When Mallory Tuttle, associate director of the Virginia Tech Newport News Center, joined the 2025 Lead Virginia program, she stepped into a yearlong immersion in the commonwealth’s diverse regions, challenges, and opportunities.

Through on-the-ground visits, candid conversations, and engagement with leaders across sectors, she gained a richer, more nuanced understanding of the communities Virginia Tech serves — and the role Hokies can play in strengthening them.

Now a graduate of the program, Tuttle returns with new insights and a powerful statewide network. Her experience reinforced the importance of humility, collaboration, and truly meeting communities where they are.

“The experience deepened my appreciation for how Virginia Tech is tailoring our engagement efforts to meet communities where they are, honor their priorities, and collaborate intentionally for long-term impact,” Tuttle said.

How did participating in Lead Virginia deepen your understanding of the communities and regions Virginia Tech serves?

Lead Virginia offered an immersive look at three core program curriculum themes — economy, education, and health — and how they play out differently across the state. Visiting each featured region for multiple days and hearing directly from local leaders, business owners, educators, health care professionals, and nonprofit partners reinforced how varied Virginia’s opportunities and challenges truly are. Seeing these needs and strengths firsthand helped me better understand the people and the places the university serves.

How did the relationships you built through Lead Virginia expand opportunities for collaboration?

Some of the most meaningful connections came from candid conversations and moments shared with members of my Lead Virginia cohort. With 57 leaders participating in this year’s program, there was never a lack of conversation or ideas for collaboration — especially around talent development, regional innovation, and place-based initiatives that align closely with the work of Outreach and International Affairs.

Through this program I’ve gained access to a trusted network that will help reinforce and establish new partnerships for Virginia Tech in the Hampton Roads region and beyond. These relationships provide new entry points, new champions, and new ways to deepen Virginia Tech’s presence and value across the state.

It was a heartwarming to travel across the commonwealth and hear people mention the work being done by so many incredible Virginia Tech faculty – many of whom are part of Outreach and International Affairs. It made me incredibly proud to be a Hokie and to be part of our division.

How will what you learned through Lead Virginia shape your work?

Lead Virginia reinforced the importance of approaching community engagement with humility, intentionality, and a clear understanding that each region has its own story and vision for the future. I’m bringing that mindset back to my work for the Newport News Center and the Center for Economic and Community Engagement by:

  • Strengthening regional alignment by ensuring our programs reflect real community-driven needs and opportunities while also having alignment with Virginia Tech priorities and expertise.
  • Elevating partnership-driven initiatives by working more closely with a variety of stakeholders to co-create programs that support the greater good and break down silos.
  • Expanding statewide connectivity by using the Lead Virginia network to enhance our work across the commonwealth as a trusted and valued convener and collaborator.

Ultimately, the program strengthened my commitment to building programs and partnerships that reflect the complexity — and tremendous potential — of the commonwealth. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer understanding of how the Newport News Center and the Center for Economic and Community Engagement can serve as connectors, conveners, and catalysts for regional prosperity.

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