Reflecting on the past and shaping what’s next: Department of Marketing Spring 2026 summit 

The Virginia Tech Department of Marketing met on March 20, 2026, to discuss the department’s strategic vision, priories and goals, along with the implementation process as we move forward into the next academic year. Topics of focus included (1) embedding career readiness and professional development intentionally across all four years of the curriculum and (2) strengthening industry partnerships and internship pathways to further enhance student placement and long-term career outcomes. The department identified core strategic priorities, established actionable next steps, and committed to a unified strategy for sustained impact and growth. 

Recognizing excellence and future leaders: College wide Marketing senior awards 2026 

The Department of Marketing would like to congratulate our marketing students who received college-wide recognition: Samantha Sciortino (HH. Mitchell Leadership Award); Emily Bedford (College Service Award); Jonna Berghoff and Chloe Davis (Outstanding Engage TA); Danille Meiners (Outstanding Senior in Marketing Award); Lindsay Lawrence (Outstanding Service in Marketing Award); Caroline Atwell, Adam Domanico, and Reilly VanDyke (Outstanding Leadership in Marketing Award). Read more about these seniors’ insight here

When food gets political: Assistant professor Boya Xu’s research accepted at Marketing Science 

Boya Xu, an assistant professor of Marketing at the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, had her paper accepted by one of our top journals, Marketing Science, alongside Tong Guo and Daniel Yi Xu of Duke University. The Department of Marketing is proud to recognize and congratulate this accomplishment. Click here to read more about her recently accepted paper: When Food Gets Political: How Does News Drive Green Food Offerings? 

Professional confidence starts now: Exploring Careers in Marketing (MKTG 2104) 

Virginia Tech’s Department of Marketing course Careers in Marketing (MKTG 2104) has become a cornerstone for students eager to jumpstart their professional journey. Led by Professors Wertalik and Michalisin, the course connects freshmen and transfer students with faculty, alumni, and industry leaders, offering a hands-on approach to networking, personal branding, and career exploration long before students reach their upper-level classes. Learn more here 

Integrating strategy, media, and client work: Inside Marketing Communication (MKTG 4304)  

Virginia Tech’s Department of Marketing course Marketing Communication (MKTG 4304) teaches students the theory and application of an organization’s marketing communications across traditional and digital channels. Through hands-on work with real clients in partnership with VEDP and VITAL, students develop full communication plans while gaining practical experience that supports business growth and prepares them for careers in marketing. Read more and get a glimpse into student presentations here! 

Advancing ideas and inspiring scholarships:  2025-2026 Ph.D. research development grant recipients 

The Department of Marketing’s competitive Ph.D. Research Development Grant supports graduate students in advancing rigorous, high-impact research. Proposals are submitted each February and evaluated by the Marketing Graduate Committee, awarded annually across the winning projects. The grant emphasizes the importance of clearly defined research questions, strong methodological approaches, and meaningful scholarly contributions. Awardees receive funding to support data collection, analysis, and other research needs. We are proud to congratulate this year’s Grant recipients: Shifan Gu, Tao He, Jiyuan Yin and Daniel Todorovic. Read more about their research here

Board Updates: From PRISM and MAB 

The PRISM Alumni Advisory Council was proud to introduce the recipients of the two $2,500 Jim Hatch “Simply the Best Scholarship,” awarded to Siri Bedsaul and Eghosa “Egsy” Izedonmwen. They were nominated by their peers for their outstanding commitment to the organization, approachable personalities, and the valuable relationships they’ve built while in PRISM. This semester, Virginia Tech Marketing Advisory Board (MAB) funded four MAB scholarships to recognize students that have demonstrated outstanding potential in the field of marketing. The recipients of these awards, Ally Taylor, Cora Corcoran, Lindsay Lawrence, and Curtis Correllus could not be more deserving in that regard. Marketing Advisory Board Wins Pamplin Center for Leadership Excellence’s ‘Best Practice’ Award.