Julie Walters-Steele named director of university unions

BLACKSBURG, Va., Dec. 8, 2006 – Julie Walters-Steele, former director of the A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University, has been named director of university unions at Virginia Tech.

In her new position, Walters-Steele will provide leadership for student center functions and programs at Virginia Tech, serving 26,000 students. She will be responsible for the building operations and business affairs of Squires Student Center, Johnston Student Center, and the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown, and will supervise the functions of the War Memorial Chapel. Walters-Steele will supervise a department of 54 staff members and more than 200 student employees, and will be responsible for an $8 million budget.

Since 2003, Walters-Steele was director of A.K. Hinds University Center, supervising 21 employees and overseeing a budget of more than $2 million while serving Western Carolina University’s 8,700 students. From 1991 to 2003, she held several student affairs positions at Clemson University, serving as assistant director of student development from 1991 to 1994; associate director of student development from 1994 to 1995; associate director of student activities from 1995 to 1996; director of union programs and student activities from 1996 to 1997; and director of union programs and major events from 1997 to 2003.

Walters-Steele is a member of the Association of College Unions International, Southern Association of College Student Affairs and currently serves as the Regional Director for Region 5 which covers Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. She is also a member of the Southern Association for College Student Affairs. She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Clemson University.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech is the most comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is among the top research universities in the nation. Today, Virginia Tech's eight colleges are dedicated to quality, innovation, and results through teaching, research, and outreach activities. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.