Welcoming Virginia Tech’s 16th president
Today, I am in Southwest Virginia for a momentous occasion. Dr. Timothy Sands is being installed as Virginia Tech’s 16th president.
Many of the great things happening in the commonwealth could not take place without the collaboration of Virginia’s public universities, including VCU and Virginia Tech. We must all work together to strengthen our commonwealth and its 8 million people.
Consider a recent $400,000 grant from the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation awarded to support collaborative research between Virginia Tech and VCU. Or consider how our law enforcement agencies work to learn from each other in Blacksburg, or how our students serve side-by-side in Richmond.
When it comes to great universities, it can be easy to get caught up in rivalry, particularly when our athletics teams face off, or when students are deciding which wonderful university they want to attend.
But today is not about rivalry. It is about excitement for the future of higher education in our commonwealth and beyond, and imaging how institutions like Virginia Tech and VCU can continue to work together to build Virginia’s future.
Congratulations to Dr. Sands, who will be a wonderful president for Virginia Tech and a remarkable leader in our commonwealth.
Pictured: At the installation of Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. From left: President Rao, Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton, President Sands and France Córdova, head of the National Science Foundation.
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