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Sesquicentennial Celebration in D.C.

You're invited

Solving the Skills Gap in Tech: The next 150 years

Wednesday, June 1
5:30–7:30 p.m.

City Winery
1350 Okie St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002


On behalf of Virginia Tech, President Timothy D. Sands cordially invites you to explore the future of Virginia Tech.

Join us for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a conversation. Topics of discussion will include the future of work, the transitions and changing requirements faced by organizations and businesses, and Virginia Tech's Innovation Campus. President Sands will moderate the panel, which will be followed by a reception.

Business attire. Complimentary valet parking provided. 

For additional information, contact the Office of Special Events at 540-231-5027 or SpecialEventsOffice@vt.edu. The event is free but spacing is limited. The deadline to RSVP is May 27.



A collage of the panelist

Futureproofing Virginia Tech for our Next 150 Years: Prototyping a workforce readiness model for the future

The panel will explore the future of work, transition and changing requirements in organizations and businesses, and Virginia Tech's Innovation Campus. 

About the panelists

  • Lance Collins is the inaugural vice president and executive director of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus. In this role, he provides strategic direction, helping to build a campus that will impart a lasting influence on the region’s tech ecosystem. Collins joined Virginia Tech in August 2020 from Cornell University where he served as the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering for 10 years. 
  • Mehul Sanghani ’98 is the chief executive officer and founder of Octo. Since launching the firm alone at age 30, he has grown Octo around the foundational belief that advancing customer missions matters most. Under his leadership, Octo has won several awards for innovation and has regularly been named a top workplace. 
  • Leanne Caret is executive vice president and senior advisor for The Boeing Company and a member of the company’s Executive Council. Most recently, Caret served as president and chief executive officer of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, which provides solutions for defense, government, space, intelligence, and security customers worldwide. 

Virginia Tech sesqui logo

About Virginia Tech's Sesquicentennial

We are honoring our past and celebrating our present. Our Sesquicentennial Celebration is an opportunity to propel us into the future, charting a course toward greater engagement and positive impact.