Senior Stories: Topher Wagner

Topher Wagner’s life revolves around sports; playing intramurals, attending Virginia Tech athletic events, and pursuing a degree in the Sport and Media Analytics program. As a Rec Sports Marketing Assistant his senior year, his appreciation and pride has flourished for the quality of experiences he’s obtained in Blacksburg. 

“My year with Rec Sports has given me an entirely new appreciation for the huge operation that goes on behind the scenes,” said Wagner. “It’s more than just students signing up to play sports or to workout; there is a lot of planning and a lot of people that go into this, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of it.”

Wagner’s job duties with Rec Sports include overseeing social media analytics, intramural and sport club storytelling, and the occasional TikTok cameo.

“One of my favorite job duties is collecting data to show how our social media posts perform analytically. We benchmark our data against other schools’ recreation departments, and seeing how we approach our jobs [in social media and marketing] compared to other schools has made me feel proud of how successful we are.”

As Wagner puts the final stamp on his time at Virginia Tech, he reflects on his experiences with the utmost joy. 

“When I reflect on favorite memories, I look back to freshman year when College Gameday came to campus, when men’s basketball upset both UNC and Duke at home and we rushed the court both times. After that year I had a conversation with my dad where he told me to ‘cherish those memories because you might not get to experience that the rest of your years.’ It’s kind of a bummer that we haven’t had those experiences as much in the last year, but I’ve been optimistic and appreciated everything we have been able to do while navigating a pandemic.”

Wagner will graduate in May and is searching for employment in the field of sports communications and journalism. He credits his academics and extracurriculars for preparing him to apply with confidence. 

“College gives you the unique chance to try new things and differentiate yourself,” said Wagner. “In a community like Virginia Tech, you have the opportunity to figure out who you truly are and can surround yourself with people that fit the same mold.”

Story: Will Trent, Interim Associate Director of Admin

Photos: Jackson Sirbaugh