Current Students

Lauren Varboncoeur is the academic advisor for both Fish Conservation and Wildlife Conservation Majors.

What can Lauren help you with?

Lauren works with students in navigating the academic process including course selection, academic progress, career and major options, connecting students with campus resources, and connecting with faculty.

How often should you meet with Lauren?

Students in CNRE are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor at least once each semester.  Students should see their advisor with any academic questions, concerns about classes, career planning, as well as other concerns. You should feel free to contact Lauren at any time. Students may schedule a meeting with Lauren using the Student Success Collaborative.

Who is my Faculty Mentor?

Your Faculty Mentor will be assigned at the beginning of your second semester at Virginia Tech or as soon as possible after changing majors or transferring into Virginia Tech.

When should you meet with your Faculty Mentor?

As soon as your Faculty Mentor is assigned, you should schedule a meeting and get to know each other. You should meet with your Faculty Mentor at least once per semester. If you have specific questions about fish conservation or wildlife conservation opportunities, planning your technical electives, experiential learning, undergraduate research, or preparing for your career after Virginia Tech, you should reach out to your faculty mentor. You can find out your faculty mentor assignment by logging into the Student Success Collaborative and looking for the name of a Fish and Wildlife Conservation faculty member on your list of advisors. In order to schedule a meeting with your faculty mentor, you should contact them via email.

The First Year Experience Courses, NR 1234 and NR 2234, provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of career pathways from diverse programs while adjusting to and benefiting from campus life. With a focus on encouraging the engagement of the students in the work of the disciplines in the College, these courses help students develop their sense of identity, relate to the College as their home, and encourage their involvement in undergraduate research, internships, study-abroad, and other relevant programs. NR 1234 is designed for students attending college for the first time. NR 2234 is designed for students who transfer to Virginia Tech from another two- or four-year college or university.

The vision of the Career and Professional Development Center is to empower students to discover and pursue a path to a fulfilling career, so they can make their own unique marks on the world. 

Here are just a few of their services (Learn more here).

• Mock Interviews
• Resume, cover letter, and personal statement review 
• Career & Professional Development Fair
• Career Advising (walk-in appointments available)

Walk-ins are welcome and are limited to 10-minutes. Walk-in appointments are intended for quick questions with quick answers, and brief reviews of resumes or cover letters.

You can also schedule a career advising appointment (Typically 30 minutes)

Both the Dean’s and Department Head’s Offices have an open door policy. Stop by to say hello or schedule an appointment for a longer conversation. 

At the beginning of each fall semester the department hosts an informal lunch with undergraduate students. Come for the pizza, stay for the conversation! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with faculty & graduate students and to learn more about opportunities available to students through work-study positions, research tech positions, and undergraduate research programs.