Engaged Students

VI attracts students with a wide range of talents, interests and backgrounds and encourages applicants who are eager to learn. With small classes and a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1, the College fosters a climate for open exchange of ideas and encourages students to think critically and communicate effectively. The themes of passion, leadership and learning are the foundation of the College's mission.

VI's Honors Program offers an extra challenge through an interdisciplinary approach in core classes and co-curricular activities. Honors classes go beyond the normal boundaries of a subject to promote lively discussion among exceptional students and professors. These seminar-oriented courses include a variety of themes designed to examine the interconnectedness of cultures, markets, economies and religions.

Professors in nearly every academic discipline lead study trips, workshops or stimulating projects to enhance classroom learning. VI's renowned equine studies program offers opportunities for faculty-guided scientific research - ongoing projects each semester that are rare at a small undergraduate institution.  Photography and digital imaging majors travel to capture coastal and western landscapes, while student-actors hone technique at the Lincoln Center in Washington, D.C. Literature and creative writing majors learn from practicing published poets, while aspiring artists study exhibitions at major metropolitan museums. The Worrell Honors Program for Studies Abroad offers a program available to students in all disciplines, centered in Munich, Germany, that focuses on German politics and culture.

VI's community affiliations provide countless opportunities for students to gain practical experience through professional internships or undergraduate research projects guided by faculty mentors. Whether a photography student on assignment at local events, a political science or history major interning in government, or a biology major concentrating in pre-vet studies, opportunities abound to augment career or graduate school preparation.

Both on and off campus, VI students reach beyond the classroom to become involved in activities that hone special talents and broaden the learning experience. For example, VI students took the initiative to compete in the 2011 statewide PSA challenge issued by the Governor of Virginia, and the campus-produced video qualified VI as a finalist in the competition.

The nearby Blue Ridge Mountains offer endless outdoor recreation and events, and VI students experience the distinct culture of the Southern mountains and the many treasures of southwest Virginia, including the region's musical heritage.

Great Teaching

In addition to traditional academic majors, Virginia Intermont offers a nationally recognized equine studies program, attracting students from around the U.S and internationally. As one of the first colleges to offer a high-caliber equine program, VI offers the option to combine the equine studies major or minor with business, biology, pre-vet or other fields of study. Unique opportunities in faculty-led research and hands-on horseshow management continue to give VI's equine program a leg up. The riding program draws students of all levels of ability and is frequently in the spotlight with VI equestrian teams winning 15 national collegiate championships since 2001.

VI is equally well-known for its distinctive photography and digital imaging program and outstanding faculty who through professional contacts create extraordinary learning and experiential opportunities for students. VI photography graduates include a 2001 alumnna who won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature and Photography in 2008.

VI's many distinctive academic programs include the humanities, literature and creative writing, technical theatre, fine arts and the sciences, with a newly renovated classroom building and state-of-the-art labs.  Additionally, the College offers innovative curricular programs. For example, the following two distinctive fields of study offer exciting new options for students and hands-on experience through coordinated training and internships:

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy - Often combined with a major in social work or equine studies, VI's new minor in "Equine Assisted Growth and Learning" helps prepare students for certification in the growing practice of equine assisted psychotherapy. The treatment approach, which involves on-the-ground contact with horses, is applicable for a range of mental health issues and is used as part of rehabilitation by counselors in mental health, victims' assistance, youth and veterans services. Using horses' response to human interaction, VI faculty lead students in experiential learning with activities related to conflict resolution, decision-making, communication, assertiveness and self-esteem. Certified by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), a national professional organization, VI has the distinction of being one of only two colleges in the nation to earn the EAGALA endorsement.

Cultural Heritage Studies and Public Arts - VI spotlights a global interest in cultural heritage and hones in on the culturally rich Southwest Virginia region with new courses in cultural heritage studies and public arts. Through elective coursework or while pursuing a minor, students are introduced to the study of cultural programs at heritage sites, museums, festivals and music venues. VI's cultural studies program helps students gain an understanding of public sector arts with regard to economic and social importance, funding initiatives and administration, while incorporating practical experience. Students train in collection and documentation practices, interview techniques, audio-visual collection, archival and digital storage, and event exhibits. The cultural studies internship presents opportunities for hands-on learning at organizations such as the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, Heartwood: Southwest Virginia Artisan Gateway, the William King Regional Arts Center, Blue Ridge Folklife Center, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Vibrant Community

Both on campus and throughout the Tri-cities region, VI students are involved in a variety of activities that balance the academic experience. In addition to intercollegiate sports events, campus life offers student organizations, concerts, art exhibitions and lectures.  Students are closely connected to the community through internships and outreach projects.

Art and photography students participate in downtown Bristol’s Art D’Vine Gallery Hop, a community event that offers the public a glimpse into what is being taught and produced by students at the College.  The bi-annual event features the artwork of professional artists from several galleries along with VI students’ creative works.  The event includes live drawing and painting demonstrations, a digital photography exhibit, display of unique sculptures, a print sale, hors d’oeuvres and wine tasting (over age 21).

Each semester Virginia Intermont’s Convocation Series brings the world to campus with international artists, unique musical performers and engaging speakers. Presenters have included human rights activist Naomi Tutu, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist/VI alumna Preston Gannaway, military historian and author Oliver North, and forensic anthropologist Bill Bass, founder of The University of Tennessee’s Body Farm. VI partners with the Bristol Public library to attract prominent speakers on campus and with regional colleges to offer events such as “Arts Array,” a film series of documentaries, foreign films and independent American movies that is free to students, faculty and staff.

Inspired workshops in the arts attract students from many disciplines and often are open to the larger community.  VI alum Jeffrey Allison, a leading art educator and award-winning photographer based in Richmond, Va., recently presented a campus workshop titled, “From Renoir to the Digital Age: Conveying Passion In Portraiture.” Allison enlightened participants as they delved into the work of Renoir and discussed techniques relative to contemporary portraiture photography, lighting for photography, and painting from a live model.

Outstanding for a small undergraduate college, VI offers research opportunities in equine studies which involve students with area veterinarians and other educational institutions in collaborative research projects.  Since implementing the research program in 2000, VI’s equine department has involved more than 180 students assisting with laboratory or field research during the academic year and summers, many who have contributed to published works.

Major entertainment events throughout the region provide opportunities for students to gain practical experience by participating or providing event support. VI students have served as writers and photographers at Bristol’s popular Rhythm and Roots Reunion and the Bristol Motor Speedway races; theatre students have assisted at the renowned Barter Theatre in Abingdon. Local events and sports venues provide countless opportunities for student clubs to bring the larger community to campus by embracing outreach projects and fundraising opportunities that contribute to the learning experience.

Successful Outcomes

VI promotes broad-based learning and educational opportunities that not only enhance preparation for graduate studies and professional careers but contribute to comprehensive knowledge relevant to the individual interests of each student.

First and second year students take part in an academically rigorous and engaging Comprehensive Studies program, a concept that provides a deliberate way of using liberal arts to synthesize ideas and to integrate the core curriculum with students’ specialized studies. In comprehensive studies, students learn to apply multiple methods of inquiry in exploration and problem solving while encountering discourses related to economics, psychology, literature, art, politics, philosophy, religion and performing arts. The capstone course engages students in a guided research and writing experience that enhances learning in their chosen field.

According to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) statistics, VI has advanced in several categories since 2006.  The College showed an increase in Level of Academic Challenge, Student-Faculty Interaction, and Supportive Campus Environment.  Demonstrating success in initiatives that bring more exposure for students through special programming, VI also improved and showed significantly higher scores than the Southeast Private and NSSE 2011 comparison groups.

With VI’s small class size, individual attention to students, and extracurricular programs, hands-on learning is a hallmark of the VI education.  Experiential learning and networking opportunities have contributed to VI graduates’ successful careers as entrepreneurs, teachers, business professionals, and social workers. The College names many graduates who have achieved prominence in their field – from Pulitzer Prize winner to award-winning publishers of best-selling novels and commissioned artists with worldwide exhibitions.  

VI’s pre-law, pre-med and pre-vet programs and excellent biology program prepare students for graduate and doctoral programs and a variety of health-related professions. Biology and equine studies students become veterinarians, researchers, trainers and barn managers. Of the 39 equine studies graduates of the last two years, seven have entered Veterinary Medicine or Master’s programs and 23 are currently working in the horse industry across the U.S.  

Other VI alumni are leaders in their communities, public service, education and business. The College has recently spotlighted alumni including a high school principal, city school system director, professor and creative writing program director at a state university, executive director and board director of Girls Inc., executive officer of the National Nuclear Security Administration, artistic director of a major city dance company, trustee and state performance arts director, and founder of a management and technology consultancy.  

At VI, learning and leadership opportunities extend from classroom to community, providing an enriched, comprehensive educational experience.  Dedicated faculty and College administrators believe that the possibilities are endless when students are given the tools to develop their talent, find their voice and turn their passion into a profession.