Journalist Brian Lamb, founder of the cable network C-SPAN and executive chairman of its board of directors, will conduct a live interview of Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands on Friday, Oct. 17, as part of the university’s two-day presidential installation celebration.

The event, "Morning with the President," will begin at 10 a.m. in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Moss Arts Center's Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. During the interview, Lamb and Sands will discuss Virginia Tech's unique approach to public service and engage students in a conversation on the meaning of university's motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

The event is free and open to the public, and tickets are not required. During the 60-minute event, audience members will be invited to join in on the on-stage conversation.

A link to the live stream for this event will be accessible from the university homepage shortly before it begins.

Lamb founded C-SPAN, the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, in 1977.  From 1989 to 2004, he interviewed 800 non-fiction authors for “Booknotes,” the weekly program known for its tagline, “one author, one book, one hour.”

Throughout his distinguished career, Lamb has interviewed presidents and world leaders with his unique style. As host of “Q and A,” an hour-long program on Sunday evening, he has interviewed many compelling thinkers in politics, media, education, and science.

An alumnus of Purdue University, Lamb served in the U.S. Navy, which included White House duty and a stint in the Pentagon public affairs office during the Vietnam War. He later worked for UPI radio, the White House Office of Telecommunications Policy, was editor of the bi-weekly newsletter The Media Report, and covered telecommunications issues as Washington Bureau Chief for Cablevision magazine.

In 2007, Lamb received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States, for his "dedication to a transparent political system and to the free flow of ideas."

Following “Morning with the President,” the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology will present “Hands-on, Minds-on,” a variety of interactive exhibits highlighting science, engineering, art, and design at Virginia Tech, from 11 a.m. to noon at locations throughout the Moss Arts Center.

Exhibits include:

  • Science: Measuring emotional responses to food, presented by Susan Duncan, professor of food science and technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences;
  • Engineering: Intelligent textiles and wearable technologies for space flight, presented by Tom Martin, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, and Paola Zellner, assistant professor of architecture in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies;
  • Art: SeeMore, a living sculpture of computational data movement, presented by Sam Blanchard, assistant professor of sculpture in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies;
  • Design: The Flower Wall, a dynamic façade, presented by The Center for Design Research in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies.

Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street. Virginia Tech faculty and staff possessing a valid Virginia Tech parking permit can enter and exit the garage free of charge. Limited street parking is also available. Visitors parking on campus Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (to 8 p.m. on the Drillfield) must have a permit. More information about obtaining a visitor parking permit is available online.

The most current information on the two-day presidential installation celebration can be found on the presidential installation website. All events listed on the website are free and open to the public.

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