Elizabeth Oliver is a senior from Alexandria, Virginia and is a management major, with a concentration in Management Consulting Analytics (MCA). Elizabeth has been active in various student organizations serving in leadership roles. She served as the President of the National Association of Black Accountants and as the Director of Fundraising for College Mentors for Kids at Virginia Tech. After graduation, Elizabeth has accepted a consulting position, for a major financial consulting firm in Northern Virginia and she plans to work there for a year or two, to gain sponsorship for law school to study either business law or sports law.

We recently asked Elizabeth to share her experiences as a Management major and as a Pamplin College of Business student.

Why did you choose Virginia Tech?  When and why did you choose MGT?

I chose Virginia Tech because of the numerous opportunities and prestige that stems from having a Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University degree. I switched my major from accounting to management, my junior year. I felt really limited and constricted at that time and  Management allowed me to utilize and diversify multiple skills which was very important to me.

Were there any specific classes that you remember as validating your major choice to date? 

MGT 4084- Management Consulting, with Professor Dirk Buengel, was one of the most challenging management classes, I took at Virginia Tech; however, it was also one of the most rewarding. This real-world consulting course and semester long project made me realize my untapped potential. This class and professor pushed me out of my comfort zone to make me really appreciate the side of management I was lacking knowledge in, consulting.

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?

There have been multiple professors that have really shaped my mind in through their instruction in the management department, such as Dr. Richard Hunt and Professor Margaret Deck. However, I would say the professor that mentored or inspired me the most, would be Professor Audra Price in business law. She helped clarify matters in class, and she also made efforts to try and help me progress in my future endeavors, outside of Virginia Tech.

Name some of the internships, if any, that you had during your Virginia Tech and/or Pamplin journey.

Events Intern- VT Athletics Marketing Department (2019-2020)

VT student worker- Football Recruiting Department (2017-2018)

Hokie Ambassador- VT Baseball (2017-2018)

What advice would you provide to an incoming Pamplin freshman?

The best advice I can give to any student regarding Virginia Tech would be to get involved. While at Virginia Tech, I was involved in a wide variety of activities: College Mentors for Kids (Fundraising Director), the National Association of Black Accountants (President), various programs in the athletic department, multiple honors organizations, I studied abroad, etc. Virginia Tech offers its students so many opportunities to succeed and get involved.

Do not let these opportunities pass you by... GET INVOLVED. I promise you, you are going to want to be able to look back on your college career, and reflect on the positive things you did as an undergrad. But you will not be able to do this, if you are constantly turning down opportunities. Personally, I can look back on my college career, and see the impact I made; through the people I have affected and changes I implemented. I wouldn’t change any of these experiences for the world. These experiences have allowed me to, only grow as a person, but as a Hokie. So, make sure you get out of your comfort zone, and try new things; join new clubs, explore various internship opportunities, study abroad. Just be sure to take advantage of everything Virginia Tech has to offer you, while you’re still an undergrad. Just get involved.