Alumnus helps drive athletics initiatives that give back

When Matthew Sams ’07 was a professional and technical writing major with dreams of sports and music writing, he never imagined he’d eventually hold a title like executive director for a nonprofit organization.

However, that’s where Sams found himself with the Hokie Way. An independent nonprofit, the organization advances charitable initiatives and community-impact campaigns by working with Virginia Tech student-athletes and community partners to increase awareness, engagement, and support for important causes across the region.

“I’m really fortunate to get to work alongside my alma mater,” Sams said. “When I graduated, I didn’t want to leave because Virginia Tech is a special place. I bleed maroon and orange. To be able to work with hundreds of student-athletes who show up and represent our university with a lot of care, that’s really important to me. I’m extremely proud of what we do.” 

The Hokie Way and modern name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation didn’t exist when Sams was a student in the Department of English.

The Hokie Way was established in 2022 in response to the 2021 Supreme Court ruling that struck down NCAA restrictions on student-athlete benefits, followed by the NCAA lifting its ban on NIL compensation.  

When Sams heard about the organization, it immediately piqued his interest.  

“I loved the idea of creating opportunities for student-athletes to support nonprofits and support missions that help our local communities,” Sams said. “Then a unique opportunity came up for me to volunteer with the Hokie Way.”

At the time, Sams was vice president and partner at Firefli, a digital marketing agency that he joined in 2012. What began as consultative Q&A sessions with the Hokie Way board of directors about branding, marketing, and fundraising eventually turned into an opportunity for Sams to jump in as its director. It was too good to pass up, he said.  

“The opportunity came at the right time, and I was excited to get to work in conjunction with Virginia Tech,” Sams said. “I love Blacksburg, and I’m fortunate to live only 40 minutes away.” 

When Sams began working full time as Hokie Way’s director of operations, the organization was still in its formative stage and it needed a lot of awareness-building. However, Sams’ marketing background helped the organization increase familiarity with its mission and strengthen its relationships with local communities and charities. 

“My initial approach was really about building fundraising efforts while expanding our website and social media presence,” Sams said. “Essentially, it is creating awareness around what we’re trying to do and getting donors and supporters involved that share a mutual interest in supporting Virginia Tech and doing meaningful work in the community.” 

The Hokie Way has achieved major milestones under Sams. In less than three years since his arrival, the organization has paid for, placed, and produced more than 600,000 TV and streaming ads for its charitable partners featuring Virginia Tech student athletes, coordinated promotional social media content that has reached millions of people, organized hundreds of appearances at community events, and built meaningful relationships with local charities. This progress led to Sams' promotion to executive director in 2024.

“There are plenty of preconceived notions about NIL out there, but we’ve found that student-athletes really get a lot out of this work,” Sams said. “They appreciate having opportunities to support missions that they care about, and these organizations appreciate it as well.” 

Working with charities and nonprofit organizations has been an incredibly fulfilling experience for Sams, too.  The Hokie Way has created charitable brand categories - Hokies for Sports, Hokies for Community, and Hokies for Health.

“I’m really proud of what we do,” Sams said. “For example, every few months, we join Special Olympics’ walking club at the Christiansburg mall to promote their unified sports initiative. The Special Olympics folks get so excited when student-athletes arrive. It doesn’t really matter what sport they’re from, they just light up. It’s a simple but fun thing that’s so rewarding.” 

The NIL space isn’t always easy to work in, though. It’s still a new, ever-evolving landscape that undergoes frequent industry-shifting changes from governing bodies, universities, and the NCAA itself.  

“We’re constantly focused on navigating the changing landscape while sticking to the values of Virginia Tech and not cutting corners," Sams said. "Every day is different, which I really love. It’s a fun challenge.” 

Sams isn’t sure what he’ll encounter in his role next month, next week, or even tomorrow. His goals, however, remain the same.  

“I just hope that we keep a solid foundation of charitable partners that really want our support and enjoy working with us,” Sams said. “I want more people in Hokie Nation to understand what we’re doing and to continue to build awareness. To show that, rather than tell it - I think that’s all very important.” 

Written by Dylan Tefft, multimedia journalism major and creative writing minor