The Virginia Tech Athletics Office of Student Life supports student development initiatives in an effort to enhance the quality of the student-athlete experience within the university setting. The mission of the Office of Student Life is to:

• Support efforts of every student-athlete toward intellectual development and graduation.
• Assist student-athletes in using athletics as preparation for success in life.
• Meet the changing needs of student-athletes.
• Promote respect for diversity among student-athletes.
• Enhance interpersonal relationships in the lives of student-athletes.
• Assist student-athletes in building positive self-esteem.
• Enable student-athletes to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
• Promote ownership by the student-athletes of their academic, athletic, personal and social responsibilities.
• Encourage the development of leadership skills.

Inspired by the NCAA Student-Athlete Affairs commitment areas, the Athletics Office of Student Life creates programs designed to enhance student-athletes in five areas: athletic excellence, academic excellence, personal and leadership development, and community outreach and career development. The program has been previously honored for its commitment to serving the good of the student-athletes by the Division I-A Athletic Director's Association as a program of excellence.

Reyna Gilbert-Lowry is entering her fifth year at Virginia Tech as the assistant athletics director for student life. Her responsibilities include developing programs geared to enhance student-athletes’ personal development, career awareness and community service endeavors. This includes coordinating each teams philanthropic projects, working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and nominating student-athletes for academic awards. She also helps plan the annual Athletics Director Honors Breakfast and the All Sports Banquet.

Prior to arriving in Blacksburg, Gilbert-Lowry served as the compliance coordinator and CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinator at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In 2005, she served as the coordinator of athletic academic services in addition to maintaining her life skills responsibilities. Prior to NSU, Gilbert-Lowry served as an academic advisor within the Department of Academic Services for Student-Athletes at the University of Central Florida.

Gilbert-Lowry graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor of arts in psychology in 2001. During her collegiate career, she was a four-year letter winner on the women's gymnastics team and was named MVP during her senior year. She also received her master's degree in sport and exercise psychology with a minor in counseling from Ball State University in 2004. Originally from Orlando, Fla, Gilbert-Lowry currently resides in Christiansburg with her husband Spencer and their daughter Brooklyn.

Danny White is in his second year at Virginia Tech as the director of student-athlete affairs. He served as the coordinator of student life for Virginia Tech athletics from 2008-2011. His responsibilities include leadership development, coordinating community outreach programs, co-advising the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and coordinating career development programs for student-athletes. He also nominates student-athletes for NCAA and ACC academic honors and awards. Danny earned his bachelor's degree in finance in 2001 from the University of South Carolina, and received his master's in education in 2008 from Virginia Tech and is currently working on his PhD in leadership studies at Virginia Tech. He was a member of South Carolina's men's swim team; serving as team captain his senior year. He currently resides in Blacksburg with his wife Meredith and daughter Addie.

Johanna Smith serves as assistant director in career services where she has worked since joining the university in November of 2008. Effective July 1, 2012, Smith now serves as the career services liaison to the Athletics Department where she will work with student-athletes and those who support them in achieving their career goals.

Smith holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Kettering University in Flint, Mich. She worked for nearly 10 years as a supervisor and engineer in the automotive industry. During this time, she discovered that she liked working with youth in exposing them to all kinds of career opportunities and that she wanted to help others find satisfying work. She obtained a master of arts in counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy, where she worked in the Career Education Center prior to joining the Career Services staff here at Virginia Tech in 2008.