Many things contribute to making a business school a great business school. Students and alumni, faculty and staff, resources — all contribute. One of the most important contributors and one that is not highlighted often enough is culture. Pamplin, like all of Virginia Tech, has a culture of people who love their university, regardless of their role. We are distinguished by the “Ut Prosim difference.” In addition, our students are as bright, well prepared, and ambitious as you will find anywhere. They graduate anxious for the future opportunities of a first job.

Pamplin continues to build on its past successes and culture. We are increasingly willing to change what we do and how we do it. This has allowed us to invest in improving services for students and alumni. Examples include creating a professional academic advising center, increasing career services, and better integrating these essential services for students. Our faculty are open to changing our curriculum in response to input from companies hiring our graduates and changing student demand. Recent examples include a cyber option from our business information technology department and a fintech option in our finance major.

Part of our culture is embracing change while respecting tradition. We are using this principle as we move closer to the construction of Pamplin’s new home, the Global Business and Analytics Complex or GBAC. We are designing these four buildings in partnership with the colleges of Engineering and Science. From the ground up, GBAC will encourage collaboration among the disciplines and active learning in the classroom and associated residence halls. Students will work on complex problems that have the promise of using businesses to improve the human condition and require the perspectives associated with business, engineering, and science. As we design these experiences and the buildings that make them possible, we keep in mind the value of our traditions in style and materials. GBAC will be cutting edge in functionality while fitting Virginia Tech’s collegiate gothic architectural style. Thanks to support from many alumni, companies, the state, and the university, we expect to break ground on one or more of the buildings within a year.

—DEAN ROBERT SUMICHRAST

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