April-May 2026

The Global Mentor Program wraps up another successful year of programming for mentors and mentees alike! 

At the end of March, we hosted the annual Networking Dinner. We were honored to host an incredible panel of alumni who are now making their mark at organizations like Marriott International, Ferrari, and EY. Their insights, honesty, and real-world advice made for a truly engaging and inspiring discussion. A special highlight of the evening was the informative session by Maria Zareen from Pamplin Career Services who shared valuable guidance on career development and navigating today’s job market. We were also deeply moved by the beautiful and heartfelt presentation on the American Dream, led by the amazing mentor leader Quinn Neary. Dean Reza Barkhi delivered a powerful and inspiring speech that resonated with everyone in the room. 

In April, Chef David Yanisko hosted another favorite – his cooking class! Students learned how to cook a new dish, and got to enjoy it a shared meal together. We’re also thankful to Dr. Buddy Howell for putting together a public speaking workshop, giving students the opportunity to increase their confidence and being comfortable to speak in public.

Professor Charity Boyette hosted XDU Cohort One students and management department faculty for an American-style cookout. We’re thankful to Dr. Boyette and the Management Department for organizing the end of the year cookout celebrating the first cohort of students in the XDU-VT Joint Degree Program. 

Mentors Jose and Rodrigo took a group of students out for a day of hiking in the beautiful Floyd, VA. 

We’re proud to recognize Quinn Neary and Jose Salazar-Ureta as this year’s Outstanding Global Mentor Award recipients, honored during the Students of Distinction Ceremony. This will be the first time Pamplin International Programs has recognized students at the annual event. They represent the kind of leadership that defines NextGen Pamplin. Leadership that is thoughtful, inclusive, and rooted in service. 

This year, the Global Mentor Program put together Mentor’s Clubs. Mentors with specific interests – recreational sports, cooking, crafts, film – put together events in small, group settings. We were happy to see this part of the program grow and are excited to see where it goes next year. Thanks to Kelly Kha for leading the crafts club, organizing a pennant making event this April!

We celebrated our Senior Mentors, including Puja Allu, Natalie Argueta, Mishree Bagdai, Tyler Cowher, Nele Heide, Joyce Jia, Andrea Karam, Kelly Kha, Quinn Neary, Aakash Nihalaney, Vasu Patel, Rhea Rajeev, Jenna Roers, Jose Salazar-Ureta, Alexis Waweru, Riya Yeratha, and Yash Mahadik. We wish them the best as they move on to their next chapter, and thank them for their service to the Global Mentor Program. While we’re sad to see them go, we’re happy that we were able to bring a strong sense of cross-cultural collaboration, new friendships, and many memories over wonderful meals to their time at Virginia Tech.