Isaiah Gardner

"Never accept the world as it appears to be, dare to see it for what it could be"

Isaiah Gardner is a third-year student at Virginia Tech, pursuing a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a 3.41 GPA. Hailing from Midlothian, Virginia, Isaiah thrives on problem-solving and collaborating with others, which fuels his passion for engineering.

At Virginia Tech, Isaiah was part of the Galileo Learning Community during his freshman year and now actively participates in engineering expos and various campus events to broaden his academic and professional horizons. His goal is to work with others to continuously improve society, making the world a more efficient and accessible place for everyone.

Isaiah comes from a close-knit family with two siblings—an older brother and an older sister—and has a beloved Dachshund named Faith. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, hanging out with friends, and going to the gym. His favorite video game character is Mario, the first character he enjoyed playing, sparking his lifelong interest in gaming.

A fan of Japanese City Pop, Isaiah’s favorite film is Into/Across the Spider-Verse, which he appreciates for its dynamic storytelling and visuals. He looks up to his dad as his role model, inspired by his perseverance and dedication to providing for the family.

As a child, Isaiah dreamed of becoming an astronomer due to his fascination with space. Today, while his career path has shifted, he remains driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the world. Though he’s not currently involved in volunteer work, Isaiah maintains a strong focus on his job and continuously hones his discipline and time management skills, which he considers key to his success.