Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 14 No. 2 | October 2021

inside.hokiesports.com 27 The Monogram Club at Virginia Tech is a membership organization that seeks to honor and engage former and current letterwinners through networking and fellowship events. Dues paying Monogram Club members receive a number of benefits including: access to tickets, tailgates, priority points, experiences, an exclusive gift and more! Throughout the following pages, you’ll find a variety of stories highlighting where Virginia Tech student-athletes have made an impact after graduation, both in their careers and in the community. If you’re a former student-athlete or know a former student- athlete, we encourage you to learn more about joining the Monogram Club by visiting monogram.hokiesports.com . Membership starts at just $25. STUDENT-ATHLETE TURNED ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Michelle Meadows (’01) was a 3-time Academic All- American in softball and was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. The Richmond native is now the Director of Athletics at Longwood University and has extensive experience in athletics administration at Longwood and VCU since 2003. Whitney Davis Showalter (’10), Monogram Club Softball Director ( whitd@vt.edu) , shares a recent interview with this VT softball legend. Q: How did your time at VT prepare you for where you are today? MM: My time as a student-athlete at Tech prepared me in so many ways, teaching me the skills of perseverance, toughness, teamwork, leadership, sacrifice, and humility that I carry with me every day. Q: What is your biggest take-away from the transition from student athlete to administration? MM: I think a big takeaway was realizing how much goes on behind the scenes in an athletics department to make the student-athlete experience possible, not to mention providing an elite experience like I had at VT. Q: Was becoming an Athletic Director something you always wanted to do? MM: I made the decision to enter college athletics about 6 months after graduating when I discovered how much I missed being around it every day. I felt strongly then that this was a passion and a calling and that I wanted to take that passion and be a part of providing the same opportunity and experience to the next generation of student-athletes. I wouldn’t say that being an AD is something I always wanted to do, but I wanted to be a part of an amazing team that believes in the platform of sports to impact the lives of student-athletes and communities and be my very best at having a positive influence in that respect. I can say I am incredibly grateful every day for the opportunity to do that now being an AD. Q: What advice do you have for today’s student- athletes who have an interest in Athletic Administration? MM: Pursue your dreams, build a strong network, bloom where you are planted, and never forget it’s about the people. Q: As a current member of the NCAA Division 1 Softball Selection Committee, tell us a little about what that role entails. MM: I feel incredibly honored to have just finished my third year on the NCAA Softball Committee. We are charged with selecting the 32 at-large participants to the NCAA Softball Championship, assisting with the execution of the Championship including the Women’s College World Series and serving to help elevate the game of softball. Closing Thoughts MM: I would just say how grateful I am for my opportunity to have been a VT softball student-athlete. It was a truly wonderful experience that impacted me in so many ways and I’m forever proud to be a Hokie! MAKING AN IMPACT STUDENT-ATHLETE ALUMNI AFTER GRADUATION Michelle Meadows (’01) , member of NCAA Division I Softball Selection Committee and Longwood Athletic Director, in ESPN booth at the 2021 Women’s College World Series Continued on page 28