Dr. Ellie Sturgis

At the end of each day, Dr. Ellie Sturgis asks herself, “How have I been of use to others?”

She said, “In serving others, our lives are enriched beyond measure.”

That is the mark of a true practitioner of our university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

Ellie Sturgis came to Virginia Tech in 1991 as an associate professor of psychology and has served the university as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and acting head of the Department of Communication Studies. She became staff psychologist at the Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center in 2008 and was named its director in 2020.

One of her many nominators wrote, “Under Dr. Sturgis’ leadership, our center has changed its model of care, processed through the country's racial reckoning, endured a horrific pandemic, and navigated plans for a new building. During these transitions, we could not have had a better leader---she carried the spirit of 'this is hard, but we can do hard things' with confidence and care.” 

Another nominator added, “She brings her wisdom and seemingly unending stamina to inspire us all and we are so grateful. I don’t think many know all that she does. They only see evidence of a smoothly run center.”

Ellie is a strong advocate for expanding and increasing accessibility to mental health services and support for students. She was instrumental in the implementation TimelyCare 24/7 mental health consultations for students, faculty, and staff. She also helped launch the Residential Well-being program on campus which included embedded counselors in students’ living and learning spaces. Her work with donors has helped make possible training in the Community Resilience Model for staff and student leaders, further equipping our community to be stronger together.

Ellie said her passion is developing and delivering excellent experiences to help students become more “who they are” and to be successful. Her co-workers praise her as “a mentor, colleague, and fellow therapist on the shared journey of providing support, care, and healing to our clients and campus.”

Ellie’s impact on her profession cannot be overstated. A prolific author, Ellie is a frequent presenter to her peers at programs, workshops, and conferences. She is a much sought-after speaker on campus and always makes time to consult with others on what is best for students.

In 2020, Cook Counseling Center was ranked number one in the nation by the Princeton Review. Ellie said the designation was meaningful particularly because it came from student feedback. "It's our students,” she said. “It's all for them." 

Dr. Sturgis is set to retire later this year and we cannot think a better way to honor her years of service to our students, to Student Affairs, and to our university than by presenting her with the faculty-staff Aspire! Award for EMBRACING UT PROSIM AS A WAY OF LIFE.