Here’s how to get started.

Hokies give back. We make things happen and we make the world a better place.

It’s who we are and what we do. It’s also what philanthropy is all about.

It’s one way that anyone can make a difference, whether it’s helping to purchase equipment, building a lasting legacy that will continue to change lives, or jumpstarting the work that will be a force of positive change.

Birds eye view of tree canopy color enhanced to show tree thinning
This LIDAR image of a loblolly pine plantation was captured by Assistant Professor David Carter. A gift from the Acorn Alcinda Foundation is funding research at the Kennedy Tree Farm, where Carter’s team is managing a LIDAR-informed/precision thinning research trial.

We want to meet you where you are and share the possibilities, because everyone has different life experiences, passions, causes, and resources.

So whether you’ve been planning for some time to make a gift that will support what you care about or are just interested in learning about the options, read on and reach out with ideas or questions.

Looking for an easy way to get started?

Support CNRE on Giving Day: February 21-22, noon to noon.

It’s a 24-hour celebration where Hokies around the world make their impact felt at Virginia Tech.

I want to...

Students wearing waders in a stream holding a pole net
Saving the planet means being hard on equipment, so departments are continually replacing and upgrading basic equipment, like the hip waders and nets used by Ichthyology class students.
Why it matters

If you’re an alum of the college, you know what it’s like when your hands are dirty and your feet are wet and you are in the moment, learning.

Think about all the equipment you needed — from compasses to hip waders — and what you had to buy on your own: helmets, safety vests, measuring tapes, and a good pair of boots!

We need new equipment every year to replace what’s worn out or damaged and it’s hard for some students to find the money to buy the items they need to learn and stay safe and dry.

Here's how to help

Support CNRE or your academic department on Giving Day! It’s a great time to give because participation unlocks more funds for the college.

Gifts of all sizes are pooled together and used for the most immediate needs, including equipment, support for learning activities, and emergency assistance for students.

Visiting Executive, Brent Keefer standing with cadet Hunter Manley
Beyond Boundaries Scholarship recipient and current meteorology major Hunter Manley (at left) and Brent Keefer ’87, M.S. ’88, a CNRE alumnus and Beyond Boundaries supporter.
Why it matters

Maybe you benefited from a scholarship when you were a student — or maybe you know how hard you and your parents worked to ensure that you could attend a school like Virginia Tech. Even with financial aid, many students have trouble covering their costs of attendance. Others miss out on the kind of experiences that transform lives like research or overseas study because they don’t have the money or don’t have the time due to because they must spend a significant amount of their time working.

Here's how to help

Give to the college’s general scholarship fund; it will assist a student who is most in need with a one-time award.

Endow an undergraduate scholarship. Because only the interest is spent, the gift will continue to support students in perpetuity. You can also name the endowed fund after a family member, friend, or mentor and honor their legacy for generations to come.

Support the Beyond Boundaries Scholarship program for high achieving, underrepresented students. The university matches all gifts, dollar-for-dollar.

A graduate student smiling in a field holding a measuring tape and clipboard.
Graduate student Darby McPhail has worked on a variety of research projects (including the study of big cats in Belize), opportunities made possible by the graduate fellowships she received that allowed her to focus on academics.
Why it matters

Research has the power to change the world. Undergraduate research projects give students the chance to engage in scientific inquiry and gain the skills that will help them stand out when applying to graduate school or for their first job.

Graduate student fellowships allow the best and brightest students to purse an advanced degree and work closely with a faculty researcher on finding solutions to our most complex problems.

You can also get a research program off the ground by providing start-up funds or pave the way for additional discoveries from faculty who are already making significant advances in their fields

Here's how to help

Give to the college’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship program.

Endow a graduate fellowship that will support students for years to come.

Supply start-up or seed money for a faculty research project or funding for a project that is already underway — we can share plenty of options to match your interests.