Virginia Tech has become an affiliate member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, an organization founded to foster collaboration for higher education across the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
“The presidents of the region’s colleges and universities were unanimous in naming Virginia Tech our third affiliate member,” said Andrew Flagel, president and chief executive officer of the consortium. “Joining with affiliate members the Smithsonian Institute and Johns Hopkins University, Virginia Tech’s membership represents the incredible vitality and impact of higher education in our region. We are excited to expand opportunities for bold, powerful collaborations that further our status as America’s greatest college town.
“Virginia Tech has been part of the higher education community in the greater D.C. area for more than 50 years, providing unique student experiences and key strategic partnerships,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “We are proud to elevate our engagement through the Innovation Campus and join our consortium colleagues in supporting equitable and accessible economic and workforce development in the region.”
For more than 90 years, the consortium has advanced higher education in the region; promoted the role of higher education in the region’s economic and cultural vitality; and served as a vehicle for members to share resources and cooperate for the benefit of students, faculty, and the community. Composed of 18 members and three affiliate members, the consortium is a cross-section of private universities, state public universities, community colleges, underrepresented-serving institutions, federal universities, and the Smithsonian.
Virginia Tech has fostered a growing partnership with the greater metropolitan Washington, D.C., community since 1969. Today, the university’s presence in the area includes more than 40 graduate programs and research centers in the District of Columbia, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Middleburg. In addition to supporting the university’s teaching and research mission, Virginia Tech’s presence in the region has established collaborations with local and federal agencies, businesses, and other institutions of higher education.
