Universities were not always what they are today. Historically, Western universities were shaped by a classical and Christian understanding of education: that the purpose of learning was not merely to acquire technical skills, but to form the whole person.This meant strengthening students intellectually, morally, and spiritually. Students were taught to seek truth, cultivate virtue, and prepare themselves for lives of meaningful service to God and society.
Education was character formation. Wisdom mattered as much as knowledge. Piety, discipline, humility, and moral responsibility were not seen as obstacles to learning, but as its foundation. In fact, medieval universities were primarily hubs of theological and philosophical thought.
Over time, however, many universities have drifted from this mission and have turned into two things. First, almost all universities, perhaps with only one or two exceptions in the United States, have been overtaken by liberal ideology and have slowly morphed into progressive echo chambers. Second, schools now prioritize technological output and efficiency, valuable in themselves, over the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful.
This shift has not remained confined to classrooms and the odd Marxist professor. It has reshaped campus policies, student life, administrative priorities, and even the language students are expected to use. Moral questions that were once openly debated are now treated as settled, and traditional beliefs are often portrayed as outdated, intolerant, or harmful. In many cases, students who hold Christian or conservative convictions feel pressure to remain silent rather than risk social or institutional backlash.
Virginia Tech is not immune to these broader cultural trends. While we are grateful for many dedicated professors and hardworking students, it would be dishonest to pretend that the campus climate is truly neutral when it comes to politics, religion, and social values. Progressive ideology has become deeply embedded in university life, shaping what is celebrated, what is criticized, and what is ignored.
A prime example of this problem can be found in comments made by Professor Nick Copeland, a history professor at Virginia Tech. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, many conservatives held a vigil in his honor. Concerning the vigil, Copeland wrote on a social media post, “I considered it my civic duty to let everyone know that a vigil for Kirk is the ideological equivalent of a Klan rally.”
A Virginia Tech professor publicly labeling hundreds of students as ideological Klansmen received no coverage from the Collegiate Times and no public condemnation from the university. That silence leaves only two possible interpretations:
A) These institutions agree with Nick Copeland’s characterization and are comfortable with Klan-like activity on campus, or
B) They know the accusation is baseless yet are willing to tolerate a professor branding his own students with one of the most dangerous and inflammatory labels imaginable.
Hokie Stone Press rejects both of these unacceptable paths. We will continue to call out conduct that endangers students and undermines the integrity of our campus community.
Our mission is threefold.
First, we seek to promote piety and virtue at Virginia Tech. Not by coercion or condemnation, but by affirming that faith, moral discipline, and personal responsibility are not weaknesses, but strengths. A flourishing campus culture depends on students who strive for integrity, humility, courage, and service to others.
Second, we aim to provide conservative commentary on campus and local events. Too often, news is filtered through a single ideological lens. Hokie Stone Press will offer an alternative.
It is important to note that conservatism is a broad tradition, often discussed without a shared definition. At Hokie Stone Press, we recognize this diversity and intend to represent a wide range of perspectives on the Right, including libertarians, neoconservatives, paleoconservatives, the populist right, and yes, even the emerging post-liberal wave that has gained traction among many in Generation Z.
Hokie Stone Press is a wide tent, committed to highlighting the many strands of conservatism that too often go unheard at Virginia Tech.
Third, we seek to defend free inquiry and civil discourse. Universities should be places where ideas are tested, not silenced. We welcome disagreement and discussion, and we believe that truth is not threatened by honest debate. Our goal is not to inflame division, but to restore balance to conversations that have become one-sided.
We invite all students — regardless of background — to read, question, challenge, and engage with us. We believe that faith, reason, and tradition still have a rightful place at Virginia Tech, and we intend to make that case with our work.
That is our mission.
Parker Goodrich is the founder and editor-in-chief of Hokie Stone Press and a senior studying National Security and Foreign Affairs with a minor in Chinese Studies. Outside the classroom, he enjoys soccer, theology, and disc golf.