G. Rodney Thompson, professor of finance in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1982, Thompson made significant contributions to the understanding of finance through his work in financial and international markets focusing on primary securities pricing and transitional markets.

He served as president and board member of the Southern Finance Association and served on numerous committees of the Financial Management Association and the Eastern Finance Association. In addition, Thompson frequently served as a professional conference organizer and as a reviewer for financial journals. He has presented his research in international venues including Turkey, Russia, and the People’s Republic of China.

At Virginia Tech, he was a pioneering leader of study abroad programs. He has led more than 1,100 students in 40 different programs to at least 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. His efforts were recognized with the university’s Alumni Award for Excellence in International Education in 2006.

In the classroom, Thompson taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses across the finance curriculum. He was honored with the William E. Wine Award for Teaching Excellence in 1988.

Thompson received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree from the University of Florida.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

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