Most students spend four to five years pursuing an undergraduate degree — formative time spent growing, learning, and changing.

JC Fuller is graduating a semester early, but he’s leaving as a different man than he was when he enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2014.

“I never could have predicted the changes I have seen in myself over the three-and-a-half years I have been at Virginia Tech,” said Fuller. “I have transformed myself academically as well as an individual. I have had to reinvent myself as a student because what I did to scrape by in high school no longer cut it. I learned so much: I learned responsibility, I learned failure, I learned the importance of trying new things, but most importantly I learned my passions and my strengths and how to utilize them.”

Fuller, of Midlothian, Virginia, will leave the university with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. His Virginia Tech experience centered on community and engaging people he had the opportunity to get to know.

“Talk to the person next to you in class, or your neighbor in your residence hall or apartment,” said Fuller. “These people represent the best of what it means to be a Hokie.”

Fuller believes that what sets Virginia Tech apart is the understanding that being a Hokie is something special, something everyone can embrace and make their own. Through his involvement as a cheerleader and an executive member for Hokie Camp, Fuller had the privilege of sharing his school pride with new and returning students alike.

“JC is a phenomenal leader — his commitment, dedication, and selflessness embody Ut Prosim (That I May Serve),” said Lizette Rebolledo, who worked closely with Hokie Camp executive members as director of new student programs. “His charisma is contagious. Being enthusiastic about Virginia Tech and willing to share his growth and experience made him approachable and relatable to new students. We’ll certainly miss him and wish him all the best in his post-graduation pursuits.”

“Undoubtedly my favorite experience at Tech was serving as an executive member for Hokie Camp,” said Fuller. “The friendships I forged and the people I met will stay with me long past my time at Virginia Tech. There is something so unique about welcoming new Hokies to Virginia Tech. Each group is different, and each group teaches you how to love your school and each other in ways you didn’t think possible.”

Written by Tiffany Woodall