Pylon Society Spotlight: William (Bill) Spencer
Spencer is proud of Virginia Tech and what the university has to offer. He credits his professional success to the university and those who supported him during his time there. Now, he wants to share the gift of Virginia Tech with others so they have the same opportunities he did.
Photo of Bill Spencer, a member of the Pylon Society.
Editor’s Note: Virginia Tech’s Pylon Society recognizes dedicated Hokies who consistently give back to the university through monthly or annual recurring giving. We're sharing the stories of Pylon Society members in this spotlight series.
William (Bill) Spencer has lived a full life – a loving marriage, two wonderful daughters, and a successful career in industrial engineering. He retired following a long career at IBM working on a development team for computer hardware and software products, and currently resides in Cary, North Carolina.
He is proud of his family and accomplishments, and credits hard work, including his time at Virginia Tech.
Spencer grew up in the Farmville area in central Virginia. After graduating high school, he served in the Air Force – but he felt like there was something else he should be doing with his life.
“I hadn’t thought much about college in high school,” he said. “I took college courses while I was in the Air Force, and that’s when I realized I could do it. I could go to college. So, I applied to Virginia Tech when I was getting ready to leave the Air Force.”
Spencer said his pull to Virginia Tech was almost “magnetic.” He took leave to visit the university, met with the director of admissions, took admissions tests, and was accepted for enrollment.
Since then, the university has remained an important part of his life.
“My wife loved going back to Blacksburg even though she did not go to Virginia Tech,” he said. “She was an instigator though, getting us to go back for events. My time spent with her there … that’s a positive thing about going back for me. But when I think about places on campus, like the Drillfield and the War Memorial, and the number of people from Virginia Tech that have served, it makes me proud to know I was part of a place that contributes to the goodness of people in this country.”
Spencer credits his personal success to his degree and the faculty and staff that supported him along the way to ensure he was prepared for the workplace. He has been giving to the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and many other areas of Virginia Tech since 1974 because he wants everyone to have the same opportunities he had.
“The longer I have been associated with Virginia Tech, the more I’ve realized how much they have to offer,” he said. “Not just from an educational point of view, but it’s the atmosphere. It’s a wonderful atmosphere for youngsters to be in. There’s a lot going on. Students have wonderful opportunities to do things that are great for them and the school. Going there to get an education is a gift.”
And Spencer wants to share that same gift with current and future students.
“I’d like to see more people have the opportunity to do as much as I did,” he said.
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