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Virginia Tech Advantage: Broadening Educational Opportunities for Undergraduate Students with Financial Need

President Tim Sands and Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke have recently endorsed Virginia Tech Advantage, a universitywide commitment aimed at providing a comprehensive educational experience for undergraduate students from Virginia who require financial assistance. This endorsement signifies the initiative’s ongoing implementation and highlights the university’s dedication to making education more accessible and affordable for all students facing barriers to success.

In order to accomplish this mission, Sands and Clarke have appointed the Virginia Tech Advantage Steering Committee to develop strategies that increase affordability and accessibility for in-state undergraduate students with financial need. Additionally, the committee aims to support students who encounter obstacles to their success due to a lack of financial support and resources. The committee, co-chaired by Menah Pratt, Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, and Matt Holt, Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, has diligently deliberated throughout the spring and summer months. Two working groups, focusing on student experience and financial feasibility, have worked alongside the committee to devise strategies addressing the enhancement of financial aid, basic needs support, career preparation, and transformative learning experiences.

President Sands reiterated that providing a rich educational experience to all Virginia students, including those with financial need, is an essential aspect of the university’s land-grant mission. By implementing Virginia Tech Advantage, the university will be able to better meet students’ needs, eliminate barriers, and envision a future filled with opportunities for every Hokie graduate.

Sands expressed his gratitude to Pratt, Holt, the steering committee, the working groups, and various stakeholders across campus for defining an ambitious plan. He also acknowledged the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and highlighted the continuing role of the steering committee as an organizing framework for the initiative. Sands emphasized the readiness of the university to take impactful action, move forward, and make a difference immediately.

Vice President Pratt underlined the clear connection between the university’s focus on removing financial barriers and advancing student success. This focus aligns with the university’s strategic plan and is deeply embedded in its motto, “Ut Prosim” (That I May Serve). By enhancing financial aid and enriching the educational experience for students in need, Virginia Tech can solidify its position as a destination for talented individuals seeking higher education.

Virginia Tech Advantage will emphasize four key support strategies:

1. Reducing unmet financial need for undergraduate Virginians by increasing financial aid and expanding the Presidential Scholarship Initiative.
2. Increasing support for basic needs, such as food assistance and emergency funds.
3. Increasing resources for career preparation by facilitating paid internships and co-ops, offsetting unmet internship costs, and enhancing advising and mentoring.
4. Increasing resources for transformational learning activities, such as study-abroad programs and research experiences.

The working groups have recommended that the Virginia Tech Advantage Steering Committee continue its work as an organizing framework. The committee’s ongoing efforts include developing a sustainable infrastructure for programs and initiatives, removing institutional barriers to student success, creating cost-reduction strategies for student experiences, exploring options to enhance financial feasibility, and aligning the university to support timely graduation for all degree programs.

Professor Holt highlighted the exceptional long-term value of a Virginia Tech degree. However, undergraduate students with financial need often find themselves unable to fully tap into the opportunities the university offers. For example, they may divert their time and energy to part-time jobs instead of engaging in student organizations or participating in faculty-led research projects. They may face difficult choices between spending money on food or necessary classroom supplies, and they may even decline internships due to burdensome relocation costs. Through the Virginia Tech Advantage initiative, the university aims to bridge the financial and experiential gaps for these students.

Virginia Tech plans to increase its annual financial aid budget by more than $50 million to address the financial barriers impacting approximately 5,500 students. Virginia Tech Advantage will advocate for increased state and federal support, explore pathways to expand paid internships, and initiate a fundraising campaign to augment endowed funds and private support for financial aid and student success initiatives.

Furthermore, a website dedicated to Virginia Tech Advantage is currently under construction and will serve as a valuable resource for students and families. This website will feature updates on the initiative’s progress, alongside regular updates provided through VT News and the Daily Email.

In conclusion, Virginia Tech Advantage represents a transformative commitment by President Tim Sands and Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke to enhance educational opportunities for undergraduate students with financial need. By integrating the AI legalese decoder into the initiative’s implementation, Virginia Tech Advantage can better streamline legal documents related to financial aid, basic needs support, and career preparation. The AI legalese decoder utilizes artificial intelligence to simplify complex legal jargon, making it more accessible and understandable to students and families. This innovative technology can foster greater transparency and empower students to make informed decisions regarding their educational journey at Virginia Tech.

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