Blake Warner is from Richmond, Virginia and uses he/him pronouns. He is a senior who is set to graduate this May!

Blake will be working for Capital One after graduation.

We asked Blake to share both his post-graduation plans and Pamplin experiences with us.

How did you pick your major or concentration? Does it relate to your job?

I picked my major and concentration (MGT EIT) because I see the world moving forward very quickly in the entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology spaces. The MGT EIT concentration allowed me to briefly educate myself in each of those fields. Even though I am not striving to start my own venture at this time, the EIT coursework still gave me the knowledge needed to be an agent of change at a larger company post-graduation.

How did you find your job? What is your job title and what do you think you will do for them?

I will be working full time as a Management Rotation Program Associate at Capital One. My two, one-year rotations will be focused in either project management or agile delivery. Networking has played a key role in my ability to find my job. When I was a sophomore I networked with a previous VT graduate that worked at Capital One. After our conversation, I attended a winter summit event with Capital One, then completed an externship that fast tracked me for an internship interview. I ended up getting an internship in Commercial Banking at Capital One supporting the Health Care Real Estate team. Throughout my internship I networked with many employees and VT alums across various roles and decided I wanted to pivot and apply to the MRP program full-time. I ended up interviewing for the MRP and selecting Richmond as my preferred location and project management and agile delivery as my preferred roles.

How did you find out about this position and how was the recruitment process?

The recruitment process consisted of multiple interviews (behavioral, technical, and live case study). Capital One always puts prospective employees at front of mind, so the recruitment process was very smooth and positive overall.

What are you looking forward to in starting your new position? 

I am looking forward to continuing to learn from others and consistently network. I also am excited to be one of the key pieces between the solutions we are working on at Capital One and the clients we deliver to outside of the business. Being able to talk to people on a daily basis in my new role will keep me refreshed and my energy high.

Where is your current job located? Are you excited about your work site?

Capital One's Richmond Campus. I am very excited to work here. I chose this location, and it is very beautiful with interior amenities and outside walking trails. Plus, the people and culture there are top notch.

I will be working full time as a Management Rotation Program Associate at Capital One. My two, one-year rotations will be focused in either project management or agile delivery. Networking has played a key role in my ability to find my job. When I was a sophomore I networked with a previous VT graduate that worked at Capital One.

Please give a brief description of job, internship, and or school leadership positions that you led to your future career:

Membership in Dean's Advisory Board of Students for Pamplin, Co-Presiding Member of Honors College Student Council, Member of Pi Sigma Epsilon, internships at Verizon and Capital One in Finance, 5x Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Calhoun Honors Discovery Program Scholar

What do you want to accomplish within your first year?

I will be living alone after college, so I am excited to learn and grow while becoming completely independent. I plan to continue my hobbies in fitness and nutrition by exercising frequently and cooking many new foods. Professionally, I plan to put 110% effort in and learn as much as possible, possibly pursuing additional certifications or learning outside of the workplace. I do not have any specific measurable/deliverable work goals yet as I do not know fully what the scope of my work will be.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself having potentially completed an MBA from a top program and/or continuing to work for companies that are focused on social change as well as caring for their employees. I cannot really predict much else that I'll be doing, I am just focused on being the best employee I can be for Capital One at this time.

What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue the same career as yours? 

Maintain a competitive GPA, get involved with organizations or extracurriculars you are actually passionate about and take on leadership positions, GIVE BACK/Mentor when you can, do not do things to "look better on paper", do not burn any bridges, network network network, focus in classes and be able to apply what you learn in class to problem solving scenarios in interviews or challenges outside of the classroom.

What is your favorite part of being a management and or Pamplin student? 

I've said it before, but the management faculty and staff are unlike any other department at the Pamplin College of Business. They always support their students and put them first, and you truly feel set up for success being in management. As for Pamplin, I love that there are endless opportunities if you work hard and leave all doors open. The amount of connections and friends I have made while here in Pamplin is truly unbelievable.

What is your LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketwarner

Has there been a faculty member or staff member within Pamplin and/or the MGT department that has served as a mentor or source of inspiration for you during your journey? 

I have gotten a lot of support from the Honors College Faculty and Staff, specifically Dean Knox and Alkan Soysal. From Management, Ron Poff, Denise Cordova, and Dr. Gnyawali have all given me endless support and advice over the years and I am forever indebted to them. From Pamplin, I have worked alongside Dean Khansa for the last few years as a member of DABS, she is an amazing leader. I think of all these individuals in the highest regard.