virginia tech on campus tours

Want to learn more about our college? Come for a visit.

If you're interested in one of our programs in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design, the best way to learn more and get a feel for our culture is to come for a visit. Take the time to look around, talk with faculty, and connect with current students. We'd love to meet you! 

Visiting the School of Architecture and the School of Design

The Architecture, Interior Design, Industrial Design, and Landscape Architecture majors offer their own weekly tours during the fall and spring semesters.

Registration for  School of Architecture  and the  School of Design  information sessions is required. Tours begin in the school's administrative office, located in Suite 201 of Cowgill Hall, 1325 Perry Street in Blacksburg. 

All Other Majors

Visits for all other majors in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design can be arranged by Katy Miles ( [email protected] ), director of undergraduate student recruitment.

We offer college-wide information sessions and meetings by appointment, and we can also connect you with faculty, advisors, and current students in specific majors. Just let us know which program you'd like to know more about!

University Information Sessions and Campus Tours

While you're here, you can also take advantage of campus tours and broader university information sessions , hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Check out options for on-campus experiences as well as online tours, virtual facility visits, and more.    

Plan a Visit

Insert your title here.

Come spend some time at Virginia Tech

What’s on your “must see” list for a campus visit? Our beautiful green spaces and Hokie Stone buildings? Where you’ll be taking classes? Where you’ll relax with friends in between classes? Where you’ll live? 

We suggest signing up for a CNRE interest session (or watching below) in addition to the regular Office of Admissions campus tour and info session. But regardless of whether you are just starting your college search — or are already admitted — there are plenty of options for visiting Virginia Tech and experiencing life as a Hokie.

Questions? Connect with CNRE’s director of recruitment , John Gray Williams, at [email protected] or 540-231-4909.

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Visiting during your high school spring break

If you’re planning to visit during your high school spring break, you’re not alone! Many future Hokies come to campus in April, so we have some special events planned during the weeks of April 3-7 and April 10-14, 2022.

Please note that CNRE will offer two info sessions per day during this period; if one session is full, please consider attending our other session that day. Info sessions will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. during these two weeks. Most importantly, make sure you  sign up in advance to reserve your seat for a CNRE info session .

Also, don’t forget to sign up for an Admissions info session and campus tour as well!

CNRE Interest Sessions

Offered Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon. You’ll learn about majors, see our classroom and lab spaces, and meet a current student.   

Campus Tours and Info Sessions

Offered weekday mornings and/or afternoons and some Saturdays. Tours are led by Hokie Ambassadors; the walking portion takes about an hour. You can also take a virtual tour any time.

Events for prospective and admitted students

Consider attending one of the special open house programs noted below and check the Recruitment Programs and Events page for more opportunities such as the Black and Hispanic College Institutes.

Fall Virtual Open House: October 10-11, 2020

Learn more about first-year and transfer admission, scholarships and financial aid, housing, and dining. You can also talk live with faculty and students from the College of Natural Resources and Environment.

Spring Open House: March 20 or 21, 2021

Learn more about what it’s like to be a Virginia Tech student at this open house program. You’ll attend admissions and college info sessions, learn about life on campus, and have the chance to ask questions.

Virtual Hokie Focus: April 2020

Hokie Focus is an exclusive online event for students offered admission. The session for CNRE session begins at 11 a.m., and you can learn more about the academic experience in the college, including information about our departments and majors, and ask questions. Click here to see the agenda.

Fall Open House

• Sept. 28 and 29, 2024
• Nov. 2 and 3, 2024

Learn more about what it’s like to be a Virginia Tech student and attend sessions on admissions and financial aid, college academic opportunities, and student services.

Spring Open House

• March 1 and 2, 2025

Hokie Focus 2023

• April 5 and 6, 2025

Hokie Focus is an exclusive event for admitted students. Visit on either day and you will take a campus tour and learn about academics, residence life, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and more.

Take time for an off-campus adventure, too

If you’re coming to Southwest Virginia, carve out some time in your schedule to experience life beyond campus. Downtown Blacksburg is a great place for coffee, lunch, or shopping. The Blue Ridge Mountains are known for great hiking and scenic views, so bring your hiking boots or bicycle, or plan for a leisurely drive. Check out the sites below for more options:

• Downtown Blacksburg
• Visit Southwest Virginia
• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Travel tips for a great visit

• Make sure you register in advance. Most information sessions and campus tours fill up quickly!
• Check out the Holiday and Winter Closing Schedule to make sure the university is open. You may also want to consult the  academic calendar .
• Be prepared with a campus map .
• The address for Cheatham Hall (College of Natural Resources and Environment) is 310 W. Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA. Directions are also available for Admissions visit options.
• Need accommodations ? The Inn at Virginia Tech is located on campus, but there are plenty of other options in Blacksburg and the New River Valley.
• Experience Hokie student life when you visit by attending a Hokie athletic event, a performance at the Moss Arts Center , or more.

Visit the School of Design at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia

The School of Design offers weekly tours of the School and its Programs every Friday during Fall and Spring Semesters.

Tours are led by faculty members and often include student leaders. Visitors will tour our design studios and other instructional spaces. Tour leaders will discuss the program, curriculum, and answer visitor's questions. Each tour lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. You may schedule more than one tour or attend the multi-program tour at 1pm. 

• Industrial Design: Monday 10:30 a.m.
• Landscape Architecture: Friday 11:00 a.m.
• Interior Design: Friday 12:00 p.m. 
• School of Design (multiple programs): Friday 1:00 p.m.

Tours begin in the School of Design lobby: 121 Burruss Hall, Industrial Design tours begin in 201 Cowgill Hall. Office staff and tour guides will meet you at the scheduled time to begin the tour. 

The School of Design offers biweekly tours of the School and its Programs every other Friday during the Summer Break. The multi-program tour begins at 1:00 pm and includes tours of Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture.

Tours begin in the School of Design lobby: 121 Burruss Hall. Office staff and tour guides will meet you at the scheduled time to begin the tour. 

Undergraduate Tours

Tours are always held on Fridays during the academic year. Times vary based on degree program.

Register  here  for tours during the Fall and Spring Semester. Register here for Summer Tours.

For more information email:  [email protected]

The Undergraduate Admissions Office offers general university  information sessions and campus tours  as well.

Graduate Tours

Prospective masters and Ph.D. students should email  [email protected]  to schedule an appointment and to tour the School's facilities. The Virginia Tech Graduate School also offers  campus tours  for prospective graduate students.

Weekly tours of the School and its Programs are every Friday during the academic year. Can't attend a Friday tour? Are you visiting during summer or winter break? Please email us at  [email protected]  to request a tour, we're happy to find an alternative time for your tour.

Questions about visitor parking? Visit this page .

Student Visits

Orientation

Visit the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus in-person before the start of your academic journey!

Admitted Student Visits is an optional program for newly admitted students and their families to visit campus prior to their start at VT. In this one day program, students and families will learn about Virginia Tech resources, campus navigation, and much more.

Note: Registration for the Admitted Student Visit must be completed at least 24-hours in advance. To register, students must use their Virginia Tech PID and password.

Visiting Virginia Tech

Fall open house.

Our Open House dates will be October 7th or 8th, and November 11th or 12th. Registration for Open House is now live.  Click here for more!

Register for your Visit

Please register online for your upcoming visit to Virginia Tech. After you register, you can print your ticket, which you will bring with you when you visit campus. If your party size is greater than nine, please register for a group visit.

High School Spring Break

From  April 10, 2017 - April 21, 2017 , Undergraduate Admissions will offer expanded information sessions and tour times as well as a College and Departmental Information Fair to accommodate a high volume of visitors during the period when many high schools are on spring break. To make the most of your day on campus, we encourage visitors to plan to attend an admissions information session, a campus tour, and a college or departmental information session relevant to your academic area of interest. Admissions information sessions will be held at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Tours will meet on the front steps of Burruss Hall and will leave promptly at the designated tour times.

Hokie Preview: Junior Open House

Hokie Preview is designed specifically for  high school juniors  to provide a comprehensive look at life as a Virginia Tech student. We invite high school juniors and their families to visit our campus on  Saturday, March 24, 2018 , and learn about Virginia Tech through an admissions information session, college information session, and a campus tour. We will answer your questions about our university and how to become a Hokie!

Group Tours

If you plan to bring a group of 10 or more students to campus, visit our group tours section so we can make special arrangements for your group.

Directions and Parking

Our Directions to Campus page provides detailed driving directions. For other modes of transportation, see Directions to Virginia Tech .

On weekdays, you will need a visitor's parking permit from the Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center . See Parking Services' visitors page (and parking maps in the right sidebar) for details.

On Saturdays, visitors do not need parking permits for most lots. Refer to this list for the exceptions. Be sure to check signs for any 24-hour faculty-staff notations before parking.

Requests for Accommodation

If you are a person with a disability and desire assistance or accommodation, please notify the Admissions Office at (540) 231-6267 during business hours, Monday through Friday.

Information Sessions and Tours

Below is a general information session and tour schedule.

• Check out our information session calendars for specific information about sessions and tour times. (Please see links at right for upcoming information session and tour times.)
• Please register for your information session and/or tour (unless part of a 10 or more person group visiting campus).
• Please see College and Department Information Sessions for specific department information session times and registration requirements.
• If you are planning on bringing a large group (10 or more prospective students) to campus, visit our group tours section to register in advance.
• Please note that the schedule is subject to change , so be sure to verify the dates and times before your visit.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions, located at 925 Prices Fork Road in the Visitor and Undergraduate Admissions Center , is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and many Saturday mornings, 8:30 a.m. until noon, unless the university is closed. Our office is closed on Saturdays in May, June, and other select weekends.

Information Session and Tour Schedule

•   September 2017
•   October 2017
•   November 2017

College/Department Information Sessions

Many of our various colleges and departments offer information sessions that are more-specific to their areas of study.

•   Schedule of college and department information sessions

Make the Most of Your Visit

Below are some suggested ways to get the most out of your time on campus and in Blacksburg.

• Attend an admissions or departmental information session.
• Schedule an appointment with a faculty member in the department of the major in which you are most interested.
• Inquire about entertainment (plays, concerts, speakers, etc.) or athletic events that are taking place on campus. You can find more information on the  Virginia Tech Calendar .
• Talk with Virginia Tech students you encounter during your visit. Find out why they chose Tech and learn about their experiences as Hokies.
• Plan to have a meal or snack in one of our award-winning on-campus dining facilities. Be sure to have cash on hand and bring your appetite – menus are available to please every palate.
• Go exploring! In addition to a tour, make sure you see as much of campus and the surrounding area as possible.
• Investigate local hiking, biking, canoeing, and more, or take time for a leisurely drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Tour our Residence Halls!

Prior to visiting our campus, please check this page for the most up-to-date information related to cancellations and closings for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Quick Resources

• Directions to Campus
• Self Guided Tour
• Area Accommodations
• Campus Maps
• All About Blacksburg
• Local Weather
• Virginia Interstate Traffic Information

Spanish Information Sessions Available

To reserve a spot, email  [email protected]

Visit VT App

The Visit Virginia Tech Guide to Campus is designed for prospective students, their families, friends, and anyone planning a visit to Virginia Tech. App on iTunes » App on Google Play »

Join an upcoming tour

Visit the School of Architecture at Virginia Tech

What's it like to study architecture at Virginia Tech?

Join an in-person information session about the architecture program and the Virginia Tech campus. You will learn about the curricula and pedagogy of our undergraduate and graduate programs, see our spaces and workshops, and meet our community of students and faculty. 

Taking design thinking from the classroom to the community

For current high school students, prospective internal/external transfer students, and more

Tour the undergraduate architecture program, mondays and fridays at 12 pm et.

Join an in-person tour led by an architecture faculty member. In this one-hour tour, you will learn about the undergraduate architecture program curriculum and pedagogy, get a tour of our spaces and workshops, and have time to ask questions.  

Register now

Can't make any of the  scheduled tour times ? Contact  Chris Pritchett ,  [email protected] , to see what accommodations can be made and to ask any questions. Please note: information sessions are not offered during the summer, during the first or last weeks of classes, between semesters, or on holidays. 

For prospective M.Arch, MS. Arch, and PhD students, and more

Tour the graduate architecture program, individual tours by appointment.

Schedule an in-person tour of the graduate architecture program by filling out this form . You will meet with the program chair and/or an architecture faculty member, and get a tour of our spaces and workshops. The Virginia Tech Graduate School also offers  general campus tours  for prospective graduate students. 

Prospective students wishing to visit the  Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center  in the National Capital Region (NCR) should  contact the WAAC to schedule an appointment.

Engineering Information Sessions for Undergraduates

During the week, the college of engineering offers daily information sessions hosted by our current engineering students..

Are you interested in learning more about the College of Engineering?

The College of Engineering hosts information sessions on Monday through Friday at 11:15 am, when classes are in session.

Summer in-person offerings May 31st-July 28th.

This hour long presentation given by engineering students provides an overview of the College of Engineering and its departments and gives students and parents an opportunity to ask any questions they might have.

If you would like to register for an Engineering Information Session, please click here to see what dates are available. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the calendar date to see what is available.  

Virtual information sessions are available on the 1st of each month or the next available business day when classes are in session at 7pm EST. 

Virtual information sessions for the rest of 2023 will be: August 1st, September 1st, October 2nd, November 1st, and December 1st - all at 7pm (EST).

Note: Because the College of Engineering Information sessions are given by students, we are unable to offer sessions when Virginia Tech classes are not in session.  

• If you need to cancel your appointment or change your registration date please use the ‘CANCEL this booking’ and ‘RESCHEDULE this booking’ links found in the confirmation email you received after completing your registration. Again, we DO NOT offer information sessions on Holidays, Weekends or when classes are not in session.
• This registration is just for the College of Engineering information session. For campus tours, parking, and more, please go to  Visiting Virginia Tech .
• Due to limited seating capacity on days of high visitor volume we may request that only the prospective student and one parent attend the information session. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
• Please send all other questions and concerns regarding your visit to the College of Engineering to our Undergraduate Recruiter: [email protected] or 540-231-7411

Learn more about the  students who give information sessions .

The College of Engineering offers an annual  Open House . Save the date for 2024 - April 15, 2024!

College of Engineering Presentation

Download the PDF

Please set some time aside to visit our on-campus Engineering laboratory facilities:

Learn More about the Corps of Cadets

Visit the Blacksburg Campus

The Corps of Cadets offers in-person tours, overnight programs, and online information sessions.

In-person corps/rotc information session.

The Corps of Cadets offers information sessions. These sessions offer an opportunity to learn more about the Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs at Virginia Tech including Army ROTC, Naval ROTC (which includes the Marine Corps) and Air Force ROTC (which includes Space Force), how to apply for ROTC scholarships, and the best practice timeline for applying. You will learn about why it is important to develop your leadership skills in college and why a senior military college like the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is the perfect place to do it.

Most Mondays or Friday at 10 a.m. Register here

Registration is required .

If you are able to arrive at 9:45 a.m., you can look through our new Corps Museum in our brand-new Corps Leadership & Military Science Building. You will be able to sign up at the end of the information session to come back and take a cadet-led walking tour of one of the Corps residence halls, if you have time.

Plan ahead to make time for this information-packed session that is a must for any student interested in ROTC or leadership in college.

Spend the Night/Spend the Day Programs

• The Spend the Day and Night sessions overlap, and will include a presentation about the Corps of Cadets followed by breakout sessions with our different tracks:
• Air Force ROTC (including the Space Force)
• Naval ROTC (including Marine Option)
• Citizen-Leader Track (public or private sector)
• After the presentations, families and those that registered for the Spend the Day program only can depart. If you registered for the Spend the Night program, you will be connected with your cadet host. You will shadow your host and attend morning formation. Spend the Night families are welcome to attend formation in the morning and can reconnect with their student after formation. You may want to sign up for follow on sessions with your major/college of choice, or the Virginia Tech Admissions Office for after the program ends on Day 2.
• Monday, February 19 (Spend the Day Only)
• Monday, March 25
• Thursday, March 28
• Monday, April 1
• Thursday, April 4
• Thursday, April 11

Online Information Sessions

For high school juniors and seniors: 3:00 p.m. Most Wednesdays. Register online .

These sessions provide more information about the Corps of Cadets program and Virginia Tech's ROTC programs. It will include an introduction to the Corps, information about scholarship opportunities, and a time for you and/or your family to ask questions. Family members are welcome to attend for you. 

Recorded Sessions

If you can't attend a live session, watch a recorded session, or learn about the other tracks.

• Corps of Cadets introduction
• Army ROTC brief
• Naval ROTC brief  (includes the Marine option)
• Air Force ROTC brief
• Citizen-Leader Track brief

Admissions Open House and Hokie Focus

Virginia Tech Admissions will host an open house March 16 and 17. Offered students will be invited to attend Hokie Focus on April 6 and 7. Additional walking tours will be provided during high school spring break weeks, March 25 - 29 and April 1 - 5. The Corps and the ROTCs will offer abbreviated information sessions at each of these events. Register online .

Virginia Tech ROTC Contacts

• Army ROTC : 540-231-4804,  [email protected]
• Air Force ROTC : 540-231-6404,  [email protected]
• Naval ROTC : 540-231-7883,  [email protected]

More Virginia Tech Information

Looking for more information about your desired major or the university in general? You may want to participate in the information sessions offered by  Virginia Tech Admissions  or  your college's information session for your desired major . You must sign up separately for these activities.

Campus Tour

Welcome to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s virtual tour! While we hope this page will be a resource for many, it is especially critical for our prospective students this academic year (2020-21) as we will not be able to welcome hundreds of you to campus as we typically do because of the current COVID-19 health pandemic.

While not the same as seeing our building, community, and health system up close and in-person, we hope it gives you a good idea of what it is like to study, work, and live at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

We asked some current students what they hope you'll learn about the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine even though you can't come see us in person.

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Video Transcript

Prospective students can't interview in person this year. what should they know .

[L.B. Canary, class of 2024]: The one thing that will be hard to tease out of this virtual experience is the culture of a program, so I want to make sure that you know that this is a very supportive place.  We have a small class size so you really do form a family pretty quickly and then anything you're interested in, you're supported to do, and it's definitely very inclusive and supportive and in a way that may be hard to translate through a computer screen.  

[Nirali Trivedi, class of 2024]: I think the most important thing to remember is, even though you're not going to be meeting the staff, everybody here is looking out for you and they want you to succeed. I was so afraid of getting left behind in my education or not getting like a supportive community, but being here everybody is so ready to pick you up when you're down. And just in general, the school the campus is beautiful and gorgeous and Roanoke, the  town itself, I know you guys can't get to see it in person but when you guys come it is the cutest little town and it's perfect for outdoorsy people and also not outdoorsy people like me.  

[Mina Lee, class of 2023]: I think the feeling that you get at VTC when you're a student here makes you really feel like  you're part of a family. I think it's hard to find that anywhere else and I don't know whether it's because the class sizes are really small or whether it's because of the specific faculty that they have here or just the environment that they try to foster and nurture. I think it's probably a combination of all of those things, but that's one thing that I didn't really feel at a lot of other schools, was that feeling of like immediate acceptance and interest in who I was and what my goals were and and how the school could help me achieve those goals. 

Let's get on with the tour! Where would you like to start?

Learning spaces.

Opening only a decade ago, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine was purposefully built for its unique curriculum. Instead of endless lecture halls, priority was given to small-group learning spaces and clinical practice rooms to support our active learning style. A tiered classroom serves as a more traditional classroom space. Finally, students learn anatomy in a variety of ways, through a dry anatomy lab where models and high-tech ultrasound machines are used, to a more traditional cadaver lab.

Lecture and Event Spaces

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine has two larger traditional lecture-style spaces within the building. The first-floor lecture hall normally seats just over 100 people and is used for smaller guest speakers, large staff meetings, gatherings of one or two classes of students, as well as the first-year student patient case wrap-up every Friday. A larger auditorium spans the back of the second and third floors of the school and can seat more than 200 people. Larger speaker events are held in the room as well as ceremonies like the White Coat Ceremony and Match Day. Receptions for events often occur in the building’s atrium and cafe, which are located in the middle of the building right off the front steps of the building.

Study and Relaxation Spaces

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine has several places for students, faculty, and staff to find a quiet spot to study or relax. The library offers desks and carousels for students to use while enjoying large windows with a view of campus and Roanoke’s famous Mill Mountain Star. Finally, the building offers a small gym to sneak in a quick workout as well as a relaxation room for a quick reset and student lounge to keep snacks and meals at the ready.

A division of Enrollment Management

Admitted Student Visits

Visit the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus in-person before the start of your academic journey! Admitted Student Visits is an optional program for newly admitted students and their families to visit campus in July prior to their start at VT. In this one-day program, students and families will learn about Virginia Tech resources, campus navigation, and much more. They will take place in Squires Student Center, and programming for the day will start at 10:30AM and conclude at 4:30PM. Check-in will open at 10:00AM with separate sessions dedicated for students and others dedicated to families happening concurrently. The schedule for the day is as follows:

Please note: Registration for all sessions must be completed at least 24-hours in advance.  

In the unlikely event that an in-person program is cancelled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, the university cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including cancellation or change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.

For weather or disaster-related program cancellation or postponement information, please watch the admissions home page or our social media channels.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Questions? Contact us | [email protected] | 540-231-6267

Campus Highlights

Virginia Tech is a beautiful campus and home to many iconic locations and attractions current and former residents are familiar with. For those who may have never seen or even heard of some of these sights, we offer an introduction to what you'll find when you visit Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. Additionally, we encourage you to also enjoy a quick campus photograph tour .

Need more? Check out more options for visiting Virginia Tech virtually by visiting our  Virtual VT Visit webpage  page for more information on some of Virginia Tech's lesser-known attractions.

Virginia Tech Drone Park

The easiest way to fly on campus is to use the Drone Park. The football-field-sized facility gives students, researchers, employees, and members of the community a place to explore UAS operations without the constraints of registration, certification, or specialized training. Learn more .

Old-Growth Forest/Stadium Woods

The rare old-growth urban forest near Lane Stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech covers approximately 11.5 acres. It contains over 250 large trees, including dozens of white oak trees that have been estimated by scientists to be over 300 years old. Learn more .

Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention

The Virginia Tech Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention is an academic and research organization whose vision builds on the cultural initiatives that evolved within the Virginia Tech community after the tragedy of April 16, 2007. The center's educational mission envisions a world informed by cross-disciplinary work in violence prevention research, education, and hands-on learning experience. Learn more .

The upper level of War Memorial Court is one of the most memorable features of campus. Eight limestone pylons are etched with the names of Virginia Tech students and graduates who have given their lives in battle, beginning with World War I. The cenotaph in the middle honors the university's Medal of Honor recipients.

The Pylons & War Memorial Chapel

The upper level of War Memorial Court is one of the most memorable features of campus. Eight limestone pylons are etched with the names of Virginia Tech students and graduates who have given their lives in battle, beginning with World War I. The cenotaph in the middle honors the university's Medal of Honor recipients . Learn more .

Upper Quad is home to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and features one of the oldest buildings on campus, Lane Hall. When the school first opened, all students were admitted as cadets. Now the leader-development program consists of more than 1,100 cadets, represents all branches of military ROTC, and offers the Citizen-Leader Track for cadets pursuing careers in the private and public sector without a military obligation. The Upper Quad is home to the corps' beloved Skipper cannon. Skipper attends every parade and home football game. In addition, the corps' yellow Labrador ambassador Growley (AKA “Tank”) resides in Pearson Hall.

Upper Quad is home to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and features one of the oldest buildings on campus, Lane Hall. When the school first opened, all students were admitted as cadets. Now the leader-development program consists of more than 1,100 cadets, represents all branches of military ROTC, and offers the Citizen-Leader Track for cadets pursuing careers in the private and public sector without a military obligation. The Upper Quad is home to the corps' beloved Skipper cannon. Skipper attends every parade and home football game. In addition, the corps' yellow Labrador ambassador Growley (AKA “Tank”) resides in Pearson Hall.

Squires Student Center is a hub of student activity. A food court, an art gallery, a radio station, theater production spaces, and the student newspaper all find their homes here. Located on the lower level, BreakZone offers a bowling alley, billiard tables, ping-pong games, and more.

Squires Student Center

Squires Student Center is a hub of student activity. A food court, an art gallery, a radio station, theater production spaces, and the student newspaper all find their homes here. Located on the lower level, BreakZone offers a bowling alley, billiard tables, ping-pong games, and more. Learn more .

The MAC houses a 1,260-seat performance hall, visual arts galleries, and the four-story experimental “Cube” – a highly-adaptable space used to create immersive environments, intimate performances, audio and visual installations, research, and experimental investigations of all kinds. Each year brings new artists, vibrant performances, and innovative arts experiences for students and the public at large.

Moss Arts Center

The MAC houses a 1,260-seat performance hall, visual arts galleries, and the four-story experimental “Cube” – a highly-adaptable space used to create immersive environments, intimate performances, audio and visual installations, research, and experimental investigations of all kinds. Each year brings new artists, vibrant performances, and innovative arts experiences for students and the public at large. Learn more or visit .

The Drillfield is part of every Hokie's life, providing common space for play and study, and dividing the academic side of campus from the residential side. Every weekday during the academic year, the grassy field is covered with students on their way to class. Large events such as Gobblerfest and The Big Event are centered on the Drillfield, the heart of the Blacksburg campus.

The Drillfield

The Drillfield is part of every Hokie's life, providing common space for play and study, and dividing the academic side of campus from the residential side. Every weekday during the academic year, the grassy field is covered with students on their way to class. Large events such as Gobblerfest and The Big Event are centered on the Drillfield, the heart of the Blacksburg campus. Learn more .

A scenic spot on Virginia Tech's busy campus, the Duck Pond is the perfect destination for the whole family. Stroubles Creek flows through the Duck Pond, creating a home for a variety of wildlife. The focal point of the pedestrian trail skirting the pond is a gazebo that provides seating and shelter for visitors.

A scenic spot on Virginia Tech's busy campus, the Duck Pond is the perfect destination for the whole family. Stroubles Creek flows through the Duck Pond, creating a home for a variety of wildlife. The focal point of the pedestrian trail skirting the pond is a gazebo that provides seating and shelter for visitors.

The garden features perennial borders, water gardens, shade gardens, a meadow garden, and the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion. And plants, of course – lots of plants. Visit us in all seasons – to relax, enjoy, learn, and grow!

Hahn Horticulture Garden and Pavilion

The garden features perennial borders, water gardens, shade gardens, a meadow garden, and the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion. And plants, of course – lots of plants. Visit us in all seasons – to relax, enjoy, learn, and grow! Learn more .

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Commencement ceremonies recognize academic achievement

• Virginia Tech News

10 May 2024

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Thousands of graduates, their families, and friends crowded into Lane Stadium on a breezy, cool Friday morning for the University Commencement Ceremony. Mehul Sanghani, a class of 1998 graduate and CEO and founder of Octo Consulting Group, delivered the commencement address . Five alumni — Willis and Mary Blackwood, Greta Harris, Jim Pearman, and Gladys West — were honored by the university for their support and contributions to their communities.

The university ceremony was one of 20 events to occur in Blacksburg, starting on Wednesday with the Graduate School Commencement, that honored graduates at the associate, bachelor, master, and doctorate levels for all colleges. The Blacksburg events were bookended by ceremonies in Roanoke — on May 4 to honor graduates of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine — and in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area on May 12.

Scroll down to see images from the Graduate School Commencement and University Commencement ceremonies. Congratulations, Hokies!

Watch all spring ceremonies .

Photos by Clark Dehart

Annie McCallum

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Virginia Tech celebrates nearly 8,000 Hokies in 2024 graduation ceremony

B LACKSBURG, Va. ( WFXR ) — Nearly 8,000 Virginia Tech ( VT ) students are ready to walk across the stage. On Friday, May 10, graduates lined up outside Lane Stadium for the university’s 2024 commencement ceremony.

Starting at 8:30 a.m., VT will honor 6,355 bachelor’s degree candidates from all colleges. Approximately, 2,088 graduating Hokies completed their baccalaureate degree programs with honors and achieved a GPA of at least 3.4.

Paris Todd who is graduating with her degree in English and a minor in literature says she is excited to cross the stage.

“VT has served me very well with how helpful they have been. Especially the services they offer here everything from group counseling to their Title IX services,” said Todd. “It’s been incredible here.”

The university says the College of Engineering has the most graduates with 2,109 Hokies. A total of 1,586 students will receive their graduate degrees and 249 will get their Ph.D’s.

Virginia Tech alumni, Mehul Sanghani , the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Octo will deliver the keynote address. The Hokie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering and psychology. He founded his technology firm that focuses on national security at the age of 30 with encouragement from his family.

For more information, visit the Virginia Tech website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.

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By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to Stafford County, Virginia on Monday to tour a broadband infrastructure project funded by the $1.9 trillion COVID-era American Rescue Plan and underscore the importance of investing in rural areas.

The Treasury Department said Yellen would visit a community where nearly 700 homes have secured broadband services as a result of funds from President Joe Biden’s legislation and its Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF).

Yellen will visit a recently completed Comcast high-speed internet installation site in Fredericksburg, and meet with local officials and community members to discuss Biden’s efforts to drive more investment into rural areas that have often lagged more urban places in investments, Treasury said.

Biden, a Democrat who is seeking reelection this year, and his top cabinet members have been crisscrossing the country to tout the benefits of a trio of more legislation aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, improving infrastructure and lower energy costs.

Biden has struggled to win voter confidence in his handling of the economy amid persistently high inflation, although Yellen has repeatedly said she expects Americans to start feeling better about the economy as inflation continues to slow and wages grow.

Financial markets are bracing for fresh U.S. inflation data this week with the producer price index (PPI) to be released on Tuesday and the consumer price index (CPI) on Wednesday.

Comcast spokesperson Kristofer Schneider said the company had invested nearly $900 million in technology and infrastructure in Virginia over the past three years to provide broadband service to tens of thousands of people in the state.

It has invested $20 billion nationally to quadruple its overall network capacity and provide multi-gigabit service to 15 million homes and businesses, Schneider said.

The company said the rural expansion in Stafford County, located about 70 miles south of Washington, was announced in September 2022 as part of a public-private partnership funded in part through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) and the ARP.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content.

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Virginia, Virginia Tech will travel for NCAA…

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Virginia, Virginia Tech will travel for NCAA softball regionals

Virginia gained its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2010. The Cavaliers were sent to the Knoxville Regional, where the resurgent Cavaliers will face Miami of Ohio at noon Friday on ESPN+.

The 16 opening four-team, double-elimination regionals are hosted by national seeds — Tennessee in UVA’s case. Tennessee, seeded third nationally, will meet Dayton at 2:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN+.

Virginia Tech (39-12-1), meanwhile, was sent to Los Angeles and will face San Diego State (31-18) at 6 p.m. on ESPNU. Sixth-seeded UCLA is hosting that regional and will meet Grand Canyon at 8:30 on ESPN+.

Conference USA champion Liberty will face Charlotte at 3 p.m. Friday on ESPN+ in Athens, Georgia. No. 11 Georgia then will meet UNC Wilmington at 5:30 on ESPN+.

COLLEGE MEN’S LACROSSE

No. 6 Captains cruise to quarterfinals

Alex Brendes had three goals and two assists as Christopher Newport (16-5), ranked sixth in NCAA Division III, earned a national quarterfinal berth by defeating No. 15 Stevens 12-5 Sunday night at Jennings Family Stadium.

The Ducks (18-3), from Hoboken, New Jersey, pulled even at 4 with 12:38 to go in the second quarter. But CNU’s defense stifled them until Stevens scored with 19 seconds left in the game.

The Captains will travel to New York state to face the second-ranked Rochester Institute of Technology in a quarterfinal at noon Saturday.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S LACROSSE

CNU advances to NCAA round of 16

Christopher Newport got untracked in the second half at home, beating Catholic of Washington, D.C., 9-6 in the NCAA Division III Tournament’s second round.

The Captains (14-6), ranked 21st, were trailing by two in the third quarter before pouring in six late goals, including four in the fourth quarter. Syd Guidi finished with four points and notched her 13th hat trick of the season. She added a key goal with four minutes left. Kelsey Winters contributed three points, while Sloane McDonald added two goals and Julia Iapicca handed out two assists.

CNU moved to the round of 16 for a rematch with No. 7 Washington and Lee on Saturday. W&L defeated Rhodes 17-7. The time and site for the Captains and Generals are to be announced.

Catholic finished 13-8.

Florida ousts No. 5 UVA

In the Division I second round, despite coming back from a three-goal deficit, fifth-seeded Virginia (15-5) fell 13-8 to No. 10 Florida (19-2) at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville.

Danielle Pavinelli had four goals and an assist, Ashley Gonzalez had three goals and two assists, Maggi Hall had two goals and three assists for the Gators, who outscored the Cavaliers 5-1 in the fourth quarter.

Mackenzie Hoeg and Katia Carnevale each had two goals for UVA, while Morgan Schwab added a goal and two assists.

No. 4 Maryland dominates JMU

Fourth-seeded Maryland blew out James Madison 17-7 in College Park as Eloise Clevenger scored five goals and tallied three assists for the Terrapins (14-5), who will face Florida in a quarterfinal at noon Thursday.

All-American Isabella Peterson led JMU (14-6) with four goals, while fellow senior attacker Katelyn Morgan added two assists.

Sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Boden entered the cage for the Dukes midway through the first quarter and made eight saves on 27 shots faced.

LOCAL SOCCER

Lionsbridge blanks VB United in opener

Lionsbridge FC overcame Virginia Beach United 1-0 Saturday night at Virginia Beach Sportsplex in the season opener for both teams.

Lionsbridge, the national runner-up in “pre-professional” USL League Two last year, broke through on a goal by Denis Krioutchenkov in the 77th minute. After a long free kick, Claudel N’Goubou headed the ball to Krioutchenkov, who volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Griffin Potter with a powerful, bouncing drive from 18 yards away.

Krioutchenkov, who plays for Davidson and grew up in Milwaukee, was a first-team All-Atlantic 10 choice last fall.

Goalkeeper Tyler Hogan gained a shutout for the Newport News-based Lions.

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News / May 10 2024

Partnership with BrainChip Allows Cornell Tech Students Exposure to Neuromorphic Computing

  Electrical & Computer Engineering

Cornell Tech has partnered with BrainChip , the world’s first commercial producer of neuromorphic artificial intelligence, to introduce a new course in neuromorphic computing to its graduate students by joining the company’s University AI Accelerator Program. The Cornell Tech course on neuromorphic technology – computing that mimics the neural behavior of the human brain – was introduced to students in the electrical and computer engineering program in the spring 2024 semester.

BrainChip’s University AI Accelerator Program provides platforms, and guidance to students at higher education institutions with AI engineering programs training. Students participating in the program will have access to real-world, event-based technologies offering unparalleled performance and efficiency to advance their learning through graduation and beyond.

The course at Cornell Tech is currently being taught by Jae-sun Seo, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Seo joined Cornell Tech in 2023 and his research centers on hardware design of machine learning and neuromorphic algorithms as well as hardware-efficient AI algorithm design.

“Our goal at Cornell Tech is to develop leaders for the AI era who are capable of applying technical advancements emerging in industry to make a positive impact on society,” said Seo. “One of the best ways to do this is to partner with those in both the private and public sectors to advance practical technology solutions that solve real-world challenges. Working with BrainChip has allowed students to obtain the resources and learning experiences they need to succeed in neuromorphic computing.”

The goals of the partnership at Cornell Tech are to give students greater exposure and access to the field of neuromorphic computing and to create future leaders and drivers of progress in the industry. According to Seo, partnering with both the public and private sector helps advance the mission of creating leaders capable of applying technical advancements to positively impact society. In the field of neuromorphic computing specifically, this represents a big step toward that goal for the school’s graduates.

Neuromorphic solutions allow for faster systems that consume less power. BrainChip focuses on machines that consume less power by drawing on a system of “neurons” in order to do more with less. BrainChip’s neural processor, Akida™ IP, is an event-based technology that is inherently lower power when compared to conventional neural network accelerators. Lower power affords greater scalability and lower operational costs. Among the markets that BrainChip’s technology will impact are the next generation of smart cars, smart homes of today and tomorrow, and industrial IoT.

“Having the opportunity to work with an institution of higher learning like Cornell to advance the field of neuromorphic computing is why we developed the BrainChip University AI Accelerator Program,” said Tony Lewis, Chief Technology Officer, BrainChip. “In offering the latest tools and resources emerging from our work in neuromorphic computing, we can help students gain the understanding and real-world experience they need. We look forward to working with Cornell and welcome them to our growing AI Accelerator ecosystem.”

BrainChip University has implemented similar AI Accelerator Programs at a number of universities including Arizona State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Virginia.

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Campus Protests At Commencements, Protesters Deliver Messages in Many Ways

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Here’s the latest on campus protests.

Graduates across the country showed their opposition to the war in Gaza this weekend, walking out of commencement speeches, draping themselves in Palestinian flags and chanting their demands to divest from Israel.

By and large, the ceremonies carried on. At Duke University Jerry Seinfeld, the famed comedian who has lately taken a public stance in support of Jews in the United States and Israel, received an honorary degree and advised hundreds of graduates to maintain a sense of humor, while a few dozen protesters walked out in their caps and gowns to have their own ceremony.

At Emerson College in Boston, where more than 100 protesters were arrested less than three weeks ago, some students used their walks across the stage as moments of individual protest, removing their gowns or displaying signs, sometimes to cheers and often to loud boos from the families watching from the stands.

At the University of Minnesota, several students receiving diplomas unfurled banners with pro-Palestinian messages like “Students for Palestine” and “Let Gaza Live.”

The graduations capped a tumultuous few weeks on college campuses as students mounted pro-Palestinian protests and encampments and, in many places, the police removed them. College administrators prepared for potential disruptions with increased security, strict ticketing systems, designated free speech zones and even requests that students open their gowns for inspection.

Pomona College, where pro-Palestinian students have announced a protest targeting the ceremony, moved the location of its commencement after demonstrators set up an encampment on the stage where the event was supposed to be held.

A few universities came to agreements with protesters or bowed to student demands and canceled commencement speeches .

Here are other developments:

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said on Sunday that it reached an agreement with student protesters to end their encampment and not restart it, promising to end some of the proceedings on student conduct involving the encampment and to review calls for divestment from Israel.

Arizona State University has banned a postdoctoral research scholar from campus as it investigates a video that showed him confronting a woman wearing a hijab at a pro-Israel rally near the school’s Tempe campus . The university, where the campus police recently broke up a pro-Palestinian encampment and arrested dozens of people, has also put the chief of its campus police department on leave.

Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans last week became the second school to rescind a commencement speaking invitation to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The University of Vermont said earlier this month that she would not be speaking there, a concession to a demand from student demonstrators.

More than 2,800 people have been arrested at pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses since April 18, according to New York Times tracking data .

— Shaila Dewan ,  Eduardo Medina and Maya Shwayder

A skirmish breaks out near Pomona College’s graduation.

Scuffle breaks out during pomona college commencement, pro-palestinian demonstrators tried to block access to pomona college’s graduation ceremony on sunday..

[chanting in call and response] Not another nickel, not another dime. No more money for Israel’s crime. Resistance is justified when people are occupied.

At least one person was arrested after scuffles broke out among pro-Palestinian protesters, private security officers and police officers outside Pomona College’s commencement in Los Angeles on Sunday evening, the latest confrontation between the school and a protest movement that has received strong support from students and faculty on campus.

The skirmish occurred outside the Shrine Auditorium, in downtown Los Angeles, where school administrators had made a last-minute decision to relocate the event. Since last week, protesters had been camping out on the school’s graduation stage at its campus in Claremont about 40 miles away.

As graduates and their families lined up outside the auditorium, more than a hundred protesters converged on the group, unfurling banners that read “Pomona College divest from genocide now,” and chanting “Shame!”

Minor fights broke out after demonstrators attempted to block some family members of the graduates from entering the venue. Los Angeles Police Department officers in riot gear moved in to disperse the crowd. No injuries were reported, and the commencement went on as scheduled.

Hours before the event on Sunday, as the university was preparing to bus students to the new graduation site, protesters took down their encampment on campus and declared victory in a statement, saying they had accomplished their goal of disrupting commencement.

The protesters at Pomona College, a private liberal arts college, began camping on campus in late March near a pro-Palestinian art project that was erected near a student services building. The project was dismantled by the college in early April, and protesters responded by storming and occupying the president’s office, leading to 20 arrests .

At the time, protesters voluntarily removed their encampment, but students returned last week, erecting tents on the stage that had been set up for graduation. Many students and faculty members believe the school has been hesitant to clear the new encampment because of criticism by some over the arrests last month. The school did not respond to a request for an interview.

Protesters at Pomona College have called on the school to disclose its investments in weapons manufacturers that work with Israel and negotiate on divestment. In February, the student government voted in favor of an academic boycott of Israel — the severing of relations with the country’s academic and cultural institutions — and approved a resolution calling on the college to disclose its ties to companies connected to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

Pomona College is one of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions that make up the Claremont Colleges . At Pitzer College, another Claremont College, an encampment was disbanded by protesters after the president agreed on May 3 to disclose “its holdings in military and weapons manufacturers.”

The success at Pitzer has galvanized protesters at Pomona, who say that the college has so far not engaged with their demands.

For Lucía Driessen, 23, a student graduating with degrees in public policy analysis and biology, relocating the commencement to Los Angeles meant that her friends from other Claremont Colleges could not attend. And because a livestream of the ceremony was canceled, her parents could not watch from the East Coast.

“We’re used to graduation being a really big community thing on our campuses” she said. “And now it’s like we were ripped away from our community.”

— Jonathan Wolfe Reporting from Los Angeles

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and protesters reach a deal to end an encampment.

Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will take down a pro-Palestinian encampment that had stood for two weeks under an agreement reached with the school, university officials said in a statement on Sunday. The encampment, believed to be the last one standing at a Wisconsin college, will be gone by Tuesday, they said.

School officials had allowed the encampment to stand and occupy a broad patch of lawn between Mitchell Hall and a busy thoroughfare on the campus’s southern boundary, choosing not to call in the police. That approach differed from one at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where administrators in early May called in the police to break down the tents after negotiations failed. After the initial crackdown failed to end the encampment, Wisconsin-Madison later came to an agreement with protesters to break down the camp voluntarily before commencement ceremonies over the weekend.

Mark Mone, the chancellor of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said in a statement last Wednesday that the university had exercised “the widest possible amount of patience and restraint.” But he also indicated that patience had nearly run out, and warned that the school might take action.

Under the agreement with the group of protesters, known as the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition, the university pledged to join calls for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas; denounce the destruction by Israeli forces of schools and universities in Gaza; and meet with protest leaders over their concerns about university investments.

The university also agreed to encourage the Water Council, a Milwaukee consortium of water technology companies, to cut ties with two Israeli government-owned entities, Mekorot and the Israel Innovation Authority. Mr. Mone is the treasurer of the Water Council’s board of directors.

In exchange, protesters agreed to take down the encampment, starting on Sunday and finishing by Tuesday, and to refrain from disrupting the university’s commencement ceremonies on Sunday.

In a statement, the protesters acknowledged the agreement.

“After hard fought edits and careful consideration by the coalition, we determined we had obtained all possible benefits from the encampment,” they said.

— Dan Simmons Reporting from Milwaukee

As Jerry Seinfeld receives an honorary degree at Duke, students walk out in protest.

Dozens of students walk out of duke commencement ceremony, as the comedian jerry seinfeld received an honorary degree at duke university’s commencement, dozens of students walked out and chanted, “free palestine.” some also chanted mr. seinfeld’s name during the walkout..

From stage: “Big deal about our commencement speaker?” [crowd boos and cheers] Some in crowd: “Free Palestine!” Some in crowd: “Free Palestine!” Some in crowd: “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” From stage: “Thank you.”

Jerry Seinfeld knows his way around handling awkward moments onstage. Even so, the initial reception he faced at Duke University’s commencement on Sunday reflected a more complicated audience than usual.

As Mr. Seinfeld, who has recently been vocal about his support for Israel, received an honorary degree, dozens of students walked out and chanted, “Free, free Palestine,” while the comedian looked on and smiled tensely.

Many in the crowd jeered the protesters. Minutes later, as the last of the protesters were filing out, he approached the mic. His first words were: “Thank you. Oh my God, what a beautiful day.”

In his commencement speech, Mr. Seinfeld was mostly cautious, opting for a tight comedic script interspersed with life advice instead of a full-on response to the protests against his presence.

Still, in one part of his speech, he defended various types of privilege and appeared to hint at the elephant in the room.

“I grew up a Jewish boy from New York,” he said to applause from the crowd. “That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian.”

Outside Duke’s stadium, graduates walked around campus, chanting: “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.” When they arrived at a green space, they were joined by hundreds of other people — including faculty, relatives and other protesters — who organized a makeshift graduation for them.

As they prepared to throw their caps in the air, Mr. Seinfeld continued his speech inside Wallace Wade Stadium, telling students that while he admired their generation’s commitment to inclusivity and not hurting other people’s feelings, “it is worth the sacrifice of occasional discomfort to have some laughs.”

Mr. Seinfeld, who has two children who have attended Duke, has been uncharacteristically vocal about his support for Jews in Israel while doing press in recent weeks for his latest film, “Unfrosted,” which chronicles the invention of Pop-Tarts .

Typically an apolitical comedian who prefers punchy takes on ordinary observations, Mr. Seinfeld is now engaging in the type of celebrity activism that few associate with him, and that has drawn criticism and praise. Since the attacks of Oct. 7 in Israel, he has signed a letter in support of the country and posted an earnest message on social media about his devotion to it.

His wife, Jessica Seinfeld, a cookbook author, recently promoted on Instagram a counterprotest at the University of California, Los Angeles, that she said she had helped bankroll. (She condemned the violence that occurred at a later counterprotest.)

In December, Mr. Seinfeld traveled to Tel Aviv to meet with the families of hostages, soberly recounting afterward the missile attack that occurred during the trip.

Still, his comments on the issues have been somewhat modest.

“I don’t preach about it,” he told GQ last month. “I have my personal feelings about it that I discuss privately. It’s not part of what I can do comedically, but my feelings are very strong.”

On Sunday, Mr. Seinfeld played to the crowd, telling students: “You’re never going to believe this: Harvard used to be a great place to go to school. Now it’s Duke.”

Not everyone at Duke, however, was laughing at Mr. Seinfeld’s jokes.

The Rev. Dr. Stefan Weathers Sr., an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church who was awarded a Ph.D. in divinity, had written a letter before the ceremony to the university asking that the comedian be replaced, citing Mr. Seinfeld’s ongoing and strong support for Israel.

Shreya Joshi, a graduate and one of the organizers of the protest, said that after Duke selected Mr. Seinfeld as the speaker, she and other seniors, faculty members and pro-Palestinian supporters began organizing the walkout and an alternate graduation.

Ms. Joshi, 21, who studied history at Duke and will be attending law school at the University of Chicago, said that it was painful to have lost out on a high school graduation ceremony in 2020 because of the pandemic, and the seniors still wanted one this year, even if it meant creating one outside of the university’s official channels.

And that pain, she added, paled in comparison to what people in Gaza are experiencing.

“The fact that we were going to sit here and celebrate our own?” Ms. Joshi said. “It felt trivial in the face of all that. Have you seen the tiny violin? That’s how it felt.”

Ms. Joshi said that they had tried to leave the main commencement ceremony in the least disruptive way possible. They chose to leave as the honorary degree was being given to Mr. Seinfeld because “none of us particularly wanted to listen to Seinfeld.”

— Eduardo Medina and Emily Cataneo Reporting from Duke University’s campus in Durham N.C.

At Emerson College’s commencement, there were expressions of protest from beginning to end.

At Emerson College’s commencement, pro-Palestinian supporters made sure they were seen and heard throughout the ceremony.

The graduation for the Boston school, held at Agganis Arena, took place less than three weeks after police officers stormed an encampment and arrested more than 100 protesters.

As the more than 1,000 students entered in a procession, about one in every five students had a fist raised or some kind of pro-Palestinian paraphernalia accompanying their cap and gown: a keffiyeh, a decorated mortarboard with a Palestinian flag, and, in one case, a Palestinian flag worn as a cape.

Almost immediately after the journalism professor Michael Brown began to speak to start the ceremony, several students began shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, which were met with loud boos from the crowd of families in the stands.

Brown pressed on forcefully. “I’m here for the graduates of 2024,” he proclaimed loudly over the din, drawing cheers from the crowd. “You are the class that didn’t have a high school graduation, so you’re going to have a graduation today!”

That set the tone for the rest of the ceremony. Several speeches that followed were interrupted. And the processions across the stage were filled with individual protests from students. Some removed their robes onstage in protest. Some held up signs.

One woman arrived onstage with no robe on, wearing all white covered in red writing about the war in Gaza . She threw her diploma across the stage and held up her hands, covered in red paint, before exiting. Another draped a flag over the main podium at the center of the stage, which was promptly removed.

The biggest cheers were for the student class president, Joe Nalieth. “Our message cannot be washed away with the chalk,” he said in his speech. “Our voices echo on campuses across the world, especially those campuses which have been reduced to rubble. Let us not forget, we are creatives, innovators and revolutionaries.”

After the ceremony wrapped up just after 1 p.m., around 50 students defected from the recessional to stay on the floor on the arena, trying to shout “Free Palestine!” over the drum corps playing the graduates out.

— Maya Shwayder Reporting from Boston

Student protesters at Johns Hopkins agree to end encampment.

Johns Hopkins University said on Sunday that it reached an agreement with student protesters to end their encampment and not restart it, the university said in a statement . The school said it promised students a “timely review” of their calls for divestment from Israel.

The university also said it was ending proceedings on some student conduct from the encampment as long as protesters do not disrupt more university functions, including the commencement ceremony on May 23. But those proceedings will continue for allegations of misconduct including violence, assault or property damage.

“We are grateful to the many members of our community — faculty, staff, and students — who helped us navigate this moment,” Ron Daniels, the university president, said. “This is a truly difficult time in our world and at our university, with the anguish of the ongoing conflict and human tragedy in Israel and Gaza.”

Students began an encampment on April 29, which the university said violated policies that were designed to safeguard freedom of expression and safety on campus.

The group behind the encampment, the Hopkins Justice Collective, confirmed the agreement.

“In no way are we satisfied with this end to our demonstration,” the group said in a statement, saying that it was only a first step. “Palestinian liberation remains in our sights.”

— Colbi Edmonds

A closer look at the violent attack at U.C.L.A. raises questions about the police response.

Nearly two weeks after a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, was attacked by counterprotesters, university officials still have not explained why security officers stood by for hours while the attack was underway, nor have the authorities arrested any of those who swarmed in wielding metal rods, water bottles and firecrackers in one of the worst outbreaks of violence in the college protests that have rocked the country.

The extent of the policing failure has become clearer in recent days, as witnesses have come forward to describe a chaotic night of violence on April 30, in which students and bystanders repeatedly called 911 and nonemergency lines, finding little help and calls that were disconnected. A dispatcher told one caller pleading for help that they were ending the call because “I have actual emergencies to handle.”

One man was filmed by a local television station on the phone with emergency dispatchers, alerting them that people were getting hurt. “Security has abandoned this encampment,” he could be heard saying before lowering his phone and looking at it. “They just hung up on me again,” he said incredulously.

Miles away in Sacramento, staff members in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office contacted the U.C.L.A. chancellor’s office shortly after 11 p.m. to make sure that law enforcement officers were responding to the scene, and were assured that more officers were coming, according to a person familiar with the situation, who described the discussions on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make them public.

But as the night wore on and there was still no intervention, the person said, the governor’s office moved to circumvent local authority and ordered California Highway Patrol officers to the campus. The state officers began assembling on campus at 1:45 a.m., a few moments before L.A.P.D. riot police arrived, but it took another hour to quell the clashes.

The chancellor’s office, the L.A.P.D. and an outside consultant hired to investigate the tardy response have all declined to discuss it, pending the outcome of an inquiry that could take weeks or months. The campus police chief, John Thomas, also did not comment. He told The Los Angeles Times that he had relied on private security officers who were not authorized to make arrests, but that he had done “everything I could” to keep students safe.

To understand what happened, New York Times journalists conducted interviews with several people who were at the protests that night, including two people who were involved in the counterprotest; reviewed and analyzed video footage ; and spoke with organizations involved in both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli movements on campus.

The review found no public callouts for such a violent attack and no clear signs that one group coordinated the attack, though some people had arrived wearing black clothes and masks and seemingly prepared for violence. There was also no indication that the police had prepared for the kind of severe assault on the encampment that took place.

Instead, it appeared that contract security officers who did not have sufficient authority or numbers to halt the escalating melee had been caught by surprise and left to wait for reinforcements that did not arrive for hours.

“Either the university was hesitant to do anything to get law enforcement involved, or law enforcement was dealing with authorization issues and political considerations from elected officials,” said Ed Davis, a former Boston police commissioner who is familiar with crowd control policing issues. “And then things got out of hand.”

Despite growing concern on campus about the pro-Palestinian encampment, complaints about antisemitic incidents and the potential for violence, in the early days of the protests, university officials made it clear that they would consider calling in outside police only as a last resort.

“We are following University of California systemwide policy guidance, which directs us not to request law enforcement involvement preemptively, and only if absolutely necessary to protect the physical safety of our campus community,” Mary Osako, the vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement on April 26 , shortly after the encampment had been set up.

On the night of April 30, a range of counterprotesters had gathered, a group that grew in size as expectations mounted that the police would begin dismantling the encampment. In interviews, witnesses said there had been little warning before counterprotesters went on the offensive.

One of the counterprotesters, Liel Asherian, was seen on video footage kicking at the encampment’s plywood barrier, pulling boards to the ground and slamming a tennis racket against the wood that remained. He said he had gone that night to see the encampment on his own, though he later acknowledged that a friend of his was also pictured at the scene. In an interview, he said he was not part of any group and had not intended to participate in a conflict.

Mr. Asherian said he had approached the pro-Palestinian encampment to ask some people why they were protesting. He said he believed Jewish people such as himself and Palestinians were like cousins, and he expressed alarm at the innocent Palestinians being killed in Israel’s military campaign. But he said he disliked the disruptive tactics the pro-Palestinian protesters were using at U.C.L.A.

He said things devolved when someone called him a “dirty Jew” and he was doused in pepper spray.

“That made me start breaking down their barricades,” he said.

Also among the counterprotesters that night was Narek Palyan, an activist known for making frequent antisemitic statements, as well as comments critical of gay and transgender people. He said he went alone and was motivated to show up in part because he had seen a video of a Jewish woman on the pro-Palestinian side criticizing white people.

“I wanted to go find her, specifically,” he said, adding that he was not able to.

Mr. Palyan said he did not necessarily support either side in the protest or the war.

He said he spent much of the night asking people questions about their positions and trying to keep people from fighting by throwing makeshift weapons into nearby bushes. Mr. Palyan, who is Armenian American, also said he had warned two younger Armenian boys to stay out of the melee.

“I told them, ‘This isn’t ours,’” he said.

Anthony Cabassa, a self-described conservative independent journalist who posted videos of the chaos, said many people may have flocked to the scene on Tuesday night in the hours after U.C.L.A. declared the encampment illegal, believing that the police would move in to clear it and make arrests.

But then the counterprotesters descended on the protest, pulling metal gates away from the group and attacking protesters.

“We were all waiting for the L.A.P.D. to show up, and they never did,” Mr. Cabassa said in an interview. “As the night went on, more and more pro-Israel folks started showing up, to the point where it was starting to get worrisome.”

He said some people seemed to have arrived after seeing broadcasts of the tense scene that he and other livestreamers made, wanting to witness what would happen next.

“People were responding to my livestream and saying ‘I just showed up because of you. I live nearby,’” he said. But others, he said, appeared to have planned for potential clashes, wearing all-black outfits and ski masks. Mr. Cabassa recalled being concerned about their presence.

In the end, more than 30 protesters were injured, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations Los Angeles, before police dispersed the crowd.

Brian H. Levin, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, said that, with religion and ethnicity at the heart of the recent protests, the attack had amounted to a hate crime.

“This comes at a time when major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, have had a surge in anti-Arab and Muslim hate crimes and have hit a record for anti-Jewish crimes,” he said.

Mr. Levin watched the incident via livestream and said the weapons, the presence of some of the same people from previous protests and the waving of a yellow flag associated with Chabad-Lubavitch, a Hasidic Jewish movement, suggested some organizational coordination among the counterprotesters.

The director of the nearby Chabad House said the group had no role in the protest that night.

But he also noted that some of the implements wielded by the counterprotesters “were spontaneous weapons of opportunity,” and that some people “may have just showed up randomly with their own separate xenophobic and religious bigotries.”

The next day, after the counterprotesters had left, police officers moved in to remove the pro-Palestinian encampment, making more than 200 arrests.

Marie Salem, a U.C.L.A. graduate student and one of the protesters, questioned why the police had arrested dozens of student protesters but had not yet arrested any of those who had attacked them.

“The majority of the encampment is students that attend this university, and who were not violent,” Ms. Salem said. “We were met with violence, and the other side looked like majority not-students, which the university chose to protect over their own students.”

Jonathan Wolfe and Shawn Hubler contributed reporting. Susan C. Beachy and Kitty Bennett contributed research.

— Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs ,  Mike Baker and Serge F. Kovaleski Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reported from Los Angeles, Mike Baker from Seattle and Serge F. Kovaleski from New York.

Frustrated by Gaza Coverage, Student Protesters Turn to Al Jazeera

Nick Wilson has closely followed news on the war in Gaza since October. But Mr. Wilson, a Cornell student, is picky when it comes to his media diet: As a pro-Palestinian activist, he doesn’t trust major American outlets’ reporting on Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

Instead, he turns to publications less familiar to some American audiences, like the Arab news network Al Jazeera.

“Al Jazeera is the site that I go to to get an account of events that I think will be reliable,” he said.

Many student protesters said in recent interviews that they were seeking on-the-ground coverage of the war in Gaza, and often, a staunchly pro-Palestinian perspective — and they are turning to alternative media for it. There’s a range of options: Jewish Currents , The Intercept, Mondoweiss and even independent Palestinian journalists on social media, as they seek information about what is happening in Gaza.

Their preferences embody a broader shift for members of Generation Z, who are increasingly seeking out news from a wider array of sources and questioning legacy outlets in a fragmented media ecosystem.

Israel’s recent ban on the local operations of Al Jazeera has only elevated the network’s status among many student protesters. They prize coverage from reporters on the ground, and Al Jazeera has a more extensive operation in Gaza than any other publication. Students also noted the sacrifices it has made to tell the story there. Two Al Jazeera journalists have died since the start of the war.

“Al Jazeera is sort of playing that role for a lot of younger Americans, in terms of getting a different perspective than they feel like they’re getting from U.S. media,” said Ben Toff, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Minnesota.

While many Western media outlets, with few if any journalists in Gaza before the war, have struggled to gain access to the territory, Al Jazeera has been recognized for its raw, searing portrayals of the death and destruction there. A typical report may show video of Israeli tanks rolling into cities, alongside drone shots of leveled buildings in Gaza City and Palestinians fleeing their homes.

“It’s news about the Middle East, and it doesn’t really convey it in a Western perspective , ” said Alina Atiq, a student at the University of South Florida who has pushed her university to divest from Israel.

The network, owned by Qatar, has its headquarters in Doha and operates two separate newsrooms that provide English- and Arabic-language content. Its mobile apps have been downloaded in the United States 295,000 times since October, an increase of more than 200 percent from the previous seven months, according to Appfigures, a market research firm.

Among the outlets frequently cited by protesters, Al Jazeera English is by far the most popular on social media. It has 1.9 million followers on TikTok — up from around 750,000 at the outset of the war — and 4.6 million on Instagram.

Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, described the network’s Arabic-language channel as more outwardly pro-Palestinian than the English one, which he said has a more subtle slant.

Critics say its coverage veers into support of the armed resistance to Israel. The Israeli government, which has accused Al Jazeera of acting as a “mouthpiece” for Hamas, last Sunday seized its broadcast equipment and shut down its operations in the country for at least 45 days.

Al Jazeera called the government’s accusation “baseless” in a statement, adding that it has broadcast every news conference held by the Israeli cabinet and representatives for the Israel Defense Forces, in addition to videos from Hamas.

It also said that its reporting “provides diverse viewpoints and narrative and counter narrative,” and that charges of pro-Palestinian bias should be “scrutinized through careful analysis of our journalistic standards and reporting practices.”

The Israeli government’s rejection of Al Jazeera appears to have bolstered the network’s reputation among some of the students.

“It goes to show the extent to which Israel is afraid of the coverage and reportage of Al Jazeera,” said Matthew Vickers, a junior at Occidental College in Los Angeles who has been active in efforts to persuade his school to divest from companies tied to Israel.

The protesters rattle off a list of mainstream American publications as having coverage they find objectionable, including CNN, The Atlantic, the BBC and The New York Times, among many others. Though major news outlets have reported extensively on Israel’s campaign in Gaza, the death toll and the damage, the coverage in the view of student protesters doesn’t assign enough blame to Israel for Palestinian deaths, or thoroughly fact-check Israeli officials. And they said protest coverage has focused too much on antisemitism on college campuses instead of Islamophobia.

“There’s a fair amount of misinformation that is being fed to us by mainstream media, and just a clear bias when it comes to the Palestine issue,” said Cameron Jones, a student at Columbia University and an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, a pro-Palestinian organization.

The activists’ interest in Al Jazeera stands in contrast with the outlet’s previous struggles to find an audience in the United States. The network started an American channel in 2013, but that folded in 2016 with nightly ratings that hovered around 30,000, far shy of viewership for cable networks like Fox News and CNN.

Part of what doomed the network back then was “a distinctly anti-American bent” to its coverage, Mr. Ibish wrote in a 2016 guest essay for The Times. But now, broadcast from a different country, the network’s tone is finding its audience on university campuses, he said.

“There’s a third-worldist, anti-imperial point of view, and that’s also the view that many college kids have adopted,” he said.

Jeremy W. Peters contributed reporting.

— Santul Nerkar

On a day with many calm ceremonies, Berkeley’s protests stand out.

At the University of California, Berkeley, hundreds of soon-to-be graduates rose from their seats in protest, chanting and disrupting their commencement. At Virginia Commonwealth University, about 60 graduates in caps and gowns walked out during Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s speech. At the University of Wisconsin, a handful of graduates stood with their backs to their chancellor as she spoke.

After weeks of tumult on college campuses over pro-Palestinian protests, many administrators prepared themselves for disruptions at graduations on Saturday. And while there were demonstrations — most noisily, perhaps, at U.C. Berkeley — ceremonies at several universities unfolded without major incident. Many students who protested did so silently.

Anticipating possible disruptions, university administrators had increased their security or taken various measures, including dismantling encampments, setting aside free speech zones, canceling student speeches and issuing admission tickets.

Some administrators also tried to reach agreements with encampment organizers. The University of Wisconsin said it had reached a deal with protesters to clear the encampment in return for a meeting to discuss the university’s investments.

Some students, too, were on edge about their big day — many missed their high school graduations four years ago because of the pandemic and did not want to repeat the experience.

In 2020, David Emuze and his mother had watched his high school graduation “ceremony,” a parade of senior photos set to music on Zoom, from their living room in Springfield, Ill. This time, he and his classmates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign heard that other schools, like the University of Southern California and Columbia University, had canceled their main-stage commencements altogether because of campus unrest.

But on Saturday morning, Mr. Emuze donned his electric-blue mortarboard and orange sash, and his mother watched live from the audience as he received his bachelor’s degree in public health. “It was a touching, peaceful, inspiring and motivational ceremony,” he said, with a note of relief in his voice.

He said the keynote speaker, Jeanne Gang, an architect and University of Illinois alumna, had hit just the right note. She acknowledged that “we all know about what’s going on in the world right now,” but said it was a time to come together and celebrate achievements.

At Berkeley, the home of the free-speech movement, the protesters made themselves heard. Greta Brown, 23, an environmental science graduate, wore cap, gown and a stole with the word “Palestine” emblazoned on it. She was among those who stood and chanted during the graduation speeches. “I felt like it was necessary,” she said, because the university had not done enough. “I just heard a lot of, like, ‘Oh, we hear you,’ and a centrist point of view.”

At the beginning of the ceremony, Chancellor Carol Christ was met with boos when she began to speak, but there were louder cheers when she mentioned the pro-Palestinian encampment nearby. “Students have been camping around Sproul Hall for almost three weeks,” Dr. Christ said. “They feel passionately about the brutality of the violence in Gaza.” She added, “I, too, am deeply troubled by the terrible tragedy.”

As the speeches continued, the disruptions escalated. Dozens of students in the crowd in the stands rose with signs reading “Divest,” and at least 10 Palestinian flags. They began to chant, and then interrupted the speech by the student body president, Sydney Roberts, who said, “This wouldn’t be Berkeley without a protest.”

Despite warnings from a school official, a group of students staked out a section of empty stadium seats behind the main stage, chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has got to go” and “UC divest” and attracting other students until the crowd swelled to about 500. Most of them slowly made their way to the exit as the graduation drew to a close.

Not all of the protests were centered on the Middle East. At Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond, Micah White, 26, was one of roughly 60 students who walked out while the governor was speaking.

“The first thing that motivated me is the hypocrisy of V.C.U. declaring themselves to be a minority-serving institution, declaring themselves to be for diversity, equity and inclusion, and bringing Youngkin in as commencement speaker,” he said.

The university’s board voted on Friday against requiring students to take racial literacy classes . Mr. Youngkin, a Republican, requested to review course materials for proposed racial literacy classes.

Mr. Youngkin also supported the dismantling of an encampment on campus late last month during which 13 people, including six students, were arrested. Sereen Haddad, 19, who studies psychology at V.C.U., said she was knocked to the ground during the clash between protesters and the police that day and that Mr. Youngkin had failed to acknowledge that the encampment was peaceful.

The ceremonies came after a week in which some colleges made arrests and cleared encampments of pro-Palestinian demonstrators. In recent days, authorities dismantled encampments at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Officers were also called in to empty an encampment at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, deploying “chemical munitions” in the process, hours before its graduation ceremony on Friday evening.

Anger over the clearing of an encampment lingered for some at the University of North Carolina commencement on Saturday night. Many students jeered their interim chancellor, Lee Roberts, who last month ordered that an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters be removed. Still, when two students waved Palestinian flags and walked on the field in the middle of Mr. Roberts’s speech before security escorted them out, the majority of the stadium booed them and chanted, “USA! USA!”

Cynthia Howle and Eduardo Medina contributed reporting.

An earlier version of this article misstated the given name of a female student at Virginia Commonwealth University and misidentified her gender. She is Sereen Haddad, not Sareen.

An earlier version of this article misstated the title of the person who warned a group of students against disrupting the ceremony. It was a school official but not a vice provost.

How we handle corrections

— Shaila Dewan ,  Holly Secon ,  Leah Small and Robert Chiarito

Arizona State bans a scholar from campus after a confrontation at a protest.

Arizona State University has banned a postdoctoral research scholar and faculty member from campus as it investigates a video that went viral depicting him confronting a woman in a hijab, the school said this week.

In the video from May 5, the scholar, Jonathan Yudelman, along with another unidentified man, can be seen cursing and getting in a woman’s face at a pro-Israel rally near the school’s Tempe campus .

It was unclear what occurred before the video, but at one point in the video Mr. Yudelman can be seen repeatedly advancing toward the woman who is wearing a hijab, and telling her — “I’m literally in your face, that’s right” — as she backs away from him.

The woman responds and tells him that he is disrespecting her religious boundaries to which Mr. Yudelman responds, “You disrespect my sense of humanity,” followed by a profanity.

Mr. Yudelman, who was a postdoctoral fellow at the university’s School of Civics, Ethics and Leadership , had earlier resigned from the position, effective June 30, according to a statement the school released on Wednesday. But the school said he was placed on leave on May 6, adding that he was no longer permitted to come to campus, teach classes or interact with students or employees.

“Arizona State University protects freedom of speech and expression but does not tolerate threatening or violent behavior. While peaceful protest is welcome, all incidents of violent or threatening behavior will be addressed,” the statement added.

Mr. Yudelman was interviewed on May 5 at the pro-Israel rally by Phoenix television station KPNX . In the clip , he stated that campuses across the country were being “taken over by supporters of terrorism,” and stated that Jewish students were being intimidated. “It was important to come out, show the broader community that there are people who stand against this,” he said.

Mr. Yudelman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

— Anna Betts

Pennsylvania’s governor leans into the campus fight over antisemitism.

A few hours after Columbia University canceled its main commencement ceremony following weeks of pro-Palestinian student protests, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania was in his office in Harrisburg, taking stock of the ways he sees universities letting students down.

“Our colleges, in many cases, are failing young people,” he said in an interview this week. “Failing to teach information that is necessary to form thoughtful perspectives. They are willing to let certain forms of hate pass by and condemn others more strongly.”

Mr. Shapiro — the leader of a pre-eminent battleground state, a rising Democrat and a proudly observant Jew — has also emerged as one of his party’s most visible figures denouncing the rise in documented antisemitism after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

And at a moment of growing Democratic anger and unease over how Israel is conducting its devastating military response, Mr. Shapiro, 50 — who has no obligation to talk about foreign policy — has not shied away from expressing support for the country while criticizing its right-wing government.

Plunging into a subject that has inflamed and divided many Americans carries risk for an ambitious Democrat from a politically important state. The politics around both the Gaza war and the protest movement are exceptionally fraught within the Democratic Party , and many of its voters and elected officials have become increasingly critical of Israel.

But Mr. Shapiro has been direct.

Asked if he considered himself a Zionist, he said that he did. When Iran attacked Israel last month, he wrote on social media that Pennsylvania “stands with Israel.”

When the University of Pennsylvania’s president struggled before Congress to directly answer whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated the school’s rules, Mr. Shapiro said she had failed to show “moral clarity.” ( She later resigned .) When opponents of the Gaza war picketed an Israeli-style restaurant in Philadelphia known for its falafel and tahini shakes, Mr. Shapiro called the demonstration antisemitic and showed up for lunch.

And as university officials have struggled to define where free speech ends and hate speech begins, a tension upending the final weeks of the school year, Mr. Shapiro has issued stern warnings about their responsibility to protect students from discrimination. The issue hits close to home: On Friday, police cleared an encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators off the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Shapiro had said it was “ past time ” for Penn to do so.

‘It should not be hard’

In the interview, Mr. Shapiro stressed that he did not believe all encampments or demonstrators were antisemitic — not “by any stretch.” But he suggested that on some campuses, antisemitic speech was treated differently than other kinds of hate speech.

“If you had a group of white supremacists camped out and yelling racial slurs every day, that would be met with a different response than antisemites camped out, yelling antisemitic tropes,” he said.

Law enforcement officials and advocacy groups have tracked a rise in antisemitic, anti-Muslim and anti-Arab acts in recent months.

Speaking after an appearance at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony on Monday, Mr. Shapiro emphasized that “we should be universal in our condemnation of antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of hate.”

While there is room for “nuance” in foreign policy discussions, he said, “it should not be hard for anyone on the political left or right to call out antisemitism.”

In a new survey , Mr. Shapiro, a former state attorney general, had a job approval rating of 64 percent, with just 19 percent of Pennsylvanians saying they disapproved.

He has long emphasized bipartisanship and prioritized nonideological issues like rapidly reopening a stretch of Interstate 95 after a collapse. And his own religious observance has helped him connect with people of other faiths in a state where Jews are estimated to make up about 3 percent of the electorate.

“I make it home Friday night for Sabbath dinner because family and faith ground me,” he said in a campaign ad.

Many Jews in Pennsylvania hope that he will become the first Jewish president. On that subject, he deflects as skillfully as any potential White House aspirant: He laughs or insists that he loves and is focused on his current job.

“I am very humbled that people have taken note of our work,” he said. “I sort of dismiss those comments because they’re not helpful to the work I’m trying to do every day as governor, the voice I’m trying to have both here in the commonwealth and across the country to root out hate and to speak with moral clarity.”

He added, “It’s certainly not helpful when it comes to our top political priority, which is to re-elect President Biden.”

‘Josh is front and center’

The Mideast war, which has killed more than 34,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, has fueled a broad and significant protest movement.

But on college campuses, there are sharp debates over when demonstrations against Israel and its treatment of Palestinians veer into antisemitic targeting of Jewish students and institutions.

To Mr. Shapiro, the distinction is clear: Criticism of Israeli policies is fair game. “Affixing to every Jew the policies of Israel,” he said, is not.

Mr. Shapiro said he felt a “unique responsibility” to speak out both because he leads a state founded on a vision of religious tolerance , and because he is a “proud American Jew.”

Indeed, his Jewish identity is intertwined with his public persona to a degree rarely seen in American politicians.

He is a Jewish day school alumnus who has featured challah in his campaign advertising and alludes to a collection of Jewish ethics in his speeches. In recent weeks, he offered an under-the-weather 76ers player matzo ball soup and celebrated the end of Passover with Martin’s Potato Rolls, a Pennsylvania delicacy.

“It’s not an easy time to be Jewish, and to be a Jewish politician,” said Sharon Levin, a former teacher of Mr. Shapiro’s. “Josh is front and center.”

Mr. Shapiro has also spent significant time in Israel, proposing to his wife in Jerusalem . Asked if, like Mr. Biden , he considers himself a Zionist, he confirmed that he did.

“I am pro-Israel,” he said. “I am pro-the idea of a Jewish homeland, a Jewish state, and I will certainly do everything in my power to ensure that Israel is strong and Israel is fortified and will exist for generations.”

He also supports a two-state solution , is a longtime critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said he mourned “the loss of life in Gaza.”

That approach is common among elected Democrats. But it is clearly at odds with the campus protests, which are often explicitly anti-Zionist.

The issue is virtually certain to divide Democrats on future presidential debate stages.

For now, Mr. Shapiro has not drawn the kind of backlash from the left that some other Israel supporters have, in part because he is not voting on foreign policy. And while another Pennsylvania Democrat, Senator John Fetterman, has sometimes engaged provocatively with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Mr. Shapiro has a more measured, lawyerly style.

“It’s critically important that we remove hate from the conversation and allow people to freely express their ideas, whether I agree with their ideas or not,” he said.

Tensions over Israel

Some Muslim leaders say Mr. Shapiro has not found the right balance in his post-Oct. 7 comments.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Philadelphia said in a statement that two of its board members had skipped an iftar dinner he hosted, arguing that he had “created much harm and hurt among Muslim, Arab and pro-Palestinian Pennsylvanians.”

“The governor, like the White House, is not fully able to see the deep level of resentment that exists about his stances,” Ahmet Tekelioglu, the executive director of that chapter, said in an interview. (In a statement on Friday, he also criticized Mr. Shapiro’s call to disband the Penn encampment.) “The governor has lost the trust of many in the Muslim-American community in Pennsylvania that had long considered him a friend.”

Mr. Shapiro, whose team has clashed with CAIR before, replied, “I’m not going to let one press release from one group that has its own agenda take away from the close, strong relationship I have with the Muslim community.”

“We have tried to create, at the residence and across Pennsylvania, a place where all faiths feel welcomed,” he said.

State Representative Tarik Khan, a Philadelphia-area Democrat who is Muslim, did attend the iftar. It included time for prayer and a “legit dinner,” he said, rather than “hors d’oeuvres and get the hell out.”

“At a time when there’s a lot of trauma, sometimes the easy thing is to do nothing,” Mr. Khan said. “If he didn’t care about our community, he wouldn’t have spent that time.”

Growing expectations

Mr. Shapiro faces different pressures from the Jewish community.

In the Philadelphia area, many know him or his family personally — or feel as if they do — and in some cases expect him to speak out frequently in support of Israel. But, said Jonathan Scott Goldman, the chair of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, his job is to lead the whole state.

“Jewish people want to and do claim Josh as their own,” Mr. Goldman said. “He knows he’s not just a Jewish governor. He’s a governor, and he’s the governor of all Pennsylvanians.”

In the interview, Mr. Shapiro reiterated that he was focused on that job.

But asked if — broadly speaking — he believed the country could elect a Jewish president in his lifetime, he replied, “Speaking broadly, absolutely.”

“It doesn’t mean that our nation is free of bias,” he said. “If you’re asking me, can the country rise above that, and elect someone that might look different than them or worship different than them? The answer is yes.”

— Katie Glueck Reporting from Pennsylvania’s State Capitol building in Harrisburg, Pa.

Here’s why antiwar protests haven’t flared up at Black colleges like Morehouse.

As President Biden prepares to give graduation remarks this month at Morehouse College in Atlanta, a prestigious historically Black institution, the White House is signaling anxiety about the potential for protests over the war in Gaza.

During a recent visit to Atlanta, Vice President Kamala Harris stopped to ask the Morehouse student government president about the sentiment on campus about the conflict, how students felt about Mr. Biden’s visit and what the graduating class would like to hear from him on May 19.

Then, on Friday, the White House dispatched the leader of its public engagement office and one of its most senior Black officials, Stephen K. Benjamin, to the Morehouse campus for meetings to take the temperature of students, faculty members and administrators.

The reasons for concern are clear: Nationwide demonstrations over the war and Mr. Biden’s approach to it have inflamed more than 60 colleges and universities , stoked tensions within the Democratic Party and created new headaches for his re-election bid.

Yet Mr. Biden appears to be entering a different type of scene at Morehouse.

While anger over the war remains palpable at Morehouse and other historically Black colleges and universities, these campuses have been largely free of turmoil, and tensions are far less evident: no encampments, few loud protests and little sign of Palestinian flags flying from dorm windows.

The reasons stem from political, cultural and socioeconomic differences with other institutions of higher learning. While H.B.C.U.s host a range of political views, domestic concerns tend to outweigh foreign policy in the minds of most students. Many started lower on the economic ladder and are more intently focused on their education and their job prospects after graduation.

At Morehouse — which has a legacy of civil rights protests and is the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s alma mater — discontent over the Gaza war has played out in classrooms and auditoriums rather than on campus lawns.

“This should not be a place that cancels people regardless of if we agree with them,” David Thomas, the Morehouse president, said in an interview on Thursday. Of Mr. Biden’s visit, he said, “Whether people support the decision or not, they are committed to having it happen on our campus in a way that doesn’t undermine the integrity or dignity of the school.”

Some students have held contentious meetings with university leaders and urged them to rescind Mr. Biden’s invitation, and a small group of faculty members has vowed not to attend commencement. Some alumni wrote a letter expressing worries that student protesters could be punished, noting Morehouse’s history of “celebrating student activists long after they have graduated.”

But the college might appear politically safer for the president to visit than many others. Morehouse is a custom-bound place where undergraduates traditionally do not step on the grass in the heart of campus until they receive their degrees. Alumni view commencement as a distinguished event not only for students but also for scores of family and community members — making it a less likely venue for a major disruption.

Mr. Biden chose to speak at Morehouse after the White House had received invitations from an array of colleges. It will be the third time in four years he has addressed graduates of a historically Black institution; he has also spoken at commencement for one military academy each year.

Among those lobbying Mr. Biden to come to Morehouse was Cedric Richmond, a member of the college’s class of 1995, who ran Mr. Biden’s public engagement office and is now a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee .

Mr. Richmond, who has a nephew at Morehouse, predicted Mr. Biden would speak about the high expectations of the college’s alumni, promote his record of reducing Black unemployment and narrowing the racial wealth gap, and deliver familiar exhortations about perseverance.

Mr. Richmond does not think Mr. Biden will face protests.

“The Morehouse College graduation, at least as I remember it, is a very solemn event,” he said. “You have almost 500 African American males walking across that stage, whose parents and grandparents sacrificed and those students worked their butts off to, one, get into Morehouse, and two, to graduate. That’s a very significant day. And I’m just not sure whether students or protesters are going to interfere with that solemn moment.”

Vice President Harris, who graduated from Howard University, another historically Black institution, is engaged in her own virtual tour of such colleges. A congratulatory video she recorded will be played for graduates at 44 H.B.C.U.s; she is often introduced as a surprise guest and greeted with cheers.

In Atlanta last month, Ms. Harris asked the Morehouse student government president, Mekhi Perrin, what approach Mr. Biden should take in his address.

“I think really she was just trying to gain an idea of what exactly students’ issues were with his coming, if any at all,” Mr. Perrin said. “And what would kind of shift that narrative.”

Mr. Biden has been trailed by Gaza protesters for months. The last time he spoke at a four-year college campus was in January, when demonstrators interrupted him at least 10 times during a rally at George Mason University in Virginia.

Morehouse’s traditions are strong. Dr. King said it was a place where he had advanced his understanding of nonviolent protest and moral leadership — which current Morehouse students say they take seriously.

“I feel like the protests do need to come out, because if you don’t see students advocating for what they believe in, then the change that they’re advocating for will never come about,” said Benjamin Bayliss, a Morehouse junior. Looking toward the statue of Dr. King in front of the chapel named for the civil rights leader, he added, “You really feel the weight of what King did and the fire of the torch that he lit that we have to carry on.”

Yet even as some students feel compelled to protest, outside factors can shape their decisions. Roughly 75 percent of students at H.B.C.U.s, including 50 percent of Morehouse students, are eligible for the Pell Grant , a federal aid program for low-income students. More than 80 percent of Morehouse students receive some form of financial aid. In the Class of 2024, nearly a third of graduates will be the first in their family to receive a bachelor’s degree.

Some students at Black colleges also may decide against protesting because of family pressure , which amplifies the importance of securing their degrees.

“Your student body at Columbia is very different than the student body at, say, Dillard,” said Walter Kimbrough, who spent a decade as president of Dillard University, a historically Black institution in New Orleans. “It doesn’t mean that people aren’t concerned. But they understand that they have some different kinds of stakes.”

The stakes are also high for Mr. Biden, whose standing with Black voters has softened ahead of November’s presidential election. Young people are less enthusiastic about voting at all — partly because of Mr. Biden’s handling of the Gaza war, but also because they are unhappy with the choice between him and former President Donald J. Trump.

“I think it’s really just picking the lesser of two evils,” said Freddrell Rhea Green II, a Morehouse freshman. “Anything better than Donald Trump, a madman, a quote unquote tyrant, is better for me.”

“Joe Biden is probably a very nice person,” said Samuel Livingston, an associate professor of Africana studies at Morehouse. “But niceness is not the level of leadership that we need. We need ethical leadership. And continuing to support the aiding, abetting and the stripping of Palestinian land, from Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, is not ethical.”

Some students, like Auzzy Byrdsell, a senior studying kinesiology and journalism, support their classmates’ protests but fear a possible response from the police to a crowd of largely Black young men.

“Do we get tear-gassed?” said Mr. Byrdsell, the editor in chief of The Maroon Tiger, the school’s student newspaper. “Do we get arrested? That would not be the greatest look for a Morehouse College graduation.”

Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, a 1991 Morehouse alumnus, said that he hoped Mr. Biden would highlight his record and his agenda — but that there was little the president could say about the Gaza conflict to assuage his critics on campus.

“While what he says is important,” Mr. Warnock said, trying to put himself in the shoes of student protesters, “I think much more important is what he does in the future.”

Kitty Bennett contributed research.

— Maya King and Reid J. Epstein Maya King reported from Atlanta, and Reid J. Epstein from Washington.