For the first time in the greater Houston area, high school students and parents were greeted on “College Night” by representatives from Virginia Tech, thanks to the volunteer efforts of our very own Houston Chapter Alumni!

The goals of the chapter’s participation in these fairs are to familiarize local students with the opportunities available to them at Virginia Tech, to promote the strong, positive reputation of both Tech and the town of Blacksburg, as well as to inform them of the support of our local chapter and our scholarship program. It is hoped that what seems like a small effort on our part will dramatically increase interest in the university.

Nine alumni participated in four College Fairs:

Fort Bend (Oct 12): Sneed Adams, Bart Hatfield, Ric Simmons
Spring Branch Part 1 (Oct 12): Tiffany Flowers, Fred Gibson, Mike Hoffmann
Katy (Oct 13): Sneed Adams, Robb Nejako, Carolyn Wallis
Spring Branch Part 2 (Oct 13): Tiffany Flowers, Mike Hoffmann, Mike Strickler

We had also prepared to participate in the Cy-Fair (Oct 6) College Fair, thanks to volunteers Bill Brown, Carolyn Wallis, and Dave Wallis. Unfortunately, we were not able to participate due to a scheduling complication, but we are grateful to the volunteers for their interest and their preparation. We certainly plan to include Cy-Fair next year, and more!

Among the bustling crowds, folks were lured to the colorful booths outfitted with orange and maroon VT banners, information-packed university brochures, and smiling alumni, eager to engage the interests of prospective incoming freshmen. Even the stuffed Hokie Bird did his duty to attract the attention of many people at the Katy Fair while standing proudly on their table!

Based on the number of brochures that were handed out as well as notes on discussions, the volunteers have reported to have collectively reached out to more than one thousand prospective students in the greater Houston area! We anxiously await the latest statistics from the Admissions Office to determine what degree of impact we have made. In the meantime, we have captured great feedback and lessons learned, and are already considering how we’ll expand our efforts next year.

A very special thank you goes to Fred Gibson for all his efforts coordinating our involvement with the fairs, and to all the volunteers for doing such a fantastic job in representing Virginia Tech and the Houston Alumni Chapter! Great Job, Hokies! Thank You!

This was a fun and easy experience, which required little time, including a prep meeting plus the time at the fair. If you are interested in helping to make a positive impact in our community by volunteering for a future college fair, please e-mail Fred Gibson (gbsnfmly@swbell.net)!