Class of 2026: Madeline Glanz builds a future in environmental science

Name: Madeline Glanz

College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Major: Environmental science

Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia

Plans after graduation: Glanz will work as an assistant environmental scientist at Burns & McDonnell in Richmond, Virginia, where she will focus on environmental permitting for utility and water treatment projects.

Favorite Hokie memory: “My favorite memories as a student at Virginia Tech are of all the amazing people I got to meet. Blacksburg has become home for me, and that never would have happened without all of the friends I met here. My friends in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES) have a rare gift of always lifting each other up no matter what. When I look back at my time at Virginia Tech, I am going to miss my professors and my courses, but what I am going to miss the most is my best friends and my classmates. The people make the place, and the people I have met at Virginia Tech are the best.”

What’s been the best thing about your major and department? Has there been a favorite class, memory, professor, or experience that stood out and why?

The best thing about my major is the advisors and professors. My advisor, Karen Drake-Whitney, has done so much more for me than help me plan my schedule. Karen has trusted me with important projects, employed me as a peer mentor, helped me make big life decisions when I had to choose between internship offers, and celebrated all the wins with me along the way. I am so grateful for her guidance and support during my college career. So many professors have positively impacted my academic career.

Dr. Ryan Stewart is not only my research advisor, but also one of my favorite professors at Virginia Tech. He has always taken the time to explain difficult concepts to me and was immediately all in when I asked if I could pursue undergraduate research in his lab.

Dr. Brian Badgley is another professor who made my time here spectacular. He is easily one of the kindest and most interesting professors I have ever had. He involved his students in interesting and relevant projects that I still think about today.

And Dr. Aaron Geller, who taught me analytical chemistry, somehow made the most daunting course in my major one of my favorites at Virginia Tech. He took the time to get to know each of his students, and I put my all into this course because I know he did the same.

My department is amazing because of all the passionate and driven people who deliver for our students every day. I would not be where I am today without them.

What hands-on research opportunities, internships, or study abroad opportunities have you had? How have they helped you in your studies and career development?

During my time at Virginia Tech, I have had numerous internships and research opportunities that have helped me figure out what I want to do with my degree. I had the opportunity to intern with the National Association of State Energy Officials in Arlington, Virginia. There, I learned about the energy industry and gained valuable research skills. I discovered how interested I am in the intersection between the energy industry and environmental science.

That led me to my next internship at Berkshire Hathaway Energy. There, I worked on an amazing team in a rotational internship program. I had the opportunity to shadow professionals in air permitting, land disturbance permitting, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission processes, and spill control engineering. I worked on valuable projects, but my favorite was creating a database to help track greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with California Senate Bill 253.

Lastly, during this spring semester, I had the opportunity to pursue undergraduate research under Dr. Ryan Stewart. My research focused on soil aggregate stability and utilizing the Cornell Rainfall Infiltrometer to mimic rainfall events and study how different soils withstand rain.

All of these experiences have helped steer me toward my future career at Burns & McDonnell. I have had such diverse experiences throughout my time at Virginia Tech, and they have all allowed me to learn and grow in different ways, both inside the classroom and professionally.

What extracurricular activities and leadership roles have you been involved in? How did they impact your overall experience?

Some of the extracurricular activities I have been involved in include peer mentoring for SPES 1004. I have been a peer mentor for this course for two years now, and it has easily been the most fulfilling role I have had at Virginia Tech. It has been such an amazing way to connect with new first-year students and help them acclimate to Blacksburg.

I also currently work as a peer mentor for a new professional development course in SPES. It has been a great experience to watch this course take off and see how it is already positively impacting students.

I also worked as an intern with the Office of Sustainability this year. My focus was student engagement, and my biggest project was helping establish Greeks Go Green. This initiative aims to get Greek life more involved in sustainability on campus through competitions and events. My biggest accomplishment so far has been securing a $5,000 grant from the New Initiative Fund to help Greeks Go Green run The Big Clean this year.

I also had the opportunity to work with Karen Drake-Whitney to help create an alumni database to better connect current students with alumni working in the industry. I am really excited to see how this project will benefit future SPES students.

During my time at Virginia Tech, I also volunteered as a CALS Ambassador. I served on the Student Events, Daily Visits, and Virtual Visits committees. Getting to know prospective students and connecting with them and their families has been extremely rewarding.

All of these roles have connected me to my school and given me the opportunity to help new and prospective students. I have learned so much during my four years in Blacksburg, and it has been a pleasure to share that knowledge with current and future students. One of my first goals when I got to Virginia Tech was to leave a positive impact on campus, and I hope these roles have helped me achieve that.

What are you doing after you graduate, and what long-term plans do you have for your career?

After I graduate, I will be working as an assistant environmental scientist at Burns & McDonnell. There, I’ll be working on environmental permitting for projects such as utilities and water treatment facilities in Richmond, Virginia. In the long term, I hope to continue growing my passion for building sustainable communities and use what I have taken away from Virginia Tech to learn and grow in my field.