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The Packaging Systems and Design major is constructed of small class sizes which provide our undergraduate students with the unique opportunity to construct personal connections with faculty. We also have a Faculty and Advising mentorship program to ensure that every packaging student has someone to provide insight into industry connections and career direction through their time at Virginia Tech. Every student is assigned a mentor to furnish their understanding of the packaging industry and guidance as they refine their personal career goals. 

The biggest benefit of our small class sizes is our ability to take our learning outside of the classroom. From our students visiting local packaging companies to companies coming to visit our classes; our students are exposed to real-world packaging implementations on a very in-depth level. This exploratory take on learning has allowed our students to be exposed to all different aspects of packing from materials, to design, to engineering, to testing. 

Virginia Tech is a research institution and our packaging program is a global leader in pallet research. The Brooks Lab is in the Corporate Research Center, adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus. It is known for its state-of-the-art equipment and fantastic lab management. We pride ourselves on allowing our students an environment where they can gain hands-on experience and exposure to the realities of the packaging industry before they leave school. 

Virginia Tech acknowledges that the best way to solidify knowledge obtained in the classroom is to use that information to solve real-life packaging problems. All of our packaging students have the opportunity to get involved in hands-on projects. These opportunities include working in the Center for Pallet and Unit Load Design, performing undergraduate research in one of our labs, and gaining experience through industry-sponsored design projects.

Our small class sizes provide our students with unique opportunities to learn from hands-on experience. We have three different courses that are specifically designed to provide our students with real-world packaging design experience through research with various industry sponsors (Sustainable Packaging Design I and II, and the Senior Packaging Practicum). In addition to these courses, all of our packaging coursework contains hands-on elements that are designed to provide students with the practical skills that they will need in industry.

Through partnerships with companies for internships, co-ops, and full-time positions, we hope to grow our network and build more opportunities and partnerships for the future of our program.