Momentum - The Magazine for Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Vol. 4 No. 4 Winter 2019 | Page 25

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wasn’t able to go back home for New Year’s
with my family, which is a tradition we usu-
ally celebrate together. The Tarazagas invited
me here. Another day over winter break, I had
dinner with them. They bring the home into
the dorm for us.”
Pugh said having kids and a dog around has
also been a highlight.
“When I’m with them, I’m not a student
anymore. I’m part of the family. I forget my
tests and papers. This is my time to de-stress,”
he said. “When you’re able to sit down and
just color with them, it takes your mind off
of being a student. You can enjoy just being a
friend with these kids.”
Enriching faculty families
After moving into Ambler Johnston, the
Tarazagas noticed the positive impact on their
children right away.
“It’s an immersive living-learning envi-
ronment for them, too,” said Vanessa, who
home-schools all four children. “The campus
is a wonderful, lively place to grow up. There’s
always something interesting going on that
we can integrate into their schoolwork. And
the students are great role models. They study
with them, play with them, and welcome
them into their lives.”
The faculty principal arrangement isn’t
without its drawbacks—like when the fire
alarm went off 22 times during the semester
after the Tarazagas moved in with a new baby.
Sometimes upstairs neighbors need gentle
reminders to tread more softly in the common
area above the couple’s master bedroom, and
more often than not, a quick trip out to walk
the dog can evolve into a half-hour conversa-
tion with passing students, staff, or faculty.
But the positives far outweigh the negatives,
the family resoundingly agrees. Asked if he
misses his neighborhood and backyard, the
Tarazaga’s 11-year-old son is emphatic. “I
have the biggest, best backyard right here,” he
said, gesturing toward the Drillfield.
‘Pretty darn transformational’
Vanessa Tarazaga smiles while cooking and
holding her baby, Valentina.
The faculty principal position is a three-year
commitment, which can be renewed just once.
At the end of their first three-year term, the
Tarazagas signed on again. The faculty princi-
pals in the other two residential colleges also
chose to stay.
According to Shushok, more than 900
students chose to return to their living-learn-
ing programs this fall—and about 2,700
entering first-year students applied to join
one. A dozen faculty members have scheduled
appointments to discuss becoming a faculty
principal.
Tim Baird, associate professor of geography
and senior fellow of the Institute for Cre-
ativity, Arts, and Technology, is interested
in applying to become a faculty principal in
the Creativity and Innovation District. His
wife and three children are excited about the
prospect.
“We think it would be good for our kids and
strengthen our family,” he said. “For me, this
is what it means to be a professor in its en-
tirety. When you’re ensconced in academics,
student life, facilities, and all the facets of the
university, you can see it more clearly and be
more effective in contributing.”
For Shushok, the growing interest is valida-
tion that Virginia Tech is on the right path.
“We should take heart that we have the
most student-centered faculty that are also
amazing, productive researchers and scholars,”
he said. “That says a lot about the education
you can get at Virginia Tech. In many ways,
our residence halls are exemplars of transdis-
ciplinary learning. Bringing together students,
faculty, and staff of different acculturations
and expertise to work together, think togeth-
er, and dream together.
“At the end of the day, that’s pretty darn
transformational.”