At the Virginia Tech Newport News Center, if something needs to get done, Lynda King is probably already on it.

As an administrative and program coordinator, King plays a central role in keeping the center running smoothly, often behind the scenes but always essential to the experience of students, partners, and colleagues alike.

Her days are rarely routine.

“I’m helping others all day long,” she said. “That might mean responding to internal or external customers, preparing for programs, marketing new events or awards, tracking numbers and revenue, or just jumping in to support our team wherever needed.”

One of Virginia Tech’s four Commonwealth Campus Centers, the Newport News Center offers professional development, continuing education, and customized training across the region.

One program King is especially proud of is the center’s online Introduction to Data Analytics certificate course. Launched in 2021 as an open-enrollment offering, the course has grown into one of the center’s standout successes. Taught by faculty from the Pamplin College of Business, the program is enrolling now for classes that begin July 28.

“It’s been so rewarding to see how it’s taken off,” King said. “I love meeting the students and interacting with the faculty each year. And because I get to sit in on the classes, I’ve learned so much myself, things I never knew about presenting, filtering, and analyzing data.”

But for King, the most meaningful part of the job is the people.

From service members and CEOs to career changers, the Newport News Center attracts participants from a wide range of backgrounds, and King gets a front-row seat to their stories.

“I meet all kinds of people,” she said. “I get to hear about their passions and what drives them. That’s something people outside our team might not realize, how many connections happen here every day.”

King’s connection to Virginia Tech runs deep. She graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing management, then took a position with the Vibrations and Acoustics Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, where she worked with Chris Fuller, the Samuel Langley Distinguished Professor of Engineering. In 2000, she was married on campus.

“I’m a Hokie through and through,” she said.

Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, especially to Florida’s Gulf Coast, where warm water and sandy beaches are her idea of a perfect reset.

“It’s my happy place,” she said. “Sitting in the sand, feeling the water, and enjoying a cold beverage or two.”

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