2018 End of Year Message from the Dean

2018 is now coming to a close, and with that there are many achievements to be grateful for and many successes to look forward to in the new year. First, I would like to reaffirm President’s Sands notion that Virginia Tech is in fact an institution on the move – and I am proud of the role Pamplin has played in that progress.

We are not just a strong team of faculty, students, and staff – we are also supported endlessly by a robust alumni presence. I would like to extend thanks and gratitude to the dedicated alumni and partnering companies who assist in placing our students in internships as well as full time positions. Each one of our programs continues to excel each semester. We now have several top five national rankings including for our Masters in Information Technology, Business Analytics (Management Science/Business Information Technology), Finance, Real Estate, and Hospitality and Tourism Management. In addition, our collaborations with neighboring colleges has matured this year, culminating with a victory by Virginia Tech’s very own FutureHAUS Dubai team. The team, which was one the most interdisciplinary teams to compete, won first place in the 2018 Solar Decathlon Middle East just last month.

Throughout this year we were able to make further developments in plans for the Global Business and Analytics Complex, thanks to teams of visionaries along with generous donors. Several personal $1 million-plus commitments to GBAC were made this year, including those from Chris Shean, Mary McVay, and Floyd Merryman. Butch and Ludi Webber also came forward with a $500,000 commitment as the design for the complex expanded to include a special focus on entrepreneurship.

With this exceptional year behind us, I am excited to witness the journey of our students, as some close a chapter with Pamplin and others are just beginning. I would like to wish a relaxing Holiday for all of our students and Faculty, in preparation for yet another exciting semester ahead!