Class of 2023: Jackson Sirbaugh, the photographer, singer, and face of Virginia Tech’s Instagram

Name: Jackson Sirbaugh

College: College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Major: Communication science and social inquiry

Hometown: Winchester, Virginia

The “interview guy” is graduating – but he’s not leaving Blacksburg any time soon.

Hokies may recognize Sirbaugh from his street-level video interviews for the Virginia Tech and Recreational Sports Instagram channels. From fueling debate over the best campus food to quizzing fellow Hokies about university history, Sirbaugh has created a variety of popular videos.

He’s also photographed several major university events, such as commencement and the 3.2 Run in Remembrance.

On Friday, Sirbaugh will graduate with a degree in communication science and social inquiry and a minor in event and experience management. He’ll join Virginia Tech full time in January as a social media coordinator.

Equipped with a strong work ethic and commitment to service, Sirbaugh captured more than photos and videos as an undergraduate. He seized opportunities. Here are just a few of the roles he served:

• Social media assistant for Virginia Tech

• Visual communications specialist for Recreational Sports

• Group leader and peer mentor in the School of Communication

• President of TechNotes A Cappella

• Media relations executive for Relay for Life at Virginia Tech (volunteer)

• Staff member for Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership

• Hokie undergraduate groups leader in the School of Communication

Sirbaugh took a moment to reflect on his time as a Hokie — so far — and answer three questions.

How have you grown as a person since joining Virginia Tech?

In a very simple, yet important, way, I feel like I have grown into a better version of myself that is more aware of my strengths and weaknesses and is better at fostering relationships with people and handling situations. Whether it was a tough professor or a conflict I had to manage in any of my organizations, or a school/work assignment that was out of my comfort zone, each moment here at Virginia Tech has taken me a step further in the journey to discovering who I am and what I can do. I wish my freshman year self could see how much growth has happened since I stepped foot on campus.

What are your top five Hokie memories?

1. My time in TechNotes A Cappella. Overall, this is my favorite memory here, but specifically the start and finish to my journey. To start, the day I got the call in fall 2020 that I was being offered a spot in the group after a highly competitive audition cycle is something I will never forget and be able to thank the group enough for taking a chance on me. To finish, my last concert this semester was equally as unforgettable. The ability to sing one last time with this special group of people was amazing, and hearing my best friends, TechNotes Vice President Ben Tolbert and member Casey Tallungan, giving heartfelt goodbye speeches to me was so special. The crowd gave me a standing ovation after their speeches, and looking out into a crowd of people that were supporting me deeply was incredible.

2. I've done a lot of interview-style videos for Rec Sports and Virginia Tech over the years, but my most memorable was the first one in 2021 that really picked up speed on our page - "What Song Are You Listening To?" My co-worker, Caroline Broderick, and I had no idea what we were doing with the mic and were so nervous to go up to random people working out and ask them questions. Little did I know that it kicked off an amazing journey of getting to do so many fun interview videos for both platforms. It does feel pretty cool to get recognized around town as the "interview guy."

3. The VT vs. UNC football game in September 2021 was the first VT game I ever went to due to COVID-19, and that will forever be one of my favorite memories. The sun was setting, “Enter Sandman” was electrifying, and the Hokies caught the dub. I finally got to experience what the hype was all about, and it sure did deliver.

4. For the 2023 3.2 for 32 Run in Remembrance, I had the honor to photograph the event once again. However, this time, I got to be up in the crane at the start line. Not only was the one of the coolest things with photography I've ever done, but I truly got to witness how Virginia Tech is a one-of-a-kind place, and I was just so proud to be just one person part of something so much bigger than myself. It is so special here and seeing thousands of people come together once again to honor the lives of those taken from us in 2007 was incredible.

5. There is something so simple, yet special, about just grabbing lunch with friends at a dining hall. For me, I have always happened to have a lunch break Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between classes. Over the semesters, I have had a lot of my friends in a cappella who have come together at Turner Place for "Tuesday/Thursday lunch" where we just sit down, eat and enjoy each other's company. It sounds very normal, but this has been such a special time to me. Some people have graduated and new people join in randomly, but the ability to have a consistent time to see people I care about has been crucial here. Some days we just laugh and tell stories, some days we cry and talk about struggles, and some days we just sit in silence and eat and do homework and enjoy each other's company. Regardless of what it looked like each time, it was amazing to have that time to look forward to in the midst of our busy lives.

Best piece of advice for incoming students and fellow Hokies?

A lot of people tell you, “When you come to college, say yes to everything” — which in some ways is a good thing. But my advice would be to find the balance between saying yes to things and saying no to things.

Yes, it's important to say yes and push yourself outside the comfort zone and get involved in things you wouldn't be usually involved in, and meet new people, but also: say no. Find your balance, so you can take time for yourself and really focus on the things that you want to deeply be involved in.