Ann Stevens '02

Building the talent pipeline for tomorrow’s aerospace and ocean engineering leaders

To Ann Stevens ‘02, engineering is all about learning how to methodically solve problems. As an undergraduate, she had the opportunity to translate theory into practice, applying the concepts she was learning in the classroom to the hands-on experience of building a satellite as part of a large team of students, professors, and industry sponsors, many of whom became mentors along the way. Tangibly applying her knowledge in this type of team atmosphere uniquely prepared her to apply her degree in industry post-graduation — it was more than the math and theory from textbooks; it was teaming and workplace readiness.  

As a female engineer and the vice president of maritime and intelligence systems at Boeing, Stevens is passionate about building the talent pipeline coming into the industry behind her. One way to do so is by giving back to the universities tasked with teaching, training, and preparing students to enter the workforce. To help the cause at Virginia Tech, Stevens started giving to the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering to support graduate student recruitment. This funding is helping the department build the faculty, graduate student, and research infrastructure needed to attract and retain top talent. Her philanthropy contributed to the department’s success by providing financial incentives for master’s students to overcome economic barriers and thrive in the College of Engineering

A year after Stevens began giving back, the Moraco Fellowship Challenge was created. The benefit of having a matching component to her annual gift — the Moraco’s provided $50,000 toward each endowment — made it an easy decision to join the challenge. She utilized the opportunity to create a new fellowship that could be extraordinarily impactful by establishing sustainable funding streams for graduate student recruitment and retention that could be used immediately. Stevens envisions her graduate fellowship cultivating a diverse and talented pipeline in ocean engineering. By offering the financial incentive of $10,000 in the first year to help cover graduate school costs, she aims to attract and support top-tier students throughout their academic journey. Additionally, Stevens is committed to mentoring her fellowship recipients and guiding them to become future leaders in industry or academia.

“I benefited from great advocates and mentors both as a student and throughout my career,” Stevens said. “Learning from people who care enough to get involved in a positive way in the journey of others has a huge impact. By giving back to Virginia Tech Engineering, I’ve been able to get to know the talent of tomorrow through an ongoing mentorship with those who are receiving my fellowship.”