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vtliberalarts.bsky.social
Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
@vtliberalarts.bsky.social
The official account for the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech. Our college is committed to empowering minds and uplifting spirits through education and innovation.
Students in a Virginia Tech societal health class are learning that health work happens beyond clinics. This fall, 17 students went to Welch, West Virginia, for service projects.

Christiansburg resident Mary Ann Capp funded materials and joined students to help with flood recovery efforts. 🛠️💛
Inspired to serve
The mission of a fall societal health class inspired a Christiansburg resident to not only contribute financially, but to lend a hand on a student work trip to West Virginia.
news.vt.edu
December 15, 2025 at 10:55 PM
📣 Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs has renamed one of its longest-running programs: Urban Affairs and Planning is now Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.

What hasn’t changed: a commitment to hands-on, community-driven learning.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
New name, same mission: Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning drives sustainable solutions
The school recently renamed the Urban Affairs and Planning program to Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning to clearly convey the scope of both research activities and academic programs.
news.vt.edu
December 12, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Thinking about leaving a smartphone under the tree? 🎄📱

Virginia Tech child psychology and development experts explain why some parents are choosing landlines instead, and what to consider before giving your child their first phone.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Experts: Why landlines make sense for parents in digital age
If you have a child, chances are you’ve already been asked, “When can I have a cellphone?” For many kids, a smartphone is at the top of their Christmas wishlist. But a growing number of parents are pu...
news.vt.edu
December 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
🎙️ From Hokie fan to the voice of Hokie Sports!

Evan Hughes ’21 turned his love of sports and storytelling into a career as assistant director of broadcast services and the voice of Virginia Tech women’s basketball and baseball. 🏀⚾

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Calling the shots: A Hokie broadcaster's slam dunk journey
Virginia Tech women's basketball tipped off this week and so did Evan Hughes ’21, who is assistant director of broadcast services and the voice of the university’s women’s basketball team.
news.vt.edu
November 5, 2025 at 8:50 PM
✨ Celebrating Nikki Giovanni ✨

Her final collection, The New Book: Poems, Letters, Blurbs, and Things, offers a brave and tender look at her last reflections. 💫

A poet, mentor, and fearless truth-teller, her words live on. 📖

www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/...
Inside groundbreaking author Nikki Giovanni's final collection of poems, notes and letters
"The New Book" collects the late poet's final thoughts, revealing "even more of who she always was" as her health declined before her death in 2024.
www.nbcnews.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The Oral History Association awarded the 2025 Book Award to @jasonhiggins.bsky.social, for "Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration."

🏆 A national honor recognizing outstanding oral history scholarship—congrats, Dr. Higgins!

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Jason Higgins wins national book award for “Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration”
news.vt.edu
October 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
🌍 Humanities Week kicks off Oct. 27! Explore “The Power of Place” how geography shapes communities, with a focus on Appalachia and rural life.🧡

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Author Beth Macy to headline Humanities Week events
The events happening Oct. 27-31 will highlight the humanities work across the university and the commonwealth with "The Power of Place" as the theme.
news.vt.edu
October 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
🧡 Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl isn’t just music—it’s a masterclass in PR, strategy & connection.

VT experts explain how Swift controls her image, knows when to pivot, & builds powerful bonds with fans through authenticity.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
New Taylor Swift album offers lessons that could change music industry
Swift’s new album is a cultural, economic, and musical masterclass that offers lessons on reshaping the music industry, marketing, capitalizing on a brand, and the pressures of fame, say Virginia Tech...
news.vt.edu
October 3, 2025 at 2:22 PM
@vtpsci.bsky.social Congrats to Dr. Laura Zanotti, new Chair of Political Science at VT! 🌍

“One thing I tell my students… if by the end they have more questions than they started with, I’ve done my job.” — Laura Zanotti

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Laura Zanotti named chair of the Department of Political Science
From U.N. peacekeeping missions to groundbreaking research on quantum entanglement in international relations, Zanotti’s career has spanned continents and disciplines.
news.vt.edu
September 15, 2025 at 7:26 PM
👏 Congratulations to @amandademmer.bsky.social, associate professor of history, on being named the Paul and Linda Austin Military History Professor!

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Amanda Demmer awarded history professorship
Demmer has created innovative, in-demand courses, built relationships with the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and advanced a cutting-edge research agenda that broadens the field in ways of interest to...
news.vt.edu
September 11, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Can AI parental controls keep kids safe online?

Virginia Tech School of Communication professor, Cayce Myers, says these tools help, but real safety will require stronger platform responsibility and oversight as AI grows more complex.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Experts say parental controls are good, but AI still needs more oversight to protect youth
Amid growing concerns about how children and teens engage with AI chatbots, including a tragic suicide reportedly linked back to a teen’s use of ChatGPT, OpenAI announced plans to roll out parental co...
news.vt.edu
September 11, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Looking to level up your fantasy football game? 🏈

Matthew Zimmerman, assistant professor and sports media expert in the Virginia Tech School of Communication, shares tips on building a winning strategy this season. 🏆

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Sports media expert shares tips for fantasy football success
There is an art and strategy to a successful fantasy football season. With 16 weeks to go, Matthew Zimmerman, sports media analytics expert at Virginia Tech, offers his top tips for a winning year.
news.vt.edu
September 9, 2025 at 9:07 PM
At the IMAGINE Lab, founded in 2019, Joanna Culligan and her team explore how music sparks memory, strengthens community & supports those with Alzheimer’s. 🎶 @virginiatech.bsky.social

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Tunes that turn back time
Researchers in the IMAGINE Lab are exploring how listening to and playing music can positively impact the well-being of people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.
news.vt.edu
September 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
📚 Back-to-school can bring both excitement & anxiety.

Cindy Smith, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and Director of the Children’s Emotions Lab, shares tips for parents: create safe spaces, listen closely, & turn emotions into growth.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Expert offers tips for coping with back-to-school nerves
For some students, back-to-school excitement comes with its fair share of anxiety. Virginia Tech’s Cindy Smith shares strategies for parents to help children cope.
news.vt.edu
August 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
This transformative gift will ensure the David H. Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics continues to thrive as one of the nation’s leading PPE programs. 🎉

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Alum’s gift propels research in philosophy, politics, and economics
Electrical engineering graduate David H. Kellogg recently committed a $16 million estate gift to endow the university’s research center in the field.
news.vt.edu
August 21, 2025 at 2:11 PM
📣 Dana Robertson is the new director of Virginia Tech’s School of Education! A nationally recognized literacy scholar, he’s ready to lead with innovation and impact.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Dana Robertson named director of School of Education
Robertson, associate professor of reading and literacy at the university since 2021, is a former literacy specialist and coach whose research includes professional learning and coaching and working wi...
news.vt.edu
August 15, 2025 at 7:37 PM
🎥 From Virginia Tech to NBC Washington, Jummy Olabanji ’06 built a journalism career on purpose and passion.

📲 Read how her liberal arts roots helped her thrive in a changing media world. news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Alumna at home on NBC4 anchor desk
Jummy Olabanji's career has taken her to television stations in Charlottesville, Norfolk, and New York City. Five years ago, she returned home to the Washington, D.C., area as the co-anchor of News 4 ...
news.vt.edu
July 31, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Why do influencers feel less relatable—but we still follow them? 🤔 Stephanie Smith from the School of Communication, breaks it down in Us Weekly, explaining the shift from relatable to aspirational content.

📲 Read more: www.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...
From Alix Earle to Remi Bader: Influencers Aren’t Relatable Anymore
Alix Earle, Charli D'Amelio and Remi Bader had relatable beginnings, but their evolution into stardom has reshaped their connection with followers
www.usmagazine.com
July 22, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Hot off the digital press! 🎉

The first issue of ECHO, our new digital magazine, is here—featuring bold research, creative teaching, and real impact.

📖 Read: liberalarts.vt.edu/magazine/ind...
July 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
📱Battling screen time with your teen?

Professor Cindy Smith, in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, shares tips to keep teens curious, active, and off their phones—from screen-free family outings to passion-led projects.

Beat boredom this summer:

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Experts offer tips to keep teens engaged – and off screens – this summer
As summer stretches on and screen time becomes more tempting, Virginia Tech experts share tips to keep teens active, curious, and off their devices.
news.vt.edu
July 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM
🎓 Hokies on the Hill isn’t just an internship—it’s a career-shaping experience.

This spring, @vtpsci.bsky.social students Bradley Jones and Eliana Michael got a front-row seat to Capitol Hill, gaining real-world skills and leadership confidence. ✨

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Hokies on the Hill brings the Washington experience home
The Hokies on the Hill experiential learning program in Washington lets students experience the inner workings of government. Two students in the most recent cohort said they saw Capitol Hill in a way...
news.vt.edu
July 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM
🔍 Why do we love crime stories?

Virginia Tech English instructor, Ingrid Johnson, breaks it down as Dexter: Resurrection hits screens.

Read more ➡️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Expert explains crime genre’s appeal ahead of 'Dexter: Resurrection'
As Dexter Morgan returns to the small screen in "Dexter: Resurrection," Ingrid Johnson, an advanced instructor in the Department of English, explains viewers' fascination with morally-complex characte...
news.vt.edu
July 7, 2025 at 1:38 PM
🎧📱 Scrolls, screens, and soundbites, welcome to today’s classroom.

Cayce Myers (School of Communication) breaks down how educators can adapt to students' media habits.

Read now in @timeshighered.bsky.social
July 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
At the June 3 Board of Visitors meeting, @virginiatech.bsky.social proudly recognized a significant wave of faculty achievements across our college, highlighting excellence in research, teaching, and service. 👏

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approves 2025 promotions, tenure, and continued appointments
The board approved the following promotions, tenure, and continued appointments at its June 3 meeting.
news.vt.edu
July 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
🌍 Shaping foreign policy from the classroom!

Through the U.S. State Dept. Diplomacy Lab, @virginiatech.bsky.social students research global issues from climate to cybersecurity and draft real policy recommendations.

news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Diplomacy Lab gives students a voice in U.S. foreign affairs
In addition to expanding the State Department's research base, the program allows students to contribute to the policymaking process. Key findings could become official U.S. foreign policy.
news.vt.edu
June 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM