Supporting Virginia Tech Priorities
The Moss Arts Center’s strategic plan has been developed in alignment with Virginia Tech’s priorities. The center is committed to supporting university-level initiatives through its work on the stage, in the galleries, in classrooms and other campus spaces, and in communities throughout Southwest Virginia.
At the beginning of 2023, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands established two aspirations for the university: becoming a top 100 global research university and making Virginia Tech accessible and affordable for students.
Virginia Tech Advantage
Virginia Tech Advantage is a university-wide, multi-year commitment to offer a broad educational experience to undergraduate students from Virginia who have financial need. The initiative is composed of four support strategies: providing a significant amount of new scholarship money and financial aid to reduce unmet financial need and increased support for students’ basic needs, career preparation, and transformational learning experiences such as study abroad and internships.
Moss Student Employees
Through our many available student employment positions, the Moss provides the opportunities students need to thrive in their future careers and supports those who have very real financial needs today.
Coming from a wide range of academic disciplines, Moss student workers support our essential functions, working backstage on the production crew, assisting patrons with ticket purchases in the box office, and serving as ushers in the theatre and attendants in the visual arts galleries. Providing assistance with tuition fees and living expenses, these jobs are the reason college is even a viable option for many students. Part-time work offers practical experience and helps develop valuable skills such as communication and teamwork, while preparing student employees for the demands of post-college life and providing networking opportunities that can lead to future career opportunities. At the Moss Arts Center, student work sometimes sparks a life’s passion.
Opportunities in Action
Rhea Perdue, Moss student employee
"Working here [at Moss], I've had to talk to people and then realzied that I love talking to people. What surprises me is that I love to be able to talk to people as they come in for shows and hear their stories and what shows they’ve seen, where they travel, all of that. That's such a fun aspect of the job that I did not expect."
World-Class Arts Experiences for Virginia Tech Students
At the Moss Arts Center, we’re committed to providing access to world-class arts experiences to all Virginia Tech students, enriching the campus experience for the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and creators.
The Moss Arts Center brings artists from around the world to campus, with performances, exhibitions, and experiences designed to enhance the Virginia Tech experience. Student tickets for Moss Arts Center performances are only $10, and free, last-minute rush tickets are available for Virginia Tech students who sign up for text notifications by texting "arts" to 833-966-1838. The center’s visual arts galleries — which host a variety of exhibitions throughout the year, featuring works from international, national, regional, and student artists — are always free and open to the public.
The center offers special opportunities for Virginia Tech students to engage with professional artists and explore the creative process, including workshops and master classes, lectures and Q&As, gallery tours and artist talks, hands-on experiences, community celebrations, and much more.
Global Distinction
Virginia Tech Global Distinction reflects a commitment to institutional excellence across research, teaching, and engagement that makes the university a destination for the best faculty, students, and partners from the commonwealth, the nation, and the world. Global Distinction will result from elevating the quality, quantity, and prominence of our scholarship, research, creativity, and impact.
Enhancing Virginia Tech's Global Reputation
The Moss Arts Center plays a significant role in helping Virginia Tech maintain its status as a comprehensive university, inspiring global perspectives, creativity, and critical thinking through its offering of diverse and dynamic artistic experiences.
As one of this country’s leading campus-based arts institutions, the center is part of the Major University Presenters (MUPs), a group of university-affiliated performing arts centers and programs that support and advance the work of arts presenters at major research universities across the country. Commitment to students, learning, research, and community are hallmarks of MUP members’ programs, just as they are at the Moss, and collective efforts of the consortium have had a tremendous impact on the professional performing arts field in general and have redefined the role of arts centers on university campuses.
The center supports the creation of new work by both established and emerging artists through commissioning — advancing resources to develop a work of art. The center actively commissions one or more new performances and visual art works each season.
The Moss is more than just a venue — it’s a hub for creativity, learning, and collaboration that strengthens Virginia Tech’s comprehensive university mission by making the arts a core part of education, research, and outreach.