Hokie pride from heel to toe: The students behind this year’s Hokie socks
Student designers Jake Sousa and Abigail Bollinger wove their own campus experiences into designs that Hokies everywhere will soon have the chance to wear with pride.
Hokie Socks designers, Jake Sousa and Abigail Bollinger with their socks.
Hokie socks are more than a tradition – they’re a story knitted together by Hokie Spirit and student creativity.
Each year, students step up to design a pair of limited-edition socks that capture what it means to be a Hokie. The designs are then brought to life as exclusive gear, available as a thank you when you make a gift to the university.
This year, graphic design students Jake Sousa and Abigail Bollinger took their student experiences and turned them into bold designs for Hokies to step into.
Sousa found his spark on the Drillfield, where Hokies on the Blacksburg campus cross paths daily. His design captures those intersections, a reminder that no matter which direction you take, you’re always connected to the Virginia Tech community.
“When people see my sock design I hope they think about the Virginia Tech community and the connections they’ve made on campus,” Sousa said.
He said the process of designing socks wasn't just fun – it was formative.
“It was amazing to work collaboratively as a group and to be mentored by real-world design professionals. This was my first client-based project I had here at Virginia Tech, and it allowed me to create something I am very proud of.”
Bollinger approached her design with a different goal: to create something Hokies hadn’t seen before.
After starting with a white background, she changed it in favor of a bold black background accented with Hokie tracks and iconic orange and maroon, creating a design that stands out while still being rooted in tradition.
“When people see it I hope they’ll feel connected to Hokie Spirit and remember their time at Virginia Tech,” Bollinger said.
For both designers, the most exciting part was imagining their classmates, alumni, and Hokies everywhere pulling on their socks and wearing Hokie Spirit anywhere their steps take them. Because it isn’t just about the socks – it’s about connection, memories, and Virginia Tech pride.
What began as an idea sketched out on paper has now become a beloved university tradition – a reminder of who Hokies are, and where they belong.
For Sousa and Bollinger, seeing their work woven into that tradition is a memory they’ll carry far beyond their time at Virginia Tech.
Join this tradition and get a pair of this year’s Hokie socks by making a gift now through Oct. 25.
