Interview: John Dooley, VT Office of Outreach and International Affairs

John E. Dooley is the vice president for outreach and international affairs at Virginia Tech. Dooley has obtained his master’s and doctorate in higher education administration from Virginia Tech. He has worked for Virginia Tech for 26 years. He is involved in a wide variety of programs including the Office of Economic Development and the Office of International Research. Dooley is an active member of the Virginia Tech community, contributing to VT Engage. Its mission is to encourage everyone everywhere to do volunteer work as a way to give back to the community.

The Office of Outreach and International Affairs “helps solve societal, natural resources, and other problems.” It also “works with communities to address local and global economic development needs” (Outreach and International Affairs webpage). It is committed to solving problems and benefiting society.

Q: What has been your favorite trip that you have taken with Virginia Tech?
 Dooley: I can’t say that there is one trip that stands out because I have worked with some amazing people. For instance there is a resource center in Bangladesh with very meager resources. The passion that the scientists have there, and knowing the importance of their work is actually saving the lives of literally thousands of people because they are able to provide food to these people. I can’t say there is one that stands out. Because of the people they are all unique.

Q: What are the countries that VT is most involved in internationally?
Dooley: We as an institution, as a part of our strategic plan have identified five regions of the world in which we want to have a significant presence. Those five regions are in South Central Europe we have a center in southern Switzerland that is a marvelous place where we have at least 50 students at all times, where we are building upon a greater opportunity for students. We have a commitment to the Caribbean, with a program that is based in the Dominican Republic, that will serve the broader Caribbean region. We have a commitment to Latin America with a hub based in Mexico. But a group of us are visiting Chile in April and looking at ways in which we might be able to create a southern hub of a Latin American strategy based in Chile. We are in Africa. We have through our school of education, done some remarkable things with the country of Maui. I just got out of a session where we had visitors here from Zambia currently, who are looking for ways in which we might partner. We have an African Strategy. We have a strong program presence already in Egypt. And lastly is India. And we, as an institution through President Steger’s leadership, have made a commitment to find ways in which Virginia Tech can be a part of this great economic revolution that is taking place in Asia, particularly in China and India.

Q: What is the best way for students to get involved internationally here at Virginia Tech?
Dooley: Education abroad! They need to visit the Education Abroad Office. Of course, education abroad comes in many different ways. You’ve got faculty led groups, you’ve got student exchange groups and you’ve got short term experiences. Visit the Education Abroad Office! We are very committed as an institution to significantly growing the number of students both at the graduate and undergraduate level that are able to engage on international education opportunities. We’ve got a great team down there that are very very helpful. I would encourage every student at Virginia Tech to do that. And the other thing I would encourage every student at Virginia Tech to do is, you have not completed your education at Virginia Tech if you leave here and graduate, and you don’t have a passport. Because every student at Virginia Tech today will have multiple interactions with international interests over their career and you need to be prepared to be able to respond and be actively involved. And you can’t do that if you don’t have a passport.

Q: What has been your involvement with the Inn at Virginia Tech?
Dooley: I think one of the more pleasurable and one of the more challenging opportunities that I’ve had in my career, is providing the guidance and direction to the construction and development of the Inn. And of course it now reports it’s operations to my position. It was a great experience from the standpoint that Tom Tillar, who is the vice president for Alumni Affairs and head of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, was my good partner with that, and we had a great team of individuals who worked on that. We were honored with benevolence of many wonderful people who shared their personal wealth. I think the Inn at Virginia Tech really is a signature for this university. Just this week I happened to run into my friend Tom Tillar, who was hosting his counterpart for Penn State here, and they were just ooing and awing at what a marvelous facility it is.  Today at noon I hosted a Virginia Tech alumnus who had not been here since it opened and just could not believe what a great place it is.

Q: Can you tell our readers a little bit about VT Engage?
Dooley: VT Engage is a program that I think is a very special program for this university right now. As you know the university’s motto is Ut Prosim, That I May Serve. And what we want to do is reacquaint or acquaint all students, faculty and staff as to what that means as an institution.  And as a part of that we want to facilitate ways in which our students can actively become involved in community. And community described broadly as, here in the university community in Blacksburg, as well as the communities to which they return to in the summer, or if they are doing study abroad. But to find ways in which you can serve where you can take what you learn in the class rooms here and apply it in a meaningful way for the benefit of others. That is what VT Engage is about, engaging the university community for the betterment of human kind in a very productive way. This year has been very special for us. It has been very special from the standpoint that we are dedicated to those remarkable lives that were lost and injured last April with our tragedy.  If you knew the faculty and students, so many of them were so dedicated to the principles of Ut Prosimm, to finding ways in which they can support and take what they learned here for the betterment of others.  And so this year we are honoring them in a special way with VT Engage. We want to have our community of alumni and others to commit as many hours as possible. We have set up a university goal of 300,000 hours. The alumni have set up an additional 300,000 hours. We are approaching 400,000 hours right now. It is exciting and very special.

Q: What is the most recent work that you have been doing internationally?
Dooley: There are two major projects that I am giving considerable time to. One is that we need to expand our facilities in Switzerland. We are actively involved in raising resources to expand that facility. That is very important to us. It is important to the university. The second is this initiative in India. India is a remarkable place. We have been blessed as an institution over the last 50 years, of having tremendous talent both students and faculty, come to this university from India. They have enriched this community. And now we want to find ways in which we can leverage that, as well as see the power house that India is going to be in the 21st century, and make sure that Virginia Tech is a part of that. Those two international initiatives are very high and important to this institution.

Q: In conclusion, what is your favorite aspect about your job?
Dooley: What is my favorite aspect about my job? I think I mentioned it earlier. I am so bless to work with great people and getting to interact with many marvelous people around the world. And know that we all have a shared dream and vision that we leave this planet and future generations better than what we have currently. And believe very strongly that through education and enlightenment that we can make that happen.