ACIS February 2022 Update

February 17, 2022

Dear Alumni,

I’m writing to provide you with additional information about VT Giving Day, beginning at noon, Feb. 23, through noon, Feb. 24. This is an opportunity for ACIS to shine and for all of us to receive recognition for the hard work, generosity, and spirit of giving that has long defined us. Giving Day gifts can be made directly to ACIS, so they will directly support ACIS students and faculty.

This year the university is having a $100k challenge in which departments earn additional funding based on the number of unique donors; the department with the most unique donors will receive an additional $20k bonus. Additionally, if Pamplin reaches its goal of 2,116 unique donors, then all departments receive additional bonuses. You can sign up at https://givingday.vt.edu/ and can offer to serve as a Giving Day ambassador and remind two friends about Giving Day.

France Belanger is the first professor in Pamplin history to be named as a University Distinguished Professor.

The passion of our alumni has always been a critical factor in our success. Some of our accomplishments in the last year include:

· Dr. France Belanger being the first professor in Pamplin history named as a University Distinguished Professor. https://vtx.vt.edu/articles/2021/04/pamplin-udp-belanger.html

· Awarding over 100 scholarships to ACIS majors totaling over $375,000 in value to assist students in achieving their educational and professional goals

· Having our undergraduate program ranked #18 in the nation, our MACIS program ranked #24 in the nation, and our Ph.D. program ranked #20 worldwide

One new program in 2022 that your giving will support is an expansion of the tutoring services we provide our students. This year we have begun to offer MACIS students fellowships to provide tutoring services to our undergraduates. We believe this will increase retention within the major, increase the educational experience of our students, help them master challenging concepts, and foster an even stronger sense of community among our students while providing our MACIS students with additional financial support and an opportunity to further hone their accounting knowledge as they look to begin their careers and prepare for the CPA exam. As we learn more about the biggest areas of need for our students, we will look to expand this program.

I joined Virginia Tech less than five years ago and have been ACIS department head for less than two months. In that time, so many people have reached out to offer support, assistance, and friendship that it is difficult to remember being anywhere else!

Giving Day is not really about competition. It is about service. When we serve, everyone wins. But let’s win!