Defining Moments

Nate Williams ’09 approached death the same way he did life — with love, laughter, and a desire to leave a legacy. “He never wanted to be known as the ‘sick’ friend,” said his wife, Faith Williams. “He just wanted to be the friend.” Nate Williams, who graduated with a degree in architecture, passed away in 2020 after a two-year battle with colon cancer. But his story didn’t end there.  A few days before he died, Nate Williams expressed a desire to “start a scholarship for architecture students at Virginia Tech because being an architect meant everything to him. It was his passion and his profession. It was his food and air.”  Friends, family, and even strangers inspired by his life contributed to endow a scholarship in his name, ensuring his legacy supports future generations. Within four years, more than $60,000 was raised via GoFundMe. The Williams family and other anonymous donors committed the remaining $40,000, meeting the $100,000 endowment requirement. The Nathan Williams Scholarship will support an incoming first-year student in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design each year. “The fact that Nate will be remembered, and he’ll have an impact forever there, I think that’s special,” said Jeff Yacup ’07, who attended high school with Williams and was a longtime friend. “To think back to the times we had there and the fun we had, and that may be emulated for some other student from Manassas or elsewhere — I think it’s amazing.”

Nearly 30 years apart, Julie Byrd ’95 and senior Rabihah Waheed found their way to Virginia Tech. Their paths connected through the Beyond Boundaries Scholars program, which pairs donors with students and doubles each gift through a university match. For Byrd, who studied English and history and built a 20-year career in finance, the program offered a meaningful way to give back. She remembered how scholarships helped her as a student and wanted to extend that support to future generations. Waheed, a political science major with a minor in Arabic, is a first-generation student who grew up in Northern Virginia. She said Byrd’s mentorship has been invaluable. “When you are a first-gen student, people don’t always realize how much having someone there for you can shape your four years,” Waheed said. “I’m glad you were the one paired with me, because I feel like you understand.” Since its launch in 2017, more than 100 households helped students pursue their dreams. Byrd encourages others to consider it. “A lot of people think they have to give large dollar amounts,” she said. “The reality is, with Beyond Boundaries, you’re giving a relatively small amount, but it's so significant. You get to watch someone grow, and to know you’re helping them along their journey — it is incredibly meaningful.”

After immigrating from Hong Kong, Marco Leung ’12 grew up in Bluefield, Virginia, where his uncle ran a small restaurant. He was an excellent student, but financially, college seemed out of reach. Leung mapped every cost alongside his available funds in columns on a whiteboard until the numbers aligned.

That determination carried him through Virginia Tech, where he earned a computer science degree with minors in business and math, landed internships, and set the stage for a career at Deloitte. As a senior manager, Leung leads federal digital transformation projects that improve citizen services and spark innovation. An active member of the Virginia Tech Alumni Board, he connects Hokies with opportunities at Deloitte. “Virginia Tech leveled the playing field for me,” Leung said. “Now I can help expand that network for future Hokies.”

A great mentor can guide students through college, shape career readiness, and inspire success long after graduation. For Alana Davis ’07, that mentor was Dixie Watts Dalton, associate professor of practice in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Dr. Dalton had a profound impact on me as a student,” Davis said. “She helped me with my career path and set me up for success. This is the lasting impact a mentor can have on someone.” Davis had long dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Her parents encouraged her to study business if she hoped to one day own a practice. Dalton showed her a path through agricultural and applied economics that combined both business and pre-veterinary coursework. The program challenged Davis and ultimately helped her realize veterinary medicine wasn’t the right fit. She joined Virginia Tech’s Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program, where she focused on virology and discovered a passion for vaccine development. Today, Davis is head of customer experience at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies. She credits Virginia Tech for preparing her to adapt and thrive. “I apply everything I learned at Virginia Tech in what I am doing today,” Davis said. “It filled my toolbox with the essential tools.” For Dalton, watching Davis succeed has been rewarding. “She embraced the mentoring opportunities provided to her as a student and, in a full-circle moment, is benefiting those with whom she works,” Dalton said. Looking back, Davis said mentorship gave her courage to change paths. “It was scary when I decided not to be a veterinarian anymore. Mentorship was crucial to me and why I proudly pay it forward. I am a proud Hokie.”

John Linehan ran track at Grafton High School in Yorktown, Virginia, but at Virginia Tech, he chose a different lane. “I knew I wasn’t going to be a pro athlete, but I was obsessed with cross country and track,” Linehan said. “There’s no way I could run those times, but I wanted to help pro athletes hit world records and crazy goals. An advisor helped me see the difference between engineering disciplines, and I’ve been working toward that ever since.” Linehan chose mechanical engineering based on its versatility and his interest in the mechanics of shoes, adding a biomedical engineering minor. The mix put him at the perfect intersection: designing athletic shoes to support the human foot in motion. In the Kevin P. Granata Biomechanics Lab, Linehan explored sex-based differences in performance and plantar loading in soccer and football cleats. According to Robin Queen, professor and lab director, he quickly learned the skills needed to make meaningful contributions in the industry. Hungry to expand his experience, Linehan scoured LinkedIn for internships worldwide. When a first interview at Adidas in product testing didn’t pan out, he asked for feedback and was recommended to the product development team instead. That led to six months in Germany, combining hands-on work with study abroad. Now a senior, Linehan has shifted focus from feet to heads, conducting research in the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. The journey has given him clarity as he nears graduation in May 2026. “I’m fascinated by how products interact with the body,” he said. “Innovation in sports isn’t just about performance; it’s about solving problems, telling stories, and making an impact. I’m thrilled I chose Virginia Tech and have had such a supportive community helping me reach my goals.”