Securing our future
For more than 15 years, Virginia Tech has prepared students to tackle our nation’s most complex security challenges. It all started with a vision from engineering alumnus and former U.S. intelligence professional Ted Hume ’74.
Virginia Tech students Gavin Saul, Rose Stanphill, and Connor Thornhill use the Virginia Tech National Security Institute’s Space Domain Awareness Telescope. Photo by Christina Franusich for Virginia Tech.
The year 2010 was transformational for improvements in technological innovation. Apple had just released its first-generation iPad, 4G wireless was entering the scene, and the popular photo and video social networking platform Instagram was launched.
That same year, Virginia Tech established a transformational center when the idea for the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology was born. Much like the disruptors to the tech space, Ted Hume '74 understood the future wants and needs of national security. The center was built with students and the future of the country in mind.
“I’ve seen the critical need for national security evolve tremendously over the course of my lifetime,” Hume said. “To be prepared to handle the changing landscape of threats to the United States, I knew we needed to invest in our students – they’re our future defenders.”
A member of the intelligence community for nearly 50 years, the 1974 electrical engineering graduate chose to give back to Virginia Tech by supporting the creation of a center that would allow students to get hands-on, individualized education with the opportunity to solve real-world problems. During its first 13 years, the Hume Center armed thousands of Virginia Tech students with the expertise to support and defend the nation with projects ranging from the exploration of vulnerabilities in electrical vehicle charging stations to designing ultraviolet camera systems for space weather studies, and even improving space telescope capabilities.
Kevin Keating '86 is a Virginia Tech aerospace and ocean engineering alumnus who worked alongside Hume on several government-backed national security projects. He benefited from Hume’s mentorship and no-nonsense leadership style during the 10 years that they worked together.
“Ted demanded a lot, but we had tremendous success," Keating said. "We were responsible for risky technical endeavors that sometimes put employees’ lives at risk. That's why it was crucial to get everything right. I learned more about leadership from him than I did from anyone else in my career."
“Ted has always been about the mission and people and about getting people interested in national security,” Keating said.
Thanks to Hume’s support and expertise, that mission has been accomplished.
Hume Center fast facts
- 1,000-plus students in 2023-24
- 50-plus graduate research assistants
- Student researchers from seven of the eight colleges at Virginia Tech
- 80-plus unique student research projects, experiential learning opportunities, seminars, and other career development opportunities in 2023-24
- 400 percent increase in student participants since 2010
A community upbringing
Hume grew up on a farm outside of Washington, D.C. His mother and father both worked on the farm and other jobs as well. His mother was a purchasing assistant and his father was a security protective officer.
“I grew up watching my parents do whatever was necessary to provide, and that taught me resilience and adaptability,” Hume said. “What shapes us as human beings is where we come from — our family, values, and experiences. My farm upbringing instilled a strong work ethic and a sense of community.”
Hume carried that strong work ethic with him throughout his young adult life and in school. With the support of his high school guidance counselor, the young farmer found Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering and that’s where Hume’s journey toward public service began.
Farming gave Hume the necessary mechanical skills while his ham radio kit, a gift from his parents, sparked an interest in electronics. As part of his undergraduate education, Hume participated in a cooperative education program, which combines traditional classroom education with practical, hands-on work experience. During the interview process for those jobs, Hume met with several companies and government agencies. Ultimately, he ended up working for the government during those co-op semesters as an engineering technician and worked his way up the ladder over time.
"My upbringing and values made working for the government a natural fit. Public service became my calling," Hume said.
Throughout his career in national security, there was extensive travel, work for a variety of agencies, and dynamic, high stakes missions. Hume’s wife, Karyn, always remained a constant and supported his work and “the mission” by holding down the fort at home. Karyn saw her husband's career success in government firsthand and the need for more leaders like him in the field. Years later, when deciding on how to give back at Virginia Tech, the Humes both wanted to provide an opportunity other than scholarships to support students, and the answer was clear.
“Growing up in a rural community, learning about work ethic, attending Virginia Tech, and the strength of my family all represented opportunities,” said Ted Hume. “Opportunities I was able to take that others probably weren’t. Karyn and I wanted to create opportunities for everybody. Us giving back, students having support, and being a part of the national security community — that’s the kind of legacy you want to leave."
The evolution of national security at Virginia Tech
Thirteen years after the opening of the center, Hume's predictions were spot on. In 2023, the National Security Agency had more than 3,000 open positions.
“We’ve grown from a little over 200 students to now more than 1,000 students that engage with the Hume Center and the National Security Institute every year,” said Eric Paterson, executive director of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute. “Ted always says, ‘Keep growing. I want to see 5,000 students.’ It’s about training these talented graduate and undergraduate students for careers in service to our country, and he is deeply invested in the legacy of this center.”
Paterson has seen the power of Hume’s vision firsthand. Using the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology as the foundation, the Virginia Tech National Security Institute has grown its sponsored research expenditures from $15 million to more than $40 million since its formation in 2021. This success would not have been possible without the foundation of Hume’s vision and the Hume Center paving the way.
Research institutes at Virginia Tech are agile by design and are able to pivot quickly in response to emerging technologies and national needs. With the vision and history of the Hume Center at its core, the Virginia Tech National Security Institute has had a remarkable first three years and promises to be a crown jewel of the university for decades to come.
Student-secured experience
More than 5,000 Virginia Tech students have worked alongside world-class faculty members and other Hokies with aspirations of entering the national security work force since the opening of the Hume Center. Students from all backgrounds and nearly every college at Virginia Tech have found their calling and a sense of community thanks to the interdisciplinary research and experiential learning happening at this unique center. With real world projects and internships offered by federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense, the university is creating a pipeline of professionals ready for this ever-evolving field.
Ella Rasmussen, senior
Major: Computer science with a concentration in secure computing
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
“The mission of national security appealed to me because of its greater purpose, and I wanted to explore the vast field of computer science through hands-on experience,” Rasmussen said. “Without the Hume Center, I probably wouldn’t have a job lined up after graduation. These programs helped me secure a full-time position at Raytheon and taught me skills I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere.”
Since joining the Hume Center team, Rasmussen has worked on projects such as the Raytheon Autonomous Vehicles Competition and the UT Prosat satellite project, providing the Charlotte native with experiential learning opportunities and lessons in working with a team. She has collaborated with students from other disciplines — such as aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering — and worked closely with faculty mentors and National Security Institute support staff such as Minzhen Du, Gustavo Gargioni, Annie Heyns, Tiasha Khan, and Kevin Schroeder, learning technical and project management skills.
Skills gained: Projects provided hands-on learning outside the classroom, especially in hardware and physical systems, which complemented the computer science curriculum. Developed key soft skills like public speaking, team collaboration, and explaining technical work to non-specialists.
Favorite Hume Center activities: Anything that allowed for teamwork or collaboration. “It’s rewarding to see everything come together in a project, and to appreciate the magic of what others in different disciplines can do.”
Career impact: Secured a post-graduation role with Raytheon through the Hume Center’s Workforce Development Program.
Melanie Sutphin ‘20
Degree: National Security and Foreign Affairs with minors in Arabic and Middle East studies.
Hometown: Warrenton, Virginia
Melanie Sutphin chose Virginia Tech because of the diverse academic options. In high school, she took some Arabic classes that sparked her interest in language, culture, and politics of the Middle East. Sutphin chose to major in national security and foreign affairs and had the opportunity to participate in Arabic study abroad programs in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
She found out about the Hume Center after attending a guest lecture focused on the role of technology in international politics. Sutphin was initially concerned about not being an engineering student but realized her unique skills were valuable.
“I was kind of the odd man out, not being an engineering student, but that meant I brought skills to the table that the engineering students didn’t have,” Sutphin said. “The Hume Center allowed me to get involved in a lot of different ways, and I developed skills in communication and teamwork that I use now in my career every day.”
During her time at the Hume Center, the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences alumna wrote reports and summaries for tech-heavy projects and offered cultural and geographical insights for GIS-related projects.
Skills gained: Enhanced teamwork, communication, and the ability to simplify and articulate complex technical information.
Favorite Hume Center activities: Participating in speaker sessions, career fairs, and working with students from various backgrounds and skill sets.
Career impact: Has been employed by the FBI since graduating in 2020 and is now a full-time recruiter at the agency, where she utilizes skills from her Hume Center experience.
