Chris LaPlante

Chris has served as an academic advisor at Virginia Tech for over 15 years, supporting students across eight majors in four different colleges. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Radford University and is a certified Strengths Consultant at Virginia Tech. Chris also served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs Specialist (38B) from 1995 to 2001.

Chris's advising philosophy is informed by several developmental and career theories, including Baxter Magolda’s Self-Authorship theory and Learning Partnership Model, Pryor and Bright’s Chaos Theory of Careers, Kegan’s theory of Adult Development, and Max-Neef’s framework of Human Needs and Satisfiers. It is also shaped by the thoughtful observations of students, the insights of colleagues, and his own lived experience. Through his advising, Chris hopes to accomplish the following: a) help students connect what they are doing now to what they might do next, b) introduce students to the idea that change is something they will have to navigate, but it is also something they can cultivate, and c) provide opportunities for students to ask themselves questions that allow them to examine and identify their values.

In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, being in nature, traveling, and exploring topics like minimalism, financial freedom, and alternative living.