Logan Smith
December 17, 2021
Logan Smith is a graduating senior that is receiving degrees from both the Management and Real Estate departments with a management concentration of Management Consulting and Analytics. He grew up in Dublin, VA, which is only around 15 minutes away from the Virginia Tech campus, where he was raised as a Tech fan and attended nearly every football game to cheer on the Hokies.
My Journey to VT and the MGT department
Growing up very close to the university and in a family of dedicated Tech fans it was always destined for my brother and I both to attend Virginia Tech. As the years went by, we continued to grow as Tech fans, and the reality of choosing a college came closer and closer. Then, my brother graduated high school and the choice was a no brainer. Virginia Tech was the number one program in the world in his desired filed, and it was one of the few schools that had a fishing team. As my graduation grew closer, I had decided I want to do something different, so I applied to several schools including UVA, Georgia Tech, and Emory University. After debating my options, I had decided that I would attend UVA where I would get my degree and pursue my dream of becoming a navy seal officer. Shortly after this decision was made life threw me a curve ball, and I was involved in a vehicle accident that very obviously should have been fatal. I came away from this accident with my life but was left with a spinal cord injury and a lot of broken dreams. Getting past this was not easy, but by faith and family support, I am where I am today. Through this accident and the following events, I realized that I have a natural desire to lead and to push individuals to be the best that they can be. This brought me to the management major, and then to Virginia Tech. After meeting with advisors in the department I realized this was the school and program for me. While it took this situation to get me to the management department at VT, looking back it is clear that it was the obvious choice the entire time. My time here has given me nothing but reasons to see why I made the best decision when choosing both VT and the management department. The professors and entire staff are top notch and drive you to be your best while still being extremely helpful and accommodating. I honestly believe I am working with the best staff and have received the best education!
Plans after graduation?
After graduation I will continue working for my current employer RE/MAX 8 as a consultant to the owner, while looking for second employment in the consulting field. I will be looking for employment to gain experience in the field while taking a gap year in between receiving my bachelor’s degrees and graduate school. I will be attending one of several possible schools that offer joint programs that allow you to complete a Juris Doctorate of Law and a Masters of Business Administration in three years. (UVA, Emory University, or U of A). My goals after completing school are to work as a consultant to build the knowledge base and brand name to work as an independent consultant eventually owning my own business. I wish to also use my experience and education in real estate to build a self-managed real estate sales team that functions largely without supervision. Lastly, I plan to use the income from these careers to manage a portfolio of investment real estate properties. My ultimate goal of all of these things and years of hard work, are to be able to give back to the community in everyway possible. I believe that we all have a calling in life, and everything we do serves a greater purpose than ourselves. My favorite part of Virginia Tech, and something I will always live by is our moto, which is “UT PRISM”. (So I may serve!)
Testimonial of The MGT department and Pamplin
Staff: As mentioned above the staff members are the reason, I chose Virginia Tech and the Management department from day one. I was instantly welcomed into the department with open arms and the experience only grew from there. I was never an easy student to deal with because of the constant needed accommodations in every aspect including class schedule, and this grew even larger as I chose to pursue two degrees in my tenure at VT. The staff never flinched and gladly helped in every stage of the process.
Curriculum: The curriculum of the management department is unique and drives many individuals out of their comfort zone. It forces you to grow into the best possible professional that you can be. It is both based on hands on hard IT skills and soft in person management skills. This is a perfect balance that very few schools and no other curriculum provides. Next, this department structures its classes to give you real world experience, that can be used on a resume, near the end of your tenure at VT. I found this experience to be invaluable.
Peers: As you join the management department you will make connections, find partners, and team members that will be a pivotal part in your growth and success as a professional. This department is full of individuals that are highly intelligent and will push you to achieve way past what you thought you were capable of.
Advice given to future MGT professionals
In today’s world the individuals that are the most successful are not the ones with the most talent or intelligence, but the ones that continue to get up after being knocked down. Calvin Coolidge put it this way, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.”
Life is not always easy, and college is just the beginning of this, I know this is all too well, but your success will be defined by how you face your obstacles and continue to move forward.