The power of mentorship

A great mentor can help students transition from life in college to a rewarding career after graduation, promote academic and career readiness, and provide an advantage for success.

For Alana Davis, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007 with a degree in agricultural and applied economics, that person was College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Professor of Practice Dixie Watts Dalton.

“Dr. Dalton had a profound impact on me as a student,” said Davis. “She helped me with my career path and set me up for success. This is the lasting impact a mentor can have on someone.”

Coming from a military family, Davis lived all over the world before settling in Virginia. She always wanted to become a veterinarian and researched programs, honing in on Virginia Tech.

“My parents were advocates for me to own a veterinary practice, and to do that, they suggested I pursue an undergraduate degree in business,” Davis said. “I did not value that feedback at the time, and I thought it was a bit ridiculous because I had no interest in business. I wanted to be a veterinarian and take care of animals.”

Davis focused on what she needed to do to fulfill her dream and satisfy the advice of her parents. She initially looked at studying animal and poultry science until she met Dalton.

“Dr. Dalton told me that I could have the best of both worlds in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, where not only could I get my courses in pre-vet management completed but also business at the same time,” Davis said.

“Mentoring students is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professor,” Dalton said. “I enjoy learning students' goals and aspirations and aiding them in finding opportunities, whether academic, extracurricular, or career-focused, that help prepare them to achieve those goals. For the student, it is important to develop those out-of-class relationships with professors and to utilize them as a resource.”

The agricultural and applied economics program exposed Davis to economics, data analysis, and business management.

“The way Dr. Dalton challenged me really motivated me,” said Davis.

For many students, it's natural to question their chosen career paths. That's exactly what Davis experienced during her senior year, when she began to re-evaluate her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Although she had a passion for animal husbandry, science, and data analytics, Davis realized that veterinary medicine was no longer the right fit for her.

So, Davis entered the Virginia Tech PREP, the Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program for students interested in pursuing a research career in behavioral or biomedical sciences and engineering. Virginia Tech PREP supports students through individualized mentoring, foundation coursework, innovative research, and professional development essential to success in graduate school and competitive doctoral programs.

This experience provided Davis with exposure to science and lab work — specifically a focus on virology — which kicked off her interest in vaccine development.

Today, she works at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies as the head of customer experience, developing platforms and programs that solicit and value customer feedback.

When thinking of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, you might think of cameras but cameras are their smallest division. Through its value in innovation, the company has broadened its focus to include life sciences and biotechnology. The company is a contract drug manufacturer that partners with customers to develop and manufacture recombinant proteins, viral vaccines, and gene therapies.

“I apply everything I learned at Virginia Tech in what I am doing today, and just being able to have that exposure and broaden my horizons allowed me to have a greater appreciation for those things that are outside the norm or the path in which you think you should take,” Davis said. “It filled my toolbox with the essential tools.”

For Dalton, it’s been rewarding to see the success of her former student.

“I was thrilled to view a CNN video featuring Alana, which allowed me to see her career accomplishments, and to hear about the ways she is giving back,” Dalton said. “A few of her comments particularly struck me and related to the benefits of mentorship: ‘What you are doing is meant to help someone else?’ and ‘How do you support the person next to you?’ Alana embraced the mentoring opportunities provided to her as a student and, in a full-circle moment, is benefitting those with whom she works. I am honored to have been her teacher and advisor and am so excited for the contributions she is making to her industry and the betterment of society.”

“It was scary when I made the decision that I wasn't going to be a veterinarian anymore. And it came at a time when it was like, why would you make a change for something you've devoted your whole life to?” Davis said. “Mentorship was crucial to me and why I proudly pay it forward. I am a proud Hokie.”