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Virginia Tech alum returns to “SPARQ” innovation

Category: impact Video duration: Virginia Tech alum returns to “SPARQ” innovation
Patrick Fromal, the newly appointed President of Shimadzu Corporation, America and Virginia Tech alumnus '94, visits campus to perform a ribbon cutting ceremony to open a Shimadzu laboratory space within the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building and celebrate a new SPARQ partnership with the university.
Shimadzu is here today to kick off the SPARQ program with Virginia Tech. This is a program by which we will be working with the undergraduate students and the researchers here at Virginia Tech, embodying the use of our equipment for their education as well as innovative research. The things that helped me while I was here at Virginia Tech to help me be in a position to lead a worldwide organization truly was the mentorship that I received from the professors, but also, I had the opportunity to work with many graduate students from various different places in the world. And it was such an eye-opening experience for me, to understand that there was a deep appreciation for science in itself all around the world. I've mentioned this before to some of the chemistry graduates. The foundation that Virginia Tech is giving you is a foundation in which you can build a skyscraper of a career. The work is going to be ahead of you. Have grit, have perseverance, but embrace the teamwork, embrace the community. Stay close to your professors. Lean upon them. They are a great support mechanism for the rest of your career.