virginia State University and was erected during the 1949-1950 academic year. This four story, five-wing residence hall is named for the late Mary E. Branch, the first graduate of the institution to become president of a college. In 1930 she became the first Black woman to be appointed the president of Tillotson Teachers' College in Austin Texas. Each wing in Branch Hall is equipped with one community bathroom.[2]

Byrd Hall[]

Byrd Hall, a freshmen female residence hall was named in honor of The Honorable Harry Flood Byrd, Former Governor of Virginia. This five story, nine wing residence hall was erected during the 1929-1930 school year from funds derived from the Noell Act and from appropriations made by the General Education Board. Byrd Hall is equipped with three large air-conditioned lobbies, individual air conditioning units in each room, recreational areas, a quiet study room, laundry facilities and a computer lab that has high speed internet connectivity. Each wing of Byrd Hall shares a community bathroom.[3]

Howard Hall[]

Howard Hall, a female freshmen residence hall, was named in honor of Otelia Sheild Howard an English teacher and an adviser to the Virginia Statesman newspaper. Howard Hall features central air- conditioning throughout the building and two community bathrooms per floor. It also has laundry facilities and a computer lab with Internet and word processing capabilities.[4]

Eggleston Hall[]

Eggleston Hall, an all female residence hall for freshmen students, is named in honor of Dr. Joseph D. Eggleston. Eggleston was a former member of the Board of Visitors at Virginia State College. This three-story brick residence hall was completed in the 1927-1928 academic school year. This residence hall features an air-conditioned lobby area where students can relax, laundry facilities and a computer lab with Internet and word processing capabilities.[5]

Puryear Hall[]

Puryear Hall, a four-story, freshmen male residence hall was erected in 1959 and is named in honor of Rev. Thomas Puryear, a former Dean of Men, football and baseball coach at Virginia State University. Puryear Hall features an air-conditioned lobby and recreation room where students can relax along with two community bathrooms on each floor. It also has laundry facilities and a computer lab with internet and word processing capabilities.[6]

Quad Hall[]

Quad Hall is a co-educational residence hall completed in the 2010-2011 academic year. The Quad consist of two L-shaped residence halls connected by a singular lobby.

The two buildings (Quad A and B) house 458 national exchange, and upper-class students. Quad Hall includes one and two-bedroom units with both handicap and hearing impaired units. All double rooms are equipped with a private bathroom and all single rooms are suite style (two singles share one bathroom). Amenities include study lounges on each floor, computer laboratories, laundry facilities, smart classrooms, multipurpose rooms and a kitchen in each building. Shared spaces between the two buildings will include a central main entrance and lobby, a main commons area, a wellness center, a game room and a beauty/barber salon.[7]

Seward Hall[]

Seward Hall, a three-story brick co-educational residence hall, was erected in 1926-1927. This three-story residence hall was named for Hatcher S. Seward, a member of the Board of Visitors from Petersburg. Seward is equipped with air conditioners in each room for the resident’s convenience and features laundry facilities, mail service and a computer lab that has internet access. Each floor of Seward Hall is equipped with two community bathrooms.[8]

Williams Hall[]

Williams Hall, a freshmen male residence hall, was named in honor of Professor Daniel Barclay Williams who taught at the college for many years. This three story, 6 wing building was begun in 1934 and completed in 1935. Williams Hall is equipped with an air-conditioned lobby where students can relax, a recreational area, laundry facilities and a computer lab that has internet access and word processing capabilities. It is also equipped with one community bathroom per wing.[9]

Langston Hall[]

Langston Hall, a freshmen co-educational honors hall was built in the 1928-1929 school year and named for Mr. John Mercer Langston, the first president of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute. Langston Hall has been completely renovated and features a lobby where students can relax on the first floor, as well as, lounges on each floor. Although it is a co-educational residence hall, each floor or wing is designated as male or female only. The residence hall has laundry facilities, mail services and a computer lab that has internet access and word processing capabilities. This residence hall contains single rooms, single suites, double rooms and double suites.[10]

Moore Hall[]

Moore Hall, a co-educational suite style residence hall was completed in August 2008. It is named in honor of Eddie N. Moore, Jr. the universities 12th president and his wife Elisia. Students are able to choose from the following floor plans: Suite A (4-party single), Suite B (4-party double), Suite C (2-party single), Suite E (single suite). Each suite in Moore Hall is equipped with a refrigerator and microwave along with personal room controls for heat and air conditioning. The hall boasts of smart classrooms, a computer lab, laundry facilities, a game room, wellness center and salon.[11]

Quad Hall A & B[]

Quad Hall is a co-educational residence hall completed in 2010. The Quad consist of two L-shaped residence halls connected by a singular lobby. The two buildings (Quad A and B) house 458 national exchange, and upper-class students. Quad Hall includes one and two-bedroom units with both handicap and hearing impaired units. All double rooms are equipped with a private bathroom and all single rooms are suite style (two singles share one bathroom). Amenities include study lounges on each floor, computer laboratories, laundry facilities, smart classrooms, multipurpose rooms and a kitchen in each building. Shared spaces between the two buildings will include a central main entrance and lobby, a main commons area, a wellness center, a game room and a beauty/barber salon.[12]

The Student Village Complex[]

Demolished May 2012

Located across from Rogers Stadium, the Student Village Complex or more commonly referred to as "The Vill," provides housing for returning Virginia State University students. The Student Village includes, Taylor-Williams, a female residence hall; Barrett-Jackson and Nicholas Hall; both Co-ed residence halls and Powell Pavilion. Due to its distance from main campus, students often refer to the Student Village Complex as the "The Suburbs" and main campus as "The City."

Taylor-Williams Hall[]

Taylor-Williams Hall (Buildings A & B) is a residence hall for upper-class females and named in honor of two world renowned alumni of Virginia State University.[13] Dr. Billy Taylor, a jazz musician, and Dr. Camilla Ella Williams an opera artist. This three story, six-wing residence hall was built in 1980 as part of the village complex. Each wing is equipped with two community bathrooms. This residence hall features an air-conditioned lobby on each floor along with a computer lab on the first floor.

Barrett-Jackson Hall[]

Barrett-Jackson Hall (Student Village Buildings C & D) is a co-ed residence hall named in honor of Miss Julia Louise Barrett the Director of Admissions and Registrar from 1926 to 1965 and Mr. Henry Colson Jackson who served as Dean of Men.[14] This three story, six-wing residence hall was built in 1980 as part of the village complex. Each wing is equipped with two community bathrooms. This residence hall features an air-conditioned lobby on each floor along with a computer lab on the first floor.

Nicholas Hall[]

Nicholas Hall (Building E), a co-educational upper-class Residence Hall, was named in honor of James F. Nicholas who in 1944 was invited to join the faculty of Virginia State College where he became an instructor in education and principal of the high school.[15] This three story residence hall was built in 1980 as part of the village complex. Each wing is equipped with two community bathrooms. This residence hall features an air-conditioned lobby on each floor along with a computer lab on the first floor.

Academics[]

This is a list of the departments within each School:[16]

  • School of Agriculture
    • Agriculture and Human Ecology
    • Hospitality Management
    • Dietetic Internship, ADA Accredited
    • Cooperative Extension
    • Agriculture Research Station
  • The Reginald F. Lewis School of Business
    • Accounting and Finance
    • Management Information Systems
    • Management and Marketing
  • School of Engineering, Science, and Technology
    • Engineering, Engineering Technology, Industrial Education and Technology
    • Engineering Technology
    • Computer Engineering
    • Industrial Education and Technology
    • Manufacturing Engineering
    • Biology
    • Chemistry and Physics
    • Mathematics and Computer Science
    • Mathematics
    • Computer Programing
    • Psychology
    • Nursing
  • School of Liberal Arts and Education
    • Professional Education Programs
      • Graduate Professional Education Programs
      • Center for Undergraduate Professional Education Programs
    • Health, Physical Education and Recreation
    • History and Philosophy
    • Languages and Literature
      • English
      • Mass Communication
    • Military Science
    • Music, Art and Design
    • Political Science, Public Administration and Economics
    • Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice
  • Bachelor of Individualized Studies
  • School of Graduate Studies, Research, and Outreach (offering Master Degrees in):
    • Biology
    • Career and Technical Studies
    • Counselor Education
    • Criminal Justice
    • Economics
    • Education
    • Educational Administration and Supervision
    • English
    • History
    • Interdisciplinary Studies
    • Mathematics
    • Mass Communications
    • Psychology
    • Sport Management

The university also has the Office for International Education and the Institute for Study of Race Relations.

Demographics[]

The 2009-2010 student body is 62.2% female and 37.5% male.[17] It consists of 69.7% in-state and 30.3% out-of-state students.[17] 97.2% of students live on campus and 2.8% off-campus.[17] 91.1% of students self-identify as Black/African American, while 4.0% are White, and 4.0% are racially unreported.

File:Woo Woos VSU 1977.jpg

The Woo Woos in 1977...

File:Woo Woos VSU 2007.jpg

... and in 2007

Student activities[]

Marching band[]

Directed by, Dr. Mark W Phillips, the VSU Trojan Explosion has approximately 170 members including the Essence of Troy Dancers, The Satin Divas Flag Corps, The Troy Elegance Majorette Squad in addition to the instrumentalists.[18]

Cheerleading[]

Originally led by head coach Dr. Paulette Johnson for 35 years the Woo Woo's are a nationally recognized cheerleading squad known for original, up-tempo and high energy performances. The 30 member squad is composed of young women from all over the country. The squad focuses on community service as well as promoting school spirit. Tryouts are held annually during the spring semester for VSU full-time students. Instructional camps and workshops are offered throughout the state. In 2001, the University granted the Woo Woo Alumni chapter its initial charter. The organization has a rapidly growing membership that is actively involved in the promotion of the squad and its individual members. Shandra Claiborne, a former woo woo,is now in charge of cheerleading for all Virginia State University athletic teams.[19]

Notable alumni[]

File:Camilla Williams.jpg

Alumna Camilla Williams, first African American to get a contract from a major American opera company (namesake of Taylor-Williams Hall at the university)

This list includes graduates, non-graduate former students and current students of Virginia State University.

Name Class year Notability References
Gaye Adegbalola 1978 Blues singer and civil rights activist
Al Bumbry Major League Baseball [20]
Reginald Lewis Businessman; owner of TLC Beatrice International
William H. Lewis c. 1890 former United States Assistant Attorney General
Joe Bonner jazz pianist [21]
Herman Branson 1936 African American physicist, best known for his research on the alpha helix protein structure [22]
Dr.Rovenia M. Brock Bnutritionist, lecturer, health reporter, entrepreneur, and author [23]
James Avery Actor
Roger L. Gregory 1975 Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit [24]
Camilla Williams 1941 First African-American to receive a contract from a major American opera company
Larry Brooks 1971 former NFL defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams and current assistant coach of the Virginia State Trojans football team
James Brown former NFL player
Pamela E. Bridgewater former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and current U.S. ambassador to Jamaica
Silas DeMary 1993 Arena Football League player [25]
Thomas Miller prolific graphic designer and visual artist, whose best known publicly accessible work is the collection of mosaics of the founders of DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago, Illinois. [26]
Willie Harris Lt. Col., Chief of Command Information U.S.A. Reserve
Wale Folarin DC Rapper (transferred to Bowie State University)
Aaron Hall attended member of the Music Group Guy
Damion Hall attended member of the Music Group Guy
Das EFX attended rap group [citation needed]
Myles "Ray" Cunningham 2006 one of eight cast members on season 3 of BET's College Hill reality series [27]
Rosalyn Dance 1986 politician, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

from the 63rd district

[28]
Héctor Martínez Muñoz first member of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Delores G. Kelley 1956 member of Maryland State Senate, representing Maryland's District 10 in Baltimore County, Maryland
Naomi Long Madgett 1945 teacher and an award winning poet, she is also the senior editor of Lotus Press, which is a publisher of poetry books by African-American poets [29]
Dr.James H. Stith 1963 African-American physicist and current professor of Physics at Ohio State University [30]
Roslyn Tyler politician, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

from the 75th district

Billy Taylor Jazz musician
Avis Wyatt 2007? Professional basketball player
Ronica Wynder 2004 Television Producer & Fiction Author
Anthony L. Burfoot 1991? Vice Mayor, City of Norfolk http://anthonyburfoot.com/?page_id=5

References[]

  1. As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  2. "Branch Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/student-life/residential-living/residence-halls/freshman-female/branch-hall.php.
  3. "Byrd Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/student-life/residential-living/residence-halls/freshman-female/byrd-hall.php.
  4. "Howard Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3048.asp.
  5. "Eggleston Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/1275.asp.
  6. "Puryear Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3029.asp.
  7. "Quad Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/student-life/residential-living/residence-halls/co-ed-dorms/quad-hall.php.
  8. "Seward Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3042.asp.
  9. "Williams Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3030.asp.
  10. "Langston Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3043.asp.
  11. "Moore Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/6115.asp.
  12. "Quad Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3046.asp.
  13. "Taylor-Williams". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3037.asp.
  14. "Barrett-Jackson". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3041.asp.
  15. "Nicholas Hall". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/3040.asp.
  16. "Schools". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/159.asp.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 "General Characteristics of Headcount Enrollment". http://www.vsu.edu/Include/IP&A/Enr_Char_2007_12.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  18. "The Trojan Explosion". http://www.trojanexplosion.org/live/.
  19. "Woo Woos". http://www.vsu.edu/pages/2622.asp.
  20. "Al Bumbry Stats". Baseball Almanac. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bumbral01. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  21. "Joe Bonner at All About Jazz". allaboutjazz.com. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=5167. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  22. "The Protein Papers". pnas.org. http://www.pnas.org/site/misc/classics1.shtml. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  23. "Everything Dr Ro". everythingro.com. http://www.everythingro.com/. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  24. "Roger L. Gregory". http://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/2003/gregory.jsp.
  25. "Silas Demary". www.arenafan.com. Arena Fan. http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=2574&pageview=career. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  26. "Thomas Miller Biography". thehistorymakers.com. http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=407. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  27. "Ray Cunninham from BET's College HIll". about.com. http://gaylife.about.com/od/index/p/raycunningham.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  28. "Rosalyn Dance Virginia House of Delegates". state.va.us. http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/a7b082ef6ed01eac85256c0d00515644/e14278dbff7ebee68525738a0052b66c?OpenDocument. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  29. "Poet Laureate Naomi Long Madgett". naomilongmadgett.com. http://www.naomilongmadgett.com/Biography/Bio.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  30. "James Stith Physicist of African Diaspora". math.buffalo.edu. http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/physics/stith_james.html. Retrieved 2011-01-26.

External links[]

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