Enrollment Management and Student Services

The Innovation Campus will provide support for enrollment management with well-planned strategies to meet the degree targets and diversity goals of the campus. Strategic enrollment management will be crucial in planning for new growth and sustaining enrollment long term. From admission management to academic services and student support to retain students through graduation, the Innovation Campus will be resourced to cultivate prospective students and support all those who matriculate.

Admission Management

The approach to admissions will be based on a holistic assessment of the potential of students to carry out the technical work, but also to thrive in an environment that requires professional skills such as leadership, management, communication, decision making, and diversity and cultural competency. We strive to create a process that is accessible to students across multiple disciplines and academic backgrounds, as well as varying professional experience.

The Innovation Campus will employ a variety of recruitment strategies to cultivate and engage high levels of qualified Virginia Residents as well as domestic and international students.

Recruitment Strategies

Direct Admissions Program. As part of the commitment to the Tech Talent Investment Program with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the efforts to accelerate the workforce development, the direct admissions program brings clarity and simplicity to the admissions process into the Master of Engineering for qualified Virginia residents. This program expedites the review of applicants who are Virginia residents and have completed (with a grade of B or better) the pre-requisite undergraduate coursework needed for Computer Science (with 2 semesters of data structures) or Computer Engineering (with multivariable calculus). (Expected Fall 2023.)

4+1 Program. As a state land grant institution, Virginia Tech seeks ways to be more accessible to its citizenry. The 4+1 – or Bachelor’s-to-Master’s degree in five years – provides a clear and affordable path to graduate education. Today, Virginia Tech undergrads along with undergraduates at five in-state colleges and universities benefit from an agreed upon shared curriculum that expedites the path to the Master of Engineering degree. The Innovation Campus will continue to grow this list of affiliated colleges and universities to include historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority serving institutions (MSIs). Through these partnerships, students are able to fast track their graduate degree and enter the workforce sooner. (Current for VT and 5 partner schools, will expand as practical.)

2+3 Program. The Virginia Community College System, the largest higher education system in Virginia, enrolls some of the most talented and career-oriented students in the Commonwealth of Virginia. By partnering with the VCCS, the Innovation Campus will provide a pathway for students to complete two years at a community college and three years completing the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Virginia Tech. There is no precedence for this model in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but by providing this track, access and affordability are maximized and students are more prepared for the fast-growing tech industry. (Future- TBD)

Bridge Program. Students in related fields like science, math, and business are well positioned for innovation in the tech ecosystem and can enhance the breadth of discovery and innovation in the field of computing. However, these disciplines sometimes lack the required pre-requisite coursework needed to enter a graduate program in computer science. To meet these students where they are, the Innovation Campus provides a bridge experience called Computing for the Future. This twelve-week experience offered through the Office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) allows an expedited pathway to receiving the foundational course knowledge to begin the Master’s degree opportunities. (Pilot program Summer 2022)

Corporate Cohorts Program. Investing in talent is a theme of the Innovation Campus and its partners. Corporate Cohorts are industry-sponsored opportunities for current employees to enroll in the degree programs offered at the Innovation Campus with concierge-level service. (Currently one pilot, will expand as practical)

International Student Program. The Innovation Campus will recruit students from around the world to contribute to the diversity of the campus environment.  Admitted students will have access to a summer online orientation program so that they are ready to join the Innovation Campus programs upon arrival in the fall. (Current practice)

The Innovation Campus Admissions Office will be led by the Director of Admissions and staffed with recruiters, enrollment specialists, and a financial aid coordinator. The staff will work closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management, The Graduate School, Marketing and Communications, and department level administrators to shape enrollment and meet established goals.

Academic Support and Student Services

The Innovation Campus will be the home of the newly created Hokie One Stop office. This office is multi-model servicing arm of Virginia Tech that promotes academic success, provides convenient access to student business related services, enhances the student experience, and fosters inclusion and diversity and professional development for all students. This extensive infrastructure of support brings together functions such as Dean of Students, Counseling and Wellness, Graduate School, Career and Professional Development, Veteran Services, Immigration and International Student Services, academic advising, and other business-related services such as Registrar, Financial Aid, and Bursar to compliment the layers of learning and research support provided by the Innovation Campus. Additionally, the support model offers a position to liaison between our industry partners and students through scholarships, mentoring programs, networking events, and talent development.

The AVP for Student Services at the Innovation Campus will be responsible for overseeing the execution of the overall operation and the coordination between the other senior management areas across the university. The Admissions Office will co-locate in the Hokie One Stop to complement and round out the operation, ensuring that students are supported from application to graduation.