What we do at the university is very purposeful. First and foremost, we are here to educate our students. We provide them with opportunities to learn to work together, grow in awareness of the world around them, gain important skills, be responsible, meet deadlines, and, most importantly, journey toward a career path. Higher education is no different from education at any level in that we are helping prepare our students for what’s next. And we do it very well. 

Our story about the Advising Center, inclusive of recruitment, advising, and employer relations, has been years in the making. Garnering new resources and securing phenomenal advising talent to better meet student and faculty needs has taken time, as does building a model that is highly functional, robust, forward looking, and really good. I declare “victory” for our Advising Center; all that happens in and around it is a signature effort and accomplishment of this college.

Learning happens outside the classroom too, as you will discover in the stories about student internships and research experiences. It happens in many forms, and so much of it takes place in the field or the lab, when students put their knowledge into practice. We call it experiential learning, and we are hands on, minds on in CNRE. The hallmark of a CNRE education is the wide range of applied opportunities for our students, as well as our faculty and staff, who are also continually learning new things. I hope you are too!

We launch our students into the world through an accelerant that I call the CNRE Career Fair. Our partnerships with external employers are strong and productive, and they represent an opportunity for students to secure an internship or permanent employment. This fall’s career fair was the best ever and brought more than 30 college alumni to campus as employers. We have come full circle: CNRE Hokies hiring CNRE Hokies. John Freeborn, director of employer relations, and the Advising Center and Advancement staff do a phenomenal job of serving students and employers, and offer services and support well beyond the career fair. We are linked and highly functional all the way through our supply chain!

A university degree is an investment in the future, and students and families expect a return on that investment. The benefits may be income, title, responsibility, and the impact of a life’s work. We educate students—and it matters. We also conduct world-class research and compete at the highest intellectual levels for funding. And, true to our land-grant heritage and mission, we serve the citizens of the commonwealth.

Thank you for your interest, investment, and involvement with our college, students, faculty, and staff. Please contact me at any time with questions, suggestions, or your interest in being involved in the college.

Warm regards on behalf of our faculty, staff, and students,

Paul Winistorfer

Paul Winistorfer
Dean

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