Hokies on the Hill

Internships and mentoring serve to mold and shape the talents of students. However, as an undergraduate, Chris Yianilos (political science, history '94) had difficulty securing an internship on Capitol Hill. His freshman year, he fired off applications to every Virginia congressman and senator to no avail. The next year, Yianilos found an opening with a congressman from northern California, which later led to an internship with U.S. Sen. John Warner, of Virginia. After more than a decade in Warner's office as deputy chief of staff, legislative director, and legislative counsel, in addition to stints with U.S. Rep. Robert Wittman (biological sciences '81), of Virginia, and U.S. District Judge David Faber, Yianilos caught the attention of then-Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger, who tasked him with creating Hokies on the Hill.

This program assigns students to internships in offices across Capitol Hill, whether with a congressman, a policy association, a committee, or a lobbying firm. Each Friday, the students gather for a classroom discussion that often features guest speakers.

Yianilos, now overseeing state and federal government priorities for Virginia Tech as the university's executive director of government relations, runs Hokies on the Hill with David Tinsley (political science '77), Tech's federal legislative liaison.

"It's a very personal program for me," Yianilos said of Hokies on the Hill. "I've been through what most of these students are trying to do. This is a way, in the spirit of Ut Prosim, to give back to my alma mater."

Many Capitol Hill Hokies turn their internships into jobs. In summer 2014, John Boyle's (political science '15) Hokies on the Hill experience led to an internship with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Now he works as a staff assistant in the Roanoke office of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia.

Similarly, Colin MacDermott (political science '12) spent his Hokies on the Hill internship working for U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia. Now, MacDermott is a staff member for the powerful U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, which makes federal funding decisions that affect not just the U.S., but the world.

Although interest in foreign relations led Meghan Oakes (international studies, religion and culture '15) toward politics, she decided that a better understanding of domestic policy would give her a fuller picture of the world. Through Hokies on the Hill, she was placed in the office of U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, of Virginia, which exposed her to a broad range of issues, such as health care and immigration reform.

"I was completely out of my comfort zone, but it was probably the best thing that happened to me," Oakes said. "I realized there are so many more issues out there that need champions."

Today, Oakes works on the health care policy team of U.S. Rep. Diane Black, of Tennessee.

"Ut Prosim is something you spend four years learning about, and now I'm working as a public servant," Oakes said. "On the Hill, I've met a lot of Hokies. That's such a great experience, laughing about being on campus. Tech has already given me so much—education, great friends—and now it's given me the experience and opportunities to pursue my career goals."

A level of trust

Virginia Tech's ascent into the ranks of the world's top universities can be attributed to many factors, but the prominence of the College of Engineering stands as a key driver. Companies around the world recognize a Tech engineering degree as a signifier of talent and quality, and many begin networking with students as early as possible.

A key facilitator in that networking is the Student Engineers' Council (SEC), which hosts an annual expo that serves as a career fair to link job-seeking students with companies in search of talent.

SEC President Zachary Mayes, a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, has worked with companies and sponsors to set up the expo in years past. That exposure helped him land an internship in Seattle with Boeing, and he spent the summer traveling to the manufacturing facilities of Boeing's suppliers to ensure their processes and quality control met the company's specifications.

During that time, Mayes made connections with full-time Hokies at Boeing—an informal network that may well prove as crucial as the more formalized version that got him to Seattle in the first place. As he finishes his degree at Virginia Tech, Mayes will ponder his options, which may include the possibility of returning to Boeing.

Boeing is hardly Mayes' only option, however, as evidenced by the broad range of alumni who participate in the Virginia Tech Science and Engineering Regional Growth Enterprise (VT-SERGE), a group of senior executives from major companies in the National Capital Region who advise the university on strategic issues.

Nearly 30 years ago, Sandy Forney (electrical engineering '86) found herself in much the same position as Mayes. Through her involvement with student government, sororities, and professional groups on campus, Forney was able to choose from a number of job offers. Today, she's director of engineering, performance, and tools for the information systems sector at Northrop Grumman Corp., a global security company that ranks as one of the Commonwealth of Virginia's biggest employers.

"As a company, Northrop Grumman already was working with Virginia Tech as a partner on various levels to stimulate innovation and create the next generation of engineers and scientists," Forney said.

By serving on the VT-SERGE board, which meets quarterly at the Northern Virginia Center and annually at the Blacksburg campus, Forney has access not only to a network of other well-placed Hokies, but also to student entrepreneurs who play an increasing role in Tech's engagement with the business world.

"We had the opportunity to meet the students who were leading start-up entrepreneurial programs," Forney said. "They'd have an interdisciplinary mix—a CEO from the Pamplin College of Business, a lead computer scientist, a lead engineer—and they'd get together and create a company. At VT-SERGE, we'd hear about these companies and meet these students, and I could connect them to our recruiters."

Mehul Sanghani (industrial and systems engineering, psychology '98) serves on both the VT-SERGE board and the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. A Blacksburg native, Sanghani entered the software field in Silicon Valley before going into the government tech sector. In 2006, after working at a string of companies and meeting Hokies every step along the way, Sanghani started Octo Consulting Group, which serves primarily federal government customers. He employs nearly 300, including nearly 40 Hokies, and said he's on track to bring in more than $60 million in revenue in 2015. In mid-August, Octo hired Robert "Bob" McCord (mining engineering '84, M.B.A. '86) as president and chief operating officer.

Sanghani's VT-SERGE participation has proven to be a powerful way to network with high-level executives who share a love for Tech.

"That has been so helpful," Sanghani said of VT-SERGE. "When I go into a conversation, even if it's someone I don't know, and I say that I'm a Hokie, it not only breaks down barriers, but there's a level of trust that's pre-established, a cultural fabric related to values. Ut Prosim is obviously our motto, but it also speaks a lot to the trust and business relationships I've been able to build with other Hokies here in the community. In the federal business community, where it's a highly competitive market, where the top 40 companies do most of the business and then everyone else is at each other's throats trying to get the rest of business, it's crucial to have the Hokie network. You're able to really build that trust and stand on each other's shoulders in an overall cutthroat, hostile environment."