John Graham
True, John Graham graduated from Virginia Tech in 1982 with a degree in Management and Economics from the Pamplin College of Business. But in a very real sense, he is also a graduate of Student Affairs.
John said, “I found my place in the Virginia Tech Union, beginning with the Special Events Committee and concluding as President during my senior year. Working alongside my fellow students and getting to know our excellent advisors from the Student Affairs was the highlight of my college experience.”
It was through his work with the Virginia Tech Union that John learned to plan ahead, create a budget, make presentations, and work with advisors and senior administrators. John said, “I think leadership is like anything else – it requires practice – and my time at Virginia Tech gave me a jumpstart on that. I wish I could do more for Virginia Tech because I gained so much from my experience here.”
In 1987, shortly after earning an MBA at The University of Virginia, John went to work for the Health Care and Retirement Corporation in Toledo, Ohio, and has served HCR in a variety of capacities. Since 2008, he has been Vice President and General Manager of HCR ManorCare’s Assisted Living Division, responsible for the operations of 54 dementia-specific assisted living properties in 12 states.
In the years since his graduation from Virginia Tech, John has been a frequent visitor to his alma mater. He is a member of the Student Affairs Alumni Advisory Board. He has taken part in alumni panel discussions on leadership. He has discussed his own work trajectory with current students at Career and Professional Developmen events.
John said, “What I have learned is that life is a journey, that not everything goes perfectly or according to plan, and that how we adjust and grow has everything to do with success and fulfillment.”
John is an advocate for and supporter of the Student Affairs leadership programs because, he said, “they provide opportunities to students that they may not even realize will have such an impact on their lives.”
John – for your continued devotion to the organization that made a difference in your life; for your willingness to share your Virginia Tech experience; and for providing opportunities for current students to learn and grow in leadership; I am honored to present the Alumni Aspire! Award for embracing UT PROSIM as a way of life to John Graham.
