'Ut Prosim': More than a motto at Virginia Tech

A glance at Virginia Tech’s resumé reveals 37,000 students, nearly 300 degree programs, campuses at locations from Blacksburg to Roanoke and the greater Washington, D.C., area, as well as education centers around the globe, a $500 million research portfolio, a nearly $2 billion operational budget, and worldwide influence in numerous fields of study. 

Yet interestingly, the foundation for all that impact centers on two simple Latin words encompassing eight letters.  

Ut Prosim (That I May Serve)

John McBryde, the university’s fifth president, assigned this motto to the university in 1896. No one has been able to ascertain his exact reasoning, but McBryde’s speeches often reflected a desire for students to serve the interests of others. In an 1893 speech to graduates, he said, “And remember that any pursuit honestly followed, with due respect for the interests of others as well as one’s own, is honorable.” 

As Virginia Tech celebrates its sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of its founding, its motto remains at its core, having been fully embraced by students, faculty members, and alumni as a timeless ideal of helping fellow humans and bettering the communities in which they live.

Many Hokies see Ut Prosim the key to overcoming society’s struggles, and others cite it as a measure of the true value of a Virginia Tech education.  

“I think it’s as important as their degrees,” said Tom Bagamane, who established The Giving Spirit, a nonprofit organization serving those experiencing homelessness and educating communities in Los Angeles. “It [service] basically crosses over so many boundaries. Having a balanced sense of yourself and what's important and especially being able to teach others and guide others as leaders or as parents, I don’t know how you can't be a better, more well-rounded, more holistically capable person with service as a part of your walk in this life.”

Opportunities for service abound across Virginia Tech’s campuses. Fraternities, sororities, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and countless student organizations do their parts, and the university also has a center devoted to service learning and leadership. 

VT Engage: The Center for Leadership and Service Learning, led by Director Meghan Weyrens Kuhn, coordinates service opportunities and develops programs to target specific issues. VT Engage hosts leadership workshops, faculty training, and civic engagement workshops, such as voter registration efforts.

“One of the differentiators about Virginia Tech is that students come to Virginia Tech knowing what our motto is,” Kuhn said. “It is one of the reasons why they come to this institution, and one of the reasons why alumni are so connected to this institution. They devote part of their lives to serving and to supporting fellow Hokies and their communities. They’re willing to support industries. They’re willing to support the Hokies who are coming up the ranks. That is something that you just don't see at many places.”

But service is only as helpful as the people performing it. As we celebrate the university’s sesquicentennial, we recognize just a few of the students, faculty, and alumni who embrace Ut Prosim — and more importantly, live by it.