Dr. Samantha Steidle, Director of Radford University’s AI Sandbox and Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Strategy, will be the speaker at the next “Power of Networking” luncheon lecture on Nov. 12. The series is open to current students and funded by a Bright Ideas Innovation Grant awarded to Roanoke City CCAP Success Coach Frank Tyree from the Virginia Western Educational Foundation. Steidle’s presentation is titled, “AI-Powered Networking: Build Your Career Roadmap.”
Steidle will discuss how AI can help students can create a strategic networking plan that fits their career goals: “Whether you’re hunting for internships, eyeing grad school, or seeking resume skills and experience, this workshop will show you how to use AI tools to research industries, find the right people to connect with, and build a roadmap for your career goals.” Click the link to learn more.
Registration is required for the event, which begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Hall Associates Career Center. The presentation starts at noon and lunch is included. Students can register using the following link as well as using the QR code on flyers posted around campus: The Power of Networking Series Event #2 Registration
Tyree said he sought the Innovation Grant to raise awareness about networking, which could benefit the many first-generation and low-income students at Virginia Western. “The Power of Networking” series is “intended to broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of networking as it relates to career development and exploration,” Tyree said. “It will help to fill in gaps about a topic, networking, that is not taught in college courses but is extremely important toward earning an internship or career.”
All full- and part-time Virginia Western faculty and staff are eligible to apply annually for a Bright Ideas Innovation Grant. A Letter of Intent is the first step in applying and due by Nov. 3, 2025, for grants awarded in the 2026-27 academic year. New this application cycle: Individual grant awards can range up to $15,000. For more information, visit virginiawestern.edu/foundation/innovation-grants/ or contact Grants Administrator Shelley Lyons at slyons@virginiawestern.edu or (540) 857-6084.