Evening MBA Scholarship Recipients

As an alumnus of Virginia Tech, I was very proud to see how strong the Virginia Tech Evening MBA program presented itself when I was looking to further my educational studies. The flexibility of the program and the opportunity for face-to-face instruction from their distinguished faculty led me to choose the Virginia Tech Evening MBA program. During my time in the program, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and learning from the diverse group of other working professionals who are in my classes. The level of personal engagement with my peers and the professors let me know that I made the right choice for myself. I know that I will carry the lessons that I learn from my Evening MBA program directly into my current role and that they will help me in my future career endeavors.

Earning an MBA at Virginia Tech offers a unique blend of academic excellence, industry connections, and a collaborative learning environment. With a focus on innovation and technology, I will benefit from cutting-edge business education from professors with practical experience in the field, while also gaining access to a strong alumni network. The program's emphasis on practical application and hands-on experience will enable me to graduate with the skills and knowledge needed for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving business landscape.  

From this MBA program, I hope to derive better decision-making skills using analytical framework and various business decision-making models. With a focused interest in Accounting and Information Systems, I believe that the coursework pertaining to this concentration would help me apply the skills in senior leadership roles especially in production and operations management. I envision leveraging my MBA to drive efficiency, and lead my company towards success. 

My BS was in chemistry and thus it was a hard decision for me to move into advanced business classes not only because it was an unknown world but also because I was not sure if chemistry and business could be connected. However, the Evening MBA program at Virginia Tech proved to me, since the first class, that I made the right decision and that those two worlds share a lot of characteristics. Now, I am sure that there is a variety of opportunities out there, especially around the area where I am studying, the DMV area, and they do require a science and business background! A university such as Virginia Tech is the ideal option for me because of the extremely valuable and advanced knowledge it provides and its amazing location!

Going back to school after 15 years is never an easy decision. I spent many hours researching different programs and universities. I chose Virginia Tech for its reputation, in-person teaching, and recommendations from colleagues who graduated from the program. I was impressed by the quality and diversity of the faculty, the curriculum, and the alumni network. I was also attracted by the flexibility and convenience of the evening schedule, which allowed me to continue working while studying. I thought that Virginia Tech offered a unique and rewarding learning experience that would prepare me for the challenges and opportunities in the dynamic business environment. Go Hokies!

From my perspective as a Cloud Support Engineer aspiring to diversify my career, the Virginia Tech MBA program represents a transformative opportunity. While I excel in my current role, I recognize that a broader skill set is essential for navigating various business sectors effectively. This program will provide me with the knowledge and expertise to transition into different industries and roles, such as entrepreneurship, management, or even leadership positions within tech companies. It will equip me with invaluable leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills that are universally applicable. Additionally, the program's emphasis on networking and exposure to diverse business contexts will be instrumental in forging connections and exploring new career avenues. In sum, the Virginia Tech MBA program is my bridge to a versatile career trajectory, enabling me to make a meaningful impact in various businesses and industries.

Pursuit of an MBA has been a dream of mine for many years. I've sincerely enjoyed learning from the many diverse perspectives of the Evening MBA professors and student body. Case work has brought to light fascinating challenges our society is facing related to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, sustainability, and strategies to contain inflation. A true highlight was creating "forever memories" during the Scandinavia Hokie abroad course!

Choosing the right MBA program requires research and self-reflection.  After all, it is a financial, professional and time-committed investment. After one information session for the Virginia Tech Evening MBA Program, I was convinced this Program would be a good fit for me.  VT has both a competitive atmosphere as well as a collaborative one.  The Program Administration and Professors have an open-door policy, which is an invaluable aspect of the MBA experience.  Although I elected a Business Intelligence / Business Analytics concentration, I will also benefit from the core courses and wide selection of electives.  I hope to acquire new skills and knowledge to enhance my professional development.

My personal experience while at Virginia Tech has been an invaluable part of my growth as the individual and as a professional. I am confident that Virginia Tech’s MBA program will complement my engineering degree and I look forward to taking this new knowledge from the classroom into real world applications. Today, I am seeking a new challenge, to be the first in my family to obtain a graduate degree and the best place to accomplish this is at my alma matter, Virginia Tech. I can certainly say that I am proud to be a first-generation graduate student. Go Hokies!

The Virginia Tech MBA Program has been instrumental in helping develop my passion for business, all while continuing to provide a practical balance of work, education, and personal time.  I have been fortunate to meet many professionals from various industries, strengthen my business acumen, and gain valuable insight into the necessary tools to advance my career.  The MBA Program has been an incredible academic experience and I am confident that all of the lessons learned will have lasting impressions throughout my life. 

Virginia Tech's Evening MBA Program stood out for me as an amazing value when I was choosing an MBA program. Specifically, the dual MBA / Masters in Information Technology program held immense value for me as an IT Project Manager in the Legal industry.  In my courses, I am looking forward to  improving my competencies in business skills such as financial accounting as well as staying up to date on cutting edge information technology fields such as artificial intelligence. Educating myself across disciplines will allow me to continuously iterate how I contribute at my firm and stay at the forefront of innovation in my industry Additionally, the format the classes are delivered, as well as the ability to work with my professors and fellow classmates in person, will make it easy for me to work into my already busy work and personal life. 

After completing my Master of Information Technology degree from Virginia Tech in May 2022, it was an easy decision to continue my educational journey in pursuit of a dual degree with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).  This decision comes from a strong desire to complement my technical acumen with a solid foundation in business management and leadership.  I believe by combining these two disciplines, I will be better suited to navigate the evolving landscape of technology-driven businesses and to create a substantial impact by upholding the values of Ut Prosim, serving both my organization and community alike

In my youth, a college education was but only a dream attainable by few and a postgraduate education was a reach for the stars. The Virginia Tech Evening MBA Program has opened a door for me filled with new possibilities that include advancement in education, connections with diverse professionals, and an opportunity to sharpen my skills all while driving my career as an accountant and being a mom. I’m excited to be a Hokie!

VA Tech MBA has provided me with the business management knowledge to my engineering background to advance my career and approach business cases with different perspectives., It has also changed my understanding and thinking about the economy, marketing, and finance at work and even in my personal life. My favorite topics I have learned are about team dynamics and leadership. The MBA program has also been a great opportunity to meet new people and extend my networking. The faculty is high quality and I have a great opportunity to learn from their experience and knowledge. The nature of the evening program has been great to be able to balance my family, my work, and school

My career has been so far focused on healthcare policy research for federal programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The work that I have done helped the government to better serve the sickest and most vulnerable populations. I am using Virginia Tech’s MBA program to explore the business side of healthcare and learn more about marketing, strategy, and finance topics. I am also excited to learn from top-notch professors and learn from fellow Hokies who are already leaders in their field. Finally, I am also very grateful that this program will allow me to work while completing courses on my own timeline. I am looking forward to connecting with fellow classmates and growing in my interests!

As a capital planning and investment controls administrator for the federal government, I work closely with program and project managers to oversee and manage a vast portfolio of IT investments from a governance reporting perspective.  Virginia Tech’s evening MBA program has strengthened my understanding of IT and project management principles which will serve me to more effectively bridge the gap between financials and IT management reporting which is crucial to the success in my current role.  The professors and staff are second to none and have demonstrated not only expertise in their respective fields but also the ability to connect on a one-on-one basis to foster my professional growth.  I am thankful and fortunate to be a part of the Virginia Tech MBA program.

Looking back at my experience with the Virginia Tech MBA program, it has been the opportunity to include both MBA and Masters of Information Technology courses in my plan of study that really stands out. Throughout my studies, I was encouraged to explore cross-functional approaches to understanding and solving business problems. My success in applying these approaches to real-world problems has rapidly placed me at the forefront of business and technical innovation in my organization. Truly, my Virginia Tech MBA has been the most intense and rewarding educational experience of my life. 

Continuing my education has provided me the chance to explore new and emerging topics and gain a deeper understanding of the business world. I have had the opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds, learn from their experiences, and expand my network of contacts. I am grateful to the Virginia Tech community for helping me in my pursuit of becoming a lifelong learner! 

The Pamplin Evening MBA program has helped diversify my skills, broaden my network of friends, and expose me to new-to-me decision making techniques and frameworks. This program has diversified my skillset beyond communications and information technology to include leadership, operations management, accounting, and finance. I’m so grateful that this program allows me to meet really smart people in other industries - I doubt I would have crossed paths with them any other way. It's one thing to read Harvard Business Review on your own - it’s another thing to argue case studies to 40 passionate Northern Virginians. I get to take those lessons learned, examples from other people’s experiences, and use them in my day job. Finally, the accounting and finance classes have made me a more informed consumer (and less likely to fall prey to sales promotions in an inflationary economy).

The VA Tech MBA Program has provided me with the unmatched flexibility to earn a higher education, while balancing both my professional and personal day-to-day commitments. Being able to tap into an extensive Hokie alumni network and learn from professors who are experts in their own fields, are just a few reasons that have made my experience in the program worthwhile. I firmly believe this program will continue to arm me with the strategic thinking, leadership, and technical skills needed to expand my business acumen and take my career to the next level.

​Getting an MBA has always been important to me, therefore picking the best program to suit me was a priority. In making that decision, Virginia Tech Evening MBA had the best option as it offered a great curriculum, providing me the flexibility of working fulltime and still being able to attend classes. As a professional primarily focused in engineering and product management, the program gives me the opportunity to develop my business skills in order to succeed more in my career and meet my personal future goals. 

I am continually finding new ways to leverage what I've learned through my VT MBA coursework in my career as a technology and business strategy consultant.  The close relationship between the MBA and MIT programs has given me the opportunity to enhance my MBA experience with more technical classes.  I am looking forward to continuing to fuel my passion for solving complex problems at the intersection of business and technology as I complete the remainder of my coursework and carry that insight into my career.

Since I started the Evening MBA Program in January 2021, I have gotten married, transitioned to a new role, earned a promotion, traveled frequently, and continued to spend time with family and friends. The Virginia Tech Evening MBA Program has provided exactly what I was looking for: flexibility and freedom to complete mentally stimulating coursework at my own pace while continuing to work full-time. Professionally, the program provided me with the necessary skills to grow beyond my technical expertise and think strategically. I've also made some new friends and expanded my network, for whom I'm incredibly grateful.

I believe that completing the Virginia Tech MBA program will allow me to elevate my career to a new level. Since most of my career has been very focused on technical tasks, the MBA will broaden my knowledge and skill set to allow me to move into more strategic positions within my organization. It will also expand my thought processes and decision making capabilities to make me more valuable to my organization. From a personal perspective, it will satisfy my desire to always be learning and growing.

​When considering part time MBA programs, Virginia Tech's Evening MBA was always the obvious choice for me. I am excited to connect with and learn from my knowledgeable peers and professors in person this fall in a way that fits into my busy full time work schedule and extracurricular heavy lifestyle. As a financial analyst within the government contracting space, I know that the enhancement of important technical and analytical skills needed to excel in my day-to-day work that this program provides will be complemented by hands-on, actionable guidance in improving interpersonal communication skills and relationship building that directly translate to my personal life and professional goals. I can't wait to see how this adventure helps shape my future interests and abilities - Go Hokies!

I have been wanting to get my MBA for several years, and when I finally decided to pull the trigger, Virginia Tech’s part-time Evening MBA program offered everything I wanted! I believe this program will provide the intellectual stimulation and academic rigor I desire, while still allowing me the flexibility to grow professionally and become an expert in my field. I look forward to joining the Hokie family and taking the next step personally, academically, and professionally.

As a software engineer in a family-run business, I am complimenting the Master of Information Technology degree I just earned at Virginia Tech with the MBA.  Within the company are a number of technically proficient employees but few who are knowledgeable about business. Professionally, the MBA program will provide the knowledge and skills necessary for handling the administrative/business side of the company and personally, the MBA will help with the inter-personal skills that are so necessary for life.

The Virginia Tech MBA program will develop my business and leadership skills and help me advance to the next phase in my career. Specifically, I hope to apply the methods and frameworks I learn in the program to enhance existing strategic planning processes at my organization. I look forward to building relationships with other students in the program and learning from our collective experiences.

After receiving my bachelor’s degrees at Virginia Tech, it was an easy decision for me when deciding where to continue my education. Having an in-person program in the Northern Virginia area is important to me as it allows me to meet other professionals like myself. The Evening MBA program has shown me how to apply class examples to real scenarios in my workplace, and will provide me with the knowledge needed to further my career.

When making the decision to pursue my MBA part-time, Virginia Tech's Evening MBA program was the only program that I had in my sights. The program offered an exciting array of courses to enhance my business acumen while simultaneously engaging my love for technology by giving me the opportunity to earn another degree in IT while at it. Seeing this combination and having gone through the program for almost two years now, I know that the knowledge I have gained and skills I have learned from my time thus far have already made me grow in ways that I did not even foresee for myself. Classes such as Web Applications and E-Commerce, Crime & Conflict in Cyberspace, Accounting I & II and Organizational Behavior have served me especially well in my pursuit to becoming an entrepreneur and starting my own business in the near future. Hands down the best decision I have ever made in my career. Go Hokies!

As a professional who recently made a career change, pursuing the Virginia Tech MBA program was a great decision for my personal and professional growth. It provided me with fundamental accounting and business knowledge that I apply daily at work and gave me an opportunity to build a professional relationship with classmates and professors. Also, the program's flexibility has allowed me to continue working full-time while preparing for career advancement. 

I always knew I wanted to further my education past my undergraduate degree, just needed to find the right program. I was looking for a program that was much more than a “check the box” MBA, but instead one that would push and challenge me as a professional while fitting into my already busy schedule. The part-time Evening MBA program at Virginia Tech has been that perfect fit for me. The in-person setting has been instrumental in developing and growing my soft skills that directly translate to my job as a financial manager working in government contracting industry. The focus of the program to build leaders, not just graduates, is accomplished with top quality professors and a collaborative style of teaching.

As a Double Hokie, I am proud to be a student in the Virginia Tech Evening MBA program.  The core courses provide fundamental business principles, which can then be personalized into areas of specialization through the elective offerings.  With guidance of the Evening MBA staff, I have been able to craft my plan of study to my career goals by specializing in organizational leadership.  And the knowledge and skills I have learned have been immediately applicable to my professional career, which I am able to maintain while attending evening classes.   The program has truly provided me with so many networking connections, mentorship possibilities, and career advice services.  I know that my time in this excellent program will benefit me in the years to come.  Go Hokies!

Enrolling in Virginia Tech's Part-Time MBA Program has been extremely valuable towards my professional development by allowing me to directly apply what I have learned in the classroom to my daily work and facilitating the development of stronger professional relationships with managers, colleagues, and clients. All the professors and faculty of the Program understand that all the students are working professionals, so the program is centered around flexibility to enable the students to effectively balance their professional and academic work. Through Virginia Tech’s Part-Time MBA Program, I have grown in confidence regarding my own understanding and ability to become a successful leader in the corporate environment.

As a manager at Deloitte, the Virginia Tech Evening MBA program gives me the flexibility to continue to build my career, while furthering my education. I am certain that the lessons I have and will learn in this program will help me become a better leader at my firm and in my community. Let's go Hokies!

Before I applied to the Virginia Tech MBA program, I called the MBA Program Director, Dana, to have a conversation about if the MBA program would be a worthwhile investment, given that my undergraduate degree was in business management from Virginia Tech. I was concerned that there would be too much overlap between the two degrees. Dana shared with me about how the MBA program has classes in some of the same topic areas, but that the graduate classes would teach from a completely different vantage point and I would learn from a new angle. I am happy to say that she was completely right and I am very glad that I decided to go forward and apply to the MBA program at Virginia Tech. The classes built upon the foundation of my undergraduate and took my understanding of the topics to a much higher level that is more applicable to my job and future roles that I want to grow into. I have taken classes while working full time and I have been very grateful for the flexibility of the Evening MBA program. I have been able to set my own pace and adjust my course load depending on how busy I am with my other commitments. The class sizes are small enough that I have been able to still make some great connections with classmates and the faculty is always very approachable and helpful! I have enjoyed the autonomy to be able to pick and choose across the different elective areas to create a course of study that is completely tailored to my interests and future pursuits. Go Hokies!

"Ethical leadership is transforming the professional landscape in both the private and public sectors for the better. Responsible stewardship starts with education, and I am honored to join the Hokie family in guiding that next step. As my own development continues, a Virginia Tech MBA will aid in my vision to promote positive change!"

“Working professionally as an engineer in the fast paced technology industry challenges me daily to learn and to adapt. The Virginia Tech Evening MBA program provides an exciting curriculum that I am confident will pose a new challenge that I hope will prepare me with the skills necessary for the next phase of my career.  Additionally, I'm excited at the prospect of learning from such an accomplished group of faculty and at the opportunity of working alongside a cohort of peers with such a range of backgrounds and skill sets. Similar to my time as an undergrad in Blacksburg, I fully expect that the people I meet along the way will be the longest lasting impact of my participation in the program.

“Working full time and having a family and paying for my graduate degree could be challenging. I am very grateful for the scholarship which will help me tremendously. I am the first person in my family to have a BS degree and on the way to be the first person to have a graduate degree. The MBA degree from Virginia Tech will help me advance in my healthcare profession but moreover it will open more doors for me if I choose to go a different route in my career. "

"I hope the Virginia Tech Evening MBA program will help enhance my business understanding and knowledge, while being able to implement what I learn during the day at work. The biggest advantage I see in the VT MBA program is being able to get an education from a world class university, in-person while continuing my professional career. I hope to build relationships with other working professionals in the DC Metro area and learn from our experiences to help us collectively improve professionally and personally."

“I hope to use my Virginia Tech MBA to further my education on the business side of my industry, and to complement the engineering education I received in undergrad. I hope to strengthen my management and financial skills in order further my development at my current company, and to use the skills I learn to advance my career and take on more responsibility. The end goal is to be able to manage my own projects at my job”