By the time he earned his doctorate in the Virginia Tech School of Education in the spring of 2021, Michael Shumate had already accomplished far more than an advanced degree.

“Michael was an exceptional graduate teaching assistant, and he worked well with faculty and his fellow students,” says Joseph Mukuni, one of his advisors in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. “During his time as graduate teaching assistant in the CTE program, he was recognized for distinguished work as university supervisor for pre-service teacher interns during the Spring 2020 semester.”

Shumate now works at Menchville High School in Newport News, Virginia. There he teaches entrepreneurship, economics and personal finance, advanced honors marketing, advanced entrepreneurship, and AP computer science. He is also the lead representative for STEM education.

Shumate has fond memories of his studies at Virginia Tech, where he wrote his dissertation on the effectiveness of the provisional teaching license route in Virginia for preparing business and information technology and marketing education teachers.

“During my time at Virginia Tech, I received a Multidisciplinary Research in International Development Certificate making trips to Zambia, where I helped prepare for our global study abroad initiative, and India, where I participated in a USAID effort to assist Afghanistan agricultural teachers,” he says. “I helped my fellow professors and was successful in bringing a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program to our CTE program. This project was focused on globalization business skills, diversity awareness, and entrepreneurship workforce development in Zambia.”

Shumate’s research highlights the critical need to restore teacher preparation programs in career and technical education throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Michael Shumate

“Students like Dr. Shumate embody our university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), and are helping us reimagine the future of work and education,” said Kristin Gehsmann, director of the School of Education. “We are grateful for his many contributions to our school, his learning community in Newport News, and the world. With all he’s already accomplished, it’s exciting to think he’s just getting started in his career!”

The Virginia Tech School of Education offers an undergraduate major and graduate studies in Career and Technical Education.

Written by Sharon Stidham