Class of 2025: Emma Grace Woolsey named the Robert D. Dryden Outstanding Senior for industrial and systems engineering
Name: Emma Grace Woolsey
College: Engineering
Major: Industrial and systems engineering
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia
Plans after graduation: Moving to Arlington to work at software company Appian as a quality engineer
Favorite Hokie memory: Playing with the Marching Virginians during football games.
A change of tune
Emma Grace Woolsey didn’t initially want to go to Virginia Tech.
A lifelong Blacksburg resident, Woolsey had her sights set on a change of scenery after graduating high school.
“For the longest time, I really had no desire to come to Virginia Tech. My dad is a professor in aerospace and ocean engineering. I already felt so familiar with the school. I just wanted to get out of Blacksburg,” Woolsey said.
This changed when she attended C-Tech² her junior year and met industrial and systems engineering (ISE) associate professor Kimberly Ellis.
“I met Dr. Ellis during a faculty lunch and she helped me see that Virginia Tech, and really ISE in particular, was where I belonged,” Woolsey said. “ISE stood out to me because it didn’t just focus on design or science like other engineering majors — it combined business, psychology, and analytics in a way that really appealed to me.”
Woolsey’s interest in Virginia Tech extended beyond engineering. While still in high school, she participated in the Virginia Tech Honor Band, where a performance by the Marching Virginians revealed another opportunity for connection. “Being around the Marching Virginians and seeing that community made me really want to be a part of it,” Woolsey said.
Hometown streets find new beats
The COVID-19 pandemic upended plans for a traditional first-year experience for most students entering college in the fall of 2020. Woolsey was taking 20 credit hours from her childhood bedroom when an email about the Consulting Group at Virginia Tech landed in her inbox. She had time — and curiosity.
“I decided to go to one of the events,” she said. “I had nothing else to do, but I ended up loving it. I committed to the process and got in.”
That decision became a turning point. One of her projects used Power BI, reinforcing her interest in data, communication, and problem solving — and confirming ISE was the right long-term fit for a major and beyond. Woolsey served in multiple leadership roles for the Consulting Group, such as project manager and director of projects, before ultimately leading the group as president in 2024.
Music provided its own kind of structure. Woolsey led the horn section of the Marching Virginians, composed of over 30 musicians, and assisted with auditions, rehearsals, and special performances. She was one of a handful of musicians selected to play during Hoda Kotb’s retirement special on the Today Show. This, along with wind ensemble, horn ensemble, and orchestra, gave her creative focus and community. In a time marked by distance, those pockets of rhythm and routine helped her feel grounded.
“I think the Marching Virginians helped keep me structured: 5:30 to 7 p.m. was for band, and the rest of my time was school or the Consulting Group,” Woolsey said. “Music and math are similar in how logical and structured they are. It was a great mental break while still being productive. It felt like I was contributing to something bigger than myself.”
In addition to the Consulting Group and Marching Virginians, Woolsey was a member of the College of Engineering Dean’s Team, where she engaged with prospective students and families. “I was inspired by a member of the Dean’s Team’s story when I was a prospective student, and wanted to inspire others to become part of the College of Engineering in the same way.”
The ISE edge
That same sense of structure and discipline carried into Woolsey’s professional experiences. She began with a healthcare consulting internship at Premier, where she gained early exposure to client strategy and data-driven decision making. Woolsey then completed three co-op rotations with FedEx Ground, modeling department workloads in Excel, analyzing driver compensation using SQL, and learning the ins and outs of large-scale logistics.
Most recently, she interned at Appian as a quality engineer, where she led testing for a new software feature, presented her work to cross-functional teams, and thrived in the company’s fast-paced, feedback-driven culture. Woolsey found her background and skills as an ISE gave her a competitive edge.
“At Appian, quality engineers come from a range of engineering backgrounds. I think what set me apart was the problem-solving and analytical mindset that comes from being an ISE,” Woolsey said. “I also had a lot of project management skills. Even though I wasn’t managing anyone directly, I still had to represent my team, communicate our work to other teams, and stay organized."
Blacksburg built, Arlington bound
After five years at Virginia Tech filled with meaningful work — in the classroom and beyond — Woolsey is ready for the next chapter. She accepted a full-time job offer with Appian and will move to Arlington after graduation.
Woolsey’s dedication, service, and Hokie Spirit didn’t go unnoticed by her peers or professors, including collegiate assistant professor and 2010 graduate Kathleen Carper, who taught Woolsey in technical communication during her junior year. Their connection was amplified by their shared experience as Marching Virginians.
“Emma Grace embodies The Spirit of Tech and will carry the lessons she learned in her academics and extracurriculars out into the world,” Carper said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.”
For Woolsey, the move to Northern Virginia marks more than just a job change. After a lifetime of finding her rhythm in Blacksburg, she’s ready for a new tempo.
“I’m really excited to move,” Woolsey said. “I interned in Northern Virginia last summer and loved it. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, finding new routines, and just experiencing something completely different in Arlington.”
