Virginia Tech has announced a $35 million gift from alumnus Norris Mitchell (’58) and his wife, Wendy, in support of the College of Engineering.

The largest gift ever from a Virginia Tech alumnus will be used to construct a showcase building to replace the more-than-sixty-year-old Randolph Hall and provide support for activities and programming. Once complete, the Wendy and Norris E. Mitchell ’58 Hall will include 284,000 square feet of classrooms, instructional labs, space for student team projects, research labs, and office space for faculty, staff, and students. Space also is earmarked for student advising and a variety of collaborative uses by students and faculty. Randolph Hall is connected to one of the largest university-owned stability wind tunnels in the United States, and plans call for Mitchell Hall to accommodate the wind tunnel and potentially enclose it.

“My mother was a school teacher and principal, and the value of education has been clear to me ever since I was a boy,” said Mitchell. “Virginia Tech equipped me with the knowledge and skill set to have an extremely fulfilling career across several industries. I appreciate the university’s key role in my life. Wendy and I are happy to be able to make this gift to help Virginia Tech prepare tomorrow’s engineers.”

(Photo credit: Gettyimages / Hokie1525)