Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 13 No. 5 | May 2021

Dear HOKIE Nation, First and foremost, I want to say than k you. The past year in college athlet ics has been unlike any other, and you, Hokie Nation, h ave been unwavering in your suppo rt of all our Virginia Tech student-athletes. We could no t be more grateful for your generos ity and continued dedication to the Hokies. As we begin to emerge from a year in which we faced many challenges, ou r team is now able to set its sights on the future. There a re incredible opportunities on the hor izon as we prepare for the next phase in building Virginia Tech Athletics to national prominenc e. With that idea in mind, we recently a nnounced the launch of Reach for E xcellence, a $400 million initiative that will impact every sport and every future student-athle te at Virginia Tech. All 22 varsity teams will benefit from this campaign, and we will be provid ing you information on the goals of Reach for Excellenc e throughout this edition of Inside H okieSports. Some areas tabbed for enhancement are: • Increased support and necessary amenities for football to keep our program in line with our peers both in the ACC and around the country. This would pro vide salaries for additional staff in player developmen t and quality control, enhanced recru iting, team-area renovations, and more. • A full renovation of Cassell Coliseum to better meet the needs of our team s as well as our fans. The goal of this project is to ma intain tradition while building for the f uture. • Endowed scholarships, giving all o ur teams long-term financial security in providing the educational resources for our studen t-athletes. • Fundraising for all sports allowing each of our teams the opportunity t o compete at the highest level and win championships . The continued growth of Virginia Tech Athletics requires bold, strategic planning, and to do that we must call upon you, and all of Hokie Nation, to help us Reach for Excellence. There is no doubt that our goals a re ambitious, but with the support of our incredibl e fans, we can continue to shape Virginia Tech stud ent-athletes into champions today while molding them into the leaders of tomorrow. Sincerely, Whit Babcock Director of Athletics WHY GIVE? Building championship-caliber athletics programs—with aspirations that match the passion and expectations of Hokie Nation—requires two things: a bold plan and a greater financial investment. Athletic Director Whit Babcock and Virginia Tech President Tim Sands are committed to a vision for the future of athletics, and we are now turning to Hokie Nation for support. Reach for Excellence is the biggest fundraising initiative ever launched by Virginia Tech Athletics, and every gift makes an impact—one that will be felt for generations to come. HOW DOES ONE GIVE? Those who wish to support may contribute by visiting reach.hokiesports.com and clicking the “Give” button on the main page. Or, supporters may also give a variety of other ways including: over the phone, by mail, through employer-matched giving, via corporate giving or foundation giving, and through estate planning. inside.hokiesports.com 5