Ted Faulkner

The EMBRACE UT PROSIM AS A WAY OF LIFE Alumni Aspire! Award goes to a Virginia Tech alumnus who represents our hopes for all our students – that they live lives that embody the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), as a way of life.

Today’s recipient is a great friend to Virginia Tech’s students, to Student Affairs, and to the university, and someone I deeply admire. On behalf of Student Affairs, it is my honor to present the 2024 Alumni Aspire! Award for EMBRACE UT PROSIM AS A WAY OF LIFE to Ted Faulkner.

Ted, (Teddy!) please join me.

Throughout Ted’s career, he has always served students and their sense of community, belonging, and care that comes from eating good food ... well-prepared ... together.

With over 25 years of service to Virginia Tech and Student Affairs, Ted led a progressive, innovative, large, and complex dining services operation—providing vision, strategic direction for operations, budget development, and personnel functions for 10 dining venues, and a processing and distribution center, with millions of dining experiences provided yearly.

But for all the huge scope of his responsibilities, Ted’s service was always personal. One student's or one team member’s experience mattered to Ted.

Many of you have heard the stories of Ted’s unwavering commitment to responding to students and staff concerns and needs – whether it was his personally correcting an unsatisfying order of chicken tenders ... or adding equipment to provide warm cookies upon request ... or taking a card to a team member during a time of loss and disconnection ... or stepping in during crisis to take the burden off someone so they could enjoy time with family.

Ted’s devotion to service and living out Ut Prosim is personal.

His commitment to the success of students through their nourishment is something that truly highlights his remarkable career. As you have heard before, Ted has made Dining Services at Virginia Tech truly more than just food on a plate.

Our director for Student Engagement and Campus Life, Heather Wagoner, said, “Ted has an ethic of care that is unparalleled. He is emboldened to create positive change for our students. It is the way Ted cares for people and the way he starts from the ground up when building a plan that is embedded in all he has created during his time at Virginia Tech.”

During Ted's time with Dining Services, he worked with over 31,000 different team members, many of them student workers. Those who know Ted and his ideals realize that he is not one to take sole credit. The embodiment of a servant leader, he would never fail to point out that teamwork and shared drive were behind much of his success.

Ted has been a champion for the Virginia Tech students and the Dining Services employees, always looking at what is right for both groups. He has been instrumental in ensuring staff had what they needed to grow professionally. He leaves us with a rich legacy of service which extends his own service even as he enjoys the retirement he has so deeply earned through his devoted service to students, to Dining, to Student Affairs, to Virginia Tech, and to all the communities we serve.

Ted, Student Affairs is honored to present you with the Alumni Aspire! Award for EMBRACE UT PROSIM AS A WAY OF LIFE.