Extension work at the university can trace its roots to 1906, when an extension program was established in Virginia. After the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 was passed, overall administration of extension, or demonstration, work was transferred to Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI), with Hampton Institute (later Hampton University) as a division initially serving Black communities. At that time, it became the Agricultural Extension Service, also called the Cooperative Extension Service [RG 26/2]. In 1930, Virginia State College (later Virginia State University (VSU)) took over the extension responsibilities of Hampton Institute.

In 1966, the Virginia General Assembly established the VPI Extension Division, which combined the Cooperative Extension Service, General Extension Division [RG 26/1], State Technical Services [RG 26/5], and Continuing Education Center [RG 26/3]. After passage of the 1977 U. S. Farm Bill, VSU's extension program became an equal partner to VT's program, rather than a division reporting to VT. In 1995, the Division became the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station Division, often shortened to the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), still operated jointly by VT and VSU today.