A four-part speaker series for all students
As you go through your educational journey, you’ll slowly begin to hear more mentions of networking–a vital skill that can help you turn your education into a long-lasting and fulfilling career. Throughout the 2025 academic year, the Virginia Western Educational Foundation and the Hall Associates Career Center will be presenting the Power of Networking, a four-part speaker series for students to learn the value of networking and how they can utilize these skills to advance their careers when they leave college. Each event is free and open to all students, regardless of where they may be in their academic journey.
The first event will be on September 29. New dates and speakers will be announced soon.
- Learn the value of networking in career development and professional advancement.
- Learn how to start and grow your own network.
- Learn how “who you know” can be more valuable than “what you know” when it comes to earning internship and career opportunities.
- Learn how Virginia Western and the Hall & Associates Career Center can provide resources and training to help you develop your networking skills.
- Lunch provided
Events
An Unlikely Success Journey of a First-Generation Engineering Professional
Presented by Virginia Western alum Samuel Hayes III, MPA, PE
When: September 29, 2025; 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Hall Associates Career Center
Speaker Bio
Samuel Hayes III, MPA, PE
Samuel Hayes III is currently Assistant Director for General Services at Chesterfield County where he has responsibility for Capital Project Management, Buildings and Grounds, Security Management and Energy/Sustainability management. He is also the founder and Managing Principal of Stratagem, a management consultancy firm that engages in assisting small and minority businesses to successfully contract with government, educational and private industry sectors. He was Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management and Chief Facilities Officer at William and Mary, with responsibility for all construction and maintenance activities at the University. Hayes has worked as Assistant Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and served as Director of the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity and Special Assistant to the Governor for Small, Women and Minority Business Development working under Governor Kaine and Governor McDonnell. In that role, he was the Chief Supplier Diversity Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia and oversaw the greatest percentage utilization of small, women and minority owned business in number of procurements with the Commonwealth, in its history. Hayes has worked with the Virginia Department of Health, Roanoke Higher Education Authority, City of Roanoke, Richmond Metropolitan Authority, and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Hayes was appointed by Governor Youngkin to the Library Board of Virginia in July 2024. He served on the Hub of Hope Board, a non-profit that focuses on feeding the food insecure in Fredericksburg Area and is a member of the Sydney Lewis School of Business Board of Advisors at Virginia Union University.