About Pamplin

History and Mission

The first bachelor’s degree in business at what would eventually become Virginia Tech was offered in 1925 and the first master’s degree in 1931. A school of business was established in 1961 with 28 faculty members and 823 students. Business became one of the colleges of the university in 1965.

The college was named for two alumni, Robert B. Pamplin and his son, Robert B. Pamplin Jr., in 1986 in recognition of their lifetime accomplishments, service to Virginia Tech and especially to its college of business, and their financial support. Robert B. Pamplin, who died in June 2009 at age 97, was the retired chairman of Georgia-Pacific. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. is chairman, president, and CEO of the R.B. Pamplin Corporation of Portland, Oregon. The Pamplins’ total gifts to the college exceed $25 million.

The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, marketing, and real estate. The college’s degree programs, except for the master of information technology, are accredited by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. Pamplin and the College of Engineering jointly deliver the master of information technology program.

Pamplin emphasizes technology and analysis that improve business, entrepreneurship that leads to innovation and innovative companies, international opportunities for learning and research, and an inclusive, collaborative community.

The college established two centers in 2014-15. The Apex Center for Entrepreneurs seeks to support curricular programs across the university in educating students about entrepreneurship and involving them in entrepreneurship activities. The center also serves as a resource for outreach to the business community and supports faculty research related to entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, and new venture formation and growth.

The Center for Business Analytics serves as an interdisciplinary resource in this growing area to support faculty research both within the college and in cooperation with other units on campus as well as outreach to the business community and curricular initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students.

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Pamplin in Blacksburg
Constructed in 1957, the college’s building was named Pamplin Hall in 1969. In 1988, the original building was renovated and a new structure, including an atrium, was added to the old building. This renovation roughly doubled the size of Pamplin Hall. The atrium and other spaces were renovated in 2014 to provide students with more room to study and have informal interactions with each other and faculty members. Pamplin Hall houses the dean’s office, faculty and staff offices, classrooms, and meeting rooms.
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Pamplin in Falls Church
The Evening MBA and the M.S. in business administration, hospitality, and tourism management (MSBA-HTM) are offered at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center. The center, which opened in 1997, is the university’s primary teaching location for graduate programs in the National Capital Region. The 232,000-square-foot facility is located next to the West Falls Church Metro station on the Orange line.