Even in retirement, Sam Yakulis '91 doesn't know how to slow down.

Whether it's serving as a longtime member of the advisory board for the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), or leading the recently founded Yakulis Labs, a research group that also provides business and technical consulting services, Yakulis continues to build his legacy as a pivotal member of the engineering discipline.

For his service and contributions to both ECE and Virginia Tech, Yakulis was named a distinguished member at the recent Heta Lambda Beta Society (HLB) induction.

HLB was established to recognize graduates of the electrical and computer engineering programs, and formally induct them as ECE alumni. More than 200 graduates are inducted annually. 

Why did you choose Virginia Tech and electrical engineering for your undergraduate degree?

I grew up in a house filled with ham radios and electronics due to my father’s hobbies. From a very early age, I had a passion for designing and building projects, and I knew that I wanted to do that type of work in my future. Virginia Tech was an obvious choice with its reputation and being a Virginia school.

How has your Virginia Tech education impacted you over the course of your career?

Virginia Tech provided me a solid foundation in electrical and computer engineering. This foundation provided me a base of engineering skills and taught me how to think like an engineer. This way of thinking allowed me to continue to develop skills throughout the course of my career.

Why did you choose to get involved with the advisory board? Why it important to you to give back to Virginia Tech, and to our students?

When I was asked to join the advisory board, I felt that it was a great honor to have been selected. I felt that it was a great opportunity to strategically help shape the future of the department and to personally interact with and mentor the ECE students.