As we enjoy spring and head into summertime in Blacksburg, I am pleased to share some exciting departmental news, stories, and updates with you.

We continue to expand experiential learning opportunities for our students. We have been working with our alumni and industry stakeholders for campus visits so students can gain out-of-the-classroom insights into the internal workings of companies, opportunities available, and real-world knowledge.  

We thank the following alums for the impact they have had on students and for sharing their experiences this semester:

  • Joe Guthrie '89, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, spoke to the food and agricultural policy class
  • Greg Estep '83, food and agriculture advisor, spoke to the Principles of Ag Sales class
  • Owen Wagner '07, Vice President of Grains and Oilseeds Analysis, and Adeline Douglas ‘17, Associate Commodity Specialist, with Rabobank, spent the entire day with the Ag Econ Club, faculty, staff, and students

If you are willing to meet with a class or a student group, please contact me, Mike Ellerbrock, or Dixie Watts Dalton.

The Kohl Centre seeks to create and enhance undergraduate experiential learning opportunities that integrate research and service to address real-world problems. 

Led by Le Wang, David M. Kohl Chair and Professor, the Centre is moving forward with the development of a new mission and two-year strategic plan, which I am pleased to share.

Mission: The Kohl Centre at Virginia Tech is a pioneering interdisciplinary hub dedicated to advancing, implementing, and disseminating state-of-the-art applied economic problem-solving informed by data analytics solutions. Our mission is to harness the full potential of modern data analytics tools to address a diverse spectrum of challenges spanning agribusiness, food and health, environmental concerns, public policy dilemmas, and the vast landscape of applied economics. 

We are committed to training the forthcoming generation of leaders and innovators in agribusiness and applied economics by cultivating a vibrant educational environment that fosters engaging, practical, and immersive experiential learning.

At the Kohl Centre, we integrate the rigor and power of economic thinking with cutting-edge advancements in causal inference and machine learning to yield robust, data-driven evidence needed for social progress and innovation.

Two-Year Strategic Plan:

The Kohl Centre will actively contribute to three critical pillars:  

  • Transformative experiential education
  • Pioneering and impactful research
  • Dynamic industry engagement and outreach

Transformative Education

  1. Objective 1: Unique, Modern Data Analytics Curriculum
  2. Objective 2: Experiential Learning Program to Increase Student Learning and Engagement 

Pioneering and Impactful Research      

  1. Objective 1: Foster Interdisciplinary and Impactful Research in Modern Data Analytics and its applications 
  2. Objective 2: Disseminate Research and Enhance Research Collaboration and Intellectual exchange Across Disciplines

Dynamic Industry Engagement and Outreach

  1. Objective 1: Strengthen Partnerships with Industry and the community 
  2. Objective 2: Expand the Real-World Impact of the Centre’s Expertise through education and outreach

We welcome your company to be part of the Kohl Centre efforts. You can reach out to me or Le Wang at lewangecon@vt.edu to learn more. 

Faculty

  • Purdue Distinguished Ag Alumni: Matt Holt, Department Head and Professor

Students

  • CALS Outstanding Senior: Kristin Frick and Will McGuirk

  • CALS Outstanding Ambassador: Hannah Burton and Issac Turpin

  • CALS Comeback Award: Rebekah Olson

  • CALS Global Visionary: Phoebe Pyles

  • Graduate School Outstanding Master's Thesis: Maguette Sembene

  • Southern Agricultural Economics Association M.S. Thesis: Samantha Rippley

Alumni

  • Virginia Tech Graduate Alumni Achievement: Owen Wagner

  • Virginia Tech CALS Honorary Alumni: Wilmer Stoneman

Looking ahead, we are eagerly anticipating Virginia Tech’s  Alumni Weekend, June 6-9. Alumni Weekend is an exciting tradition the department and our alumni look forward to all year long. If you plan to attend, drop us a line so we can catch up, meet with a former professor or instructor, and see if you have an interest in engaging with students next fall. You can email Melissa Vidmar, Communications and Marketing Manager, at vidmar@vt.edu as a next step.

On behalf of the department, college, and the university… Here's to a great summer and fall. 

Go Hokies!
Matthew T. Holt
Department Head and Professor
mattholt@vt.edu