A New Hip Hop Studies Class to Start at Virginia Tech in Spring 2025

By Ben Janusz and Jackie Mitchell

Arthur Craig, the co-founder of Virginia Tech Digging in the Crates (VTDITC) worked with other faculty members to create an intro level class at Virginia Tech, Introduction to Hip Hop Studies, for the Spring 2025 semester. Arthur also won a The Virginia Library Association’s “Academic Innovator Award.”

VTDITC has been around since 2016 and over the last few years, moved into a new room that members worked to form into their own studio. The program works to bring lovers of not just hip-hop, but all music together to collaborate and grow as creatives.

Post-Election Mental Health Effects of Female Students, Minorities and Gen Z

Story by: Nicole Cummings and Caroline Reed

The NRV Newsfeed Podcast hosts an episode discussing post-election mental health effects on female students, female-identifying people, and minority groups; in light of the Presidential Administration’s promises. Interviewed by Nicole Cummings and Caroline Reed, Dr. Bonnie Zare, of Virginia Tech’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department. Dr. Zare sheds some light on the election results from an analytical perspective.

Post-election economics

Produced for The News Feed Podcast by: Ainsley Cragin and Kennedy Gooden

Economics expert Jadrian Wooten discusses upcoming changes for consumers following the 2024 presidential election. As grocery prices increase and Generation Z’s earning power comes into question, he says to turn to experts – not influencers – for insight.

Inside the MAGA Economy

Offering a unique perspective on politics, we interviewed Jo Anne Price, the owner of the Christiansburg Trump store. A long-time supporter of Donald Trump and an active member of the Republican Party, Price decided to open a business that would serve as a hub for like-minded community members to gather and express their political ideas. She shares her motivation behind opening the store and her beliefs about President-elect Donald Trump.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview was conducted the day after Election Day.

Virginia Tech expert talks new healthy eating as we age curriculum

The Virginia Tech Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise reports a significant increase in the number of people 65 years and older in the United States in recent years. As this generation ages, they face more barriers that make it difficult to have access to healthy food. Elena Serrano, Ph.D., has helped develop a program to combat this issue and sits down with Lindsey Cook and Alice Buckley to discuss how.

Virginia Tech professor discusses carbon project

Carbon dioxide emissions are a leading cause of global warming. Most solutions focus on reducing the use of fossil fuels. Dr. Ryan Pollyea, an associate professor in the Department of Geosciences, is pioneering research for a potential solution called carbon sequestration. This process captures carbon dioxide at the source and puts it underground.