George Gharabeigie ’76

Empowering the next generation of engineers

For George Gharabeigie ’76, the road through Virginia Tech was paved (and paid for) with his love of auto mechanics. Arriving in Blacksburg in 1973 with limited resources as an international student from Iran, Gharabeigie rented a basement apartment and worked tirelessly to fund tuition and living expenses for his mechanical engineering education — buying old cars and fixing them up to resell during the school year and working at a repair shop in Maryland, during summer and winter breaks.

His discipline and hands-on experience as an auto mechanic gave him a head start, but it was Virginia Tech that refined his approach to problem-solving and deepened his understanding of engineering fundamentals. He credits his mechanical engineering professors like Robert Moses for instilling a rigorous, global standard of excellence that he carried with him throughout his career.

“My degree from Virginia Tech allowed me to build a life for myself and my family that we otherwise could not have imagined,” Gharabeigie said. 

Describing himself as “a mechanical engineer taught and an electrical engineer trained,” he began his career as a field engineer at a coal-fired power plant in Virginia. Over the next 36 years, he held roles in nuclear plant design, consulting, and operations across New York and California, specializing in environmental qualification and large electric motor systems. He was even invited to share his expertise in China on nuclear safety components.

Now as a retiree, and a proud Hokie, he gives back to ensure that students like him can pursue their dreams. The fellowship he funded – as part of the Moraco Fellowship Challenge – supports graduate research in mechanical engineering, a field he believes is driven by perseverance, curiosity, and grit.

“Hard work pays off,” Gharabeigie said. “It doesn't matter where you start, if you have a degree and work hard, you can achieve your dreams. I came to the U.S. with $300. Thanks to my degree from Virginia Tech, I’m able to support my family and help others succeed.”