Pamplin’s Rising Star Award was created to recognize a young woman who exemplifies what it means to be a leader, as a student, an alumna, and in her career.

Pamplin’s Rising Star Award 2017 was presented to Tara Petrucci on Thursday, Oct. 12, at the eighth annual Women in Business event at Morgan Stanley. This award recognizes a young woman who exemplifies what it means to be a leader, as a student, an alumna, and in her career.

Tara graduated from Virginia Tech with a dual degree in marketing and studio art in 2013. Since then, she has worked as a creative in a number of firms, working on Fortune 500 brands, their platforms, and user experience. Currently, Petrucci works as an Interactive Designer at Candyspace, NYC.

Since her graduation, Tara has continued to give back to Virginia Tech and Pamplin. She has returned to Tech many times and presented to over 700 students, and has been an advocate for students in their searches for internships and career placement opportunities. In addition, Tara currently is a member of the Pamplin Recent Alumni Board.

“It’s an honor to receive the 2017 Pamplin Rising Star Award,” said Petrucci. “Virginia Tech and Pamplin have provided a place for me to not only grow as a professional, but to also give back to a community that has offered me so much. Being recognized for this award would not have been possible without the real-world experiences from PRISM and the strong female leaders of Pamplin who supported and inspired me throughout my journey as a woman in business.”