Meet Our Faculty Sponsors
Did you know that since its creation in 2014, Collegiate Women In Business has been supported by two amazing members of Virginia Tech faculty? Our faculty sponsors, Nadia Rogers and Dr. Michelle Seref have helped CWIB to grow and expand its operations to better serve the women of VT, and they have exemplified our three pillars-- Empower, Prepare, and Connect-- long before helping form CWIB! They wanted to share a little more about themselves with members old and new, as well as share some wisdom and experience with us.
Nadia Rogers
Nadia Rogers is a Professor of Practice in Virginia Tech’s Accounting and Information Systems Department. She is also Director of the Master of Accounting and Information Systems (MACIS) Program and Advisor of the Accounting Analytics, Audit, and Financial Services Options within the MACIS Program. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, then went on to pursue a Master of Accountancy. Being a legacy student, she already had close ties to the university and “loved the excitement in the air and the beauty of the town.”
Post-grad, Rogers joined KPMG’s Audit Practice, where she worked for eight years before joining Creedle, Jones & Alga, P.C., a smaller public accounting firm. In 2015, she joined the faculty at Virginia Tech, something she had dreamed of since she taught Principles of Accounting as a graduate student. Rogers indicated that “it is a dream come true to be able to teach at Virginia Tech and to combine [her] practical experience with [her] passion for Virginia Tech, teaching, and the accounting profession.” As a professor of practice, she goes beyond teaching from a textbook to incorporate her experiences from public accounting in the classroom.
In addition to teaching, Rogers demonstrates her commitment to the accounting profession through her involvement in a variety of influential organizations, which also help her remain well-connected with others in her field and up to date on changes in the industry. She currently serves as the educator member of the Virginia Board of Accountancy and is also a member of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy’s Education Committee.
Rogers became a Faculty Advisor of CWIB in 2018. She is committed to CWIB’s mission-- “to inspire and develop world-class leaders in business, foster interactions with successful role models, and build the confidence, courage, and the will to create meaningful impact.” “The three pillars Empower, Prepare, Connect are so incredibly important for success,” stated Rogers. Given that she is a graduate of Virginia Tech and pursued a professional career before returning to the university, she believes that she can provide a helpful perspective and be a great resource to our members.
Rogers would like to convey her excitement for this academic year. She’s happy to be back in person and to “continue to fulfill our mission and increase awareness and membership.” Rogers hopes our members leave our meetings with a sense of fulfillment, feeling “empowered, connected, and prepared to conquer the next step, whatever that may be!”
Dr. Michelle Seref
Dr. Michelle Seref is an Associate collegiate Professor of Business Information Technology (BIT), with a Ph.D in Operations Management and a Master’s and undergraduate degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering. She has taught at Virginia Tech since 2014, where she has focused on “three pillars of [her] academic position: research, teaching, and service.”
In her career, Dr. Seref has always valued working with students. “Students motivate me to explain complicated concepts in clear ways,” she claims. She is able to expand her connections with students through the Pamplin Engage Undergraduate TA Program, where she trains students in technical support, communications, and student engagement. Research is also a major point of interest for Dr. Seref. She loves to “explore new ideas and develop new methods to solve current evolving problems.” Her work requires her to carefully examine data using many different methods and perspectives.
In her free time, Dr. Seref enjoys spending time with her family. They often play music together, with each family member on a different instrument or simply dancing to the music!
Given her love for helping students, CWIB was an opportunity for Dr. Seref to further support students by providing workshops and networking events that could help them develop crucial leadership and communication skills. She believes that her experiences as a woman in the workplace have given her a deeper understanding of the social and personal challenges that come with pursuing a career in business, particularly regarding work-life balance. CWIB's peer mentorship program is also a feature of our organization she considers to be especially valuable.
In her career, Dr. Seref strives to practice CWIB’s three pillars: Empower, Prepare, and Connect. She empowers her students by providing them with the “knowledge and confidence to work on challenging problems," prepares students to work towards their goals, and connects students with peers and industry representatives through networking opportunities.
Dr. Seref would like to encourage our CWIB members to always “be confident!” And, to remind CWIB that “you are intelligent! You are capable! And you are loved!”
CWIB is grateful to have such dedicated faculty on its side. Their guidance and support have helped CWIB grow into the engaging and inclusive organization it is today. We value having them be a part of our story and hope that by sharing their stories, CWIB members will feel closer to our organization’s mission, understand its past, and be inspired by their success to work towards its future. Our faculty sponsors are eager just as eager as we are to see what CWIB will do next!
By Lauren Miles
