Virginia Tech University: Corps of Cadets Traditions, Ring Dance, and Sophomore Night

            Virginia Tech is a college rich in culture, largely due to their military heritage dating back to its founding in 1872. Their military heritage is still in existence today, which influences many of the traditions of the university. Some of the traditions include the Corps of Cadets traditions, the ring dance, and sophomore night. 

            Many people consider the Corps of Cadets to be the keeper of traditions at Virginia Tech. One of the traditions of the Corps is the mentor relationship between the freshmen and the juniors. This relationship works both ways. The freshmen will help the junior cadets by supporting them through all the phases of the Ring Dance. The juniors will help the freshmen cadets by acting as a mentor through their first year as a cadet at Virginia Tech. Another tradition of the Corps is turn about day, now called shadow day. Shadow day is when the freshmen and the upperclassmen switch roles for a day. So the freshmen class is in charge, and the upperclassmen revert back to the role of a freshman cadet. The purpose of this tradition is to give the freshmen a glimpse into the responsibilities they will have as they progress up the ranks.

            The ring dance is another tradition at Virginia Tech that dates back to 1934, with the Class of 1935. Once couples enter the dance, they receive two ribbons. The lady will wear her date’s ring on her wrist with the darker ribbon, and the man will wear his date’s ring on his wrist with the lighter ribbon. Later in the night, the couples will exchange rings while the Corps of Cadets stands in the ballroom in the shape of the class number.

            Sophomore night is another tradition at Virginia Tech that goes along with the history of the college. During the first fifty years of Virginia Tech’s history, student discipline was a challenge for the university’s administration and faculty. This actually led to the dismissal of two presidents at Virginia Tech. Sophomore night emerged from this challenging situation. This was one night during the year where the sophomore class of cadets would try to outdo the previous sophomore classes in the amount of mischief and destruction they could cause. This tradition ended in 1925 when sophomores took cows to the top floor of barracks, put a variety of farm vehicles and a horse drawn hearse on the roof of barracks, and brought two steam rollers for a bullfight. They also drove a grocery truck down a stairway to a basement and pulled a fire hose reel up a flagpole on campus. This sophomore night resulted in strong disciplinary action from the current president of the university and ended the sophomore night tradition forever.

            For more information on Virginia Tech traditions please visit http://www.alumni.vt.edu/traditions/index.html (used as a source).