In Memoriam: Irving Peddrew III

We met up with Irving Peddrew in fall 2023. It was the first time he walked the halls of George P. Phenix High School, now part of Hampton University, since he graduated 70 years earlier. It was here, you could say, a school counselor laid the path for Peddrew's future at Virginia Tech. "She understood that they would be accepting Black students so I applied to William and Mary, UVA, all of the schools, to Tech, of course. Tech was the only school that replied." Dawn: "The only one?" Peddrew: "Yeah. Only one out of all of the state schools." At the time, Peddrew wasn't particularly concerned about being the first Black student to integrate Virginia Tech. "She just told me that she thought that I would be ideal for this situation. And I said, well, if you think I'm ready, I think I'm ready. I didn't ,didn't really envision any major problems." At the time, he didn't know some of the restrictions he'd be forced to face. Dawn: "You weren't allowed to live on campus?" Peddrew: "No. " Dawn: "Eat on campus?" Peddrew: "No." Dawn: "What was that like?" "OK." But he persevered. "You adjust so I used to walk in, walk to campus and then take classes in the morning, walk back for lunch at our place where we lived and then walked back for afternoon classes." His focus was on studying engineering. "Many times, I pondered and thought maybe this wasn't the greatest move, but I was designed to stay there and to study and to get through. So I got through three years before I said, that's it." Just shy of the start of his senior year, Peddrew withdrew from the university to take a job in California. But decades later, he reconnected with Virginia Tech at the invitation of late President Charles Steger and later, President Tim and Dr. Laura Sands. "They are two of my very favorite people." It was President Sands who conferred an honorary degree upon Peddrew in 2016. [Mr. Peddrew, this degree honors your work, your spirit, and your support of the university.] "It was something that I didn't expect, but I was so happy to get it, you know. And to be one of only nine people in the history of the school to get that honorary degree." And then there was this: "This is my ring. This is the Peddrew ring." Dawn: "You wear that proudly?" Peddrew: "Yeah. So I wear it." In another full circle moment, the Class of 2023 honored Peddrew, who skipped his own ring dance under social pressure, by choosing him to be its ring namesake. "Tech has come a long way and I admire what they're doing now. And the university is in good hands." Peddrew found countless ways to remain connected to his Alma Mater while paving the way for future Black students. Irving Peddrew was 88.