Northern Virginia Steering Committee shares future vision for Virginia Tech in the D.C. area
Serving as a catalyst for innovation and gateway to new opportunities, Virginia Tech’s growing presence in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area was the topic of discussion at a town hall meeting with faculty and staff in Arlington on Thursday.
The meeting led by Julie Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering and special advisor to the president, shared the future vision and organizational plan for the university that serves as a destination for talent in the D.C. area and provides access to industry, academia, government, and research partners.
President Tim Sands and Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke – both of whom attended the meeting – launched the Northern Virginia Steering Committee in 2023 with the charge of developing a strategy, organizational structure, and holistic approach for Virginia Tech in the D.C. area.
“Virginia Tech’s growing presence in the greater D.C. area is essential as we elevate our role as a leading research institution seeking solutions to the world’s most important challenges,” Sands said. “I commend the steering committee for developing a plan and vision that will convene top talent and partners from around the world in support of our global land-grant mission.”
At Thursday’s meeting, Ross provided an overview of the committee’s final recommendations that was charged to review and assess the instructional, research, and outreach activities in the D.C. area with a special emphasis on those activities that leverage opportunities afforded by operating in the nation’s capital.
The steering committee’s work focused on university-level strategy and sites, including the Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, and the redevelopment of Falls Church that will soon be home to the Coalition for Smart Construction at Virginia Tech.
“Over the last year and a half, we’ve engaged leadership, faculty and staff from across our campus community to gather feedback to help define the new future mission and vision of Virginia Tech in the D.C. area,” Ross said. “We are excited about the progress in refining our regional presence and ready to accelerate implementation of the vision.”
The steering committee’s work focused on defining and supporting the core attributes that help define the university’s presence in the region and differentiate the university from its peers. Areas of emphasis included educational opportunities for graduate students, research and partnerships with industry and government, and convening diverse communities in the D.C. area to build a culture of innovation.
Ross also outlined the foundational principles that should be considered for university programs and activities operating in the D.C. area. Examples include: supporting a culture of innovation and deep external engagement, extramurally-funded research and graduate education, thematic alignment across disciplinary and department boundaries, and maximizing use of facilities across the region.
Recommendations surrounding the operational needs of the region include: the formation of an institute that will serve as a cross-cutting academic unit to serve as the core academic structure for the region, the hiring of a vice president for the D.C. area, and a shared academic business and student support services operation at the regional level.
As for next steps, phase 3 of the committee's work will continue through August 2025 to carry out and oversee the implementation of the recommendations accepted by the president and provost, Ross said. Working groups will be established to help further explore and finalize recommendations that will focus on a tuition and pricing structure for graduate education, space management of buildings and facilities, parking and transportation, and student housing in the D.C. area.
Attendees were encouraged to be part of the conversation by continuing to participate in future town halls, sharing new ideas, and offering feedback at dcarea.vt.edu/feedback.
Find more information about the future vision and plan for Virginia Tech in the D.C. area online.
