Sam Benke envisions the future of information technology education at Virginia Peninsula Community College going beyond Hampton Roads and even the Commonwealth of Virginia.
He’s focusing on the world.
Benke, head of VPCC’s Information Systems Technology department, aims to upgrade IT education to prepare students for a global technology workforce while also meeting the immediate needs of regional and state employers.
“At VPCC, my focus has been intentionally on growing and modernizing our IT programs … Our students potentially are going to work in this area. So, we want them to stay and work in this area. We also know they may have opportunities outside of this region,” said Benke, who has more than three decades of experience in IT and higher education.
“So really, my goal is to create a global technology workforce. I know that’s ambitious, but I think we have the talent right here,” he added, noting College leaders (the Local Board included) fully support the vision. “So big picture, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Since assuming the role, the associate professor has led an overhaul of the IT curriculum, revamping academic pathways from career studies certificates to degrees (A.S. and A.A.S.) to meet current industry standards. He said the redesign integrates emerging technologies and responds to years of feedback from employers. That feedback largely indicated a need for stronger “durable” skills to complement technical training.
Although the College’s IT program is recognized and praised for its technical rigor, said Benke, he has prioritized embedding soft skills, including communication, teamwork and more, across the curriculum.
Benke is also pushing other changes within the curriculum. The College now offers a drone technology pathway embedded within its IT degrees, allowing students to graduate with stackable credentials. Similar integrations with criminal justice, business, and infrastructure-focused IT are being considered, he added.
To guide efforts, Benke hopes to broaden the IT program’s advisory board. He hopes to enlist diverse voices representing state agencies and infrastructure-focused organizations alongside cybersecurity professionals.
“I think our region would really benefit from bringing those folks on to help us better understand how we can create employees who not only have an understanding of technical skills, but also how to protect some of the major infrastructures that are in the region,” he said, pointing to cybersecurity as a huge growth area.
“Every industry, every niche of the business world out there has an IT need and focus. So, companies that aren’t known for IT, we value them. We want them as part of this to help us understand their IT needs. The more diverse (advisory board on hand), obviously, the better our program and our students are going to be,” Benke added.
He’s already making connections, having met with the Virginia State Bar‘s IT department in Richmond last December. Discussions involving the agency’s chief information officer and several IT analysts centered on workforce development, new technologies and the evolving demands of the state’s technology infrastructure. He initiated the meeting and plans to reach out to other public-sector agencies for similar talks.
For Benke, the meeting held special significance. Several graduates of Virginia Community College System (VCCS) schools participated in the discussion in their professional roles for the state bar. Among them was his son, Nicholas, who had a role in the state bar’s transition to a cloud-native IT organization. Nicholas and his peers represented the impact of community college–driven IT education, having started as interns.
“Over the years, I’ve made a lot of great connections with my students and seeing them succeed. Then, to be able to see my son go through that same process was, obviously, even more special,” said the proud father. “It’s rewarding to go and visit my son, being successful in the IT field that he had a passion for and entered through the community college.”
Benke believes the late December gathering affirmed VCCS institutions are among Virginia’s most effective pipelines for entry-level IT talent.
A Missouri native, he holds a bachelor’s in business marketing from Lincoln University, a master’s in information science and learning technology from the University of Missouri and numerous industry certifications. Benke started his career as an IT consultant before moving into education. It’s a transition he has made more than once, ultimately landing in Virginia for career opportunities.
“I have enjoyed different career changes throughout the years,” he said. “But I always come back to academia, trying to do good things in the classroom to help students succeed … building programs and pathways for them.”
“I have been an IT director multiple times throughout the years. I have also been a department chair and department lead over the years,” added Benke, whose career includes stints with public schools and two-year colleges in Missouri as well as two other VCCS institutions.
He joined VPCC in 2024 and has a dual perspective (industry practitioner and educator) that shapes his approach as department chair. He’s pleased with his department’s strides thus far, crediting the faculty, staff and College leaders for their commitment. The curriculum enhancements and other strides are only the beginning of ongoing efforts to position students for success, ensuring they are learning how systems work and how to function effectively on professional IT teams from day one.
To further connect students with employers, Benke’s department is launching a Tech Talk series this spring, inviting IT professionals to campus for one-hour sessions with students.
“I want students to hear directly from people doing the jobs they dream about. I think those conversations help us and the industry folks see what might be missing between graduation and immediate employment,” he said.
Benke is excited about the future and the opportunity for deeper collaboration among education, government and industry to open more doors for VPCC students.
“My ultimate goal is to position VPCC again as a regional leader in IT education, producing highly skilled, adaptable graduates who are prepared to succeed locally, and also finding that confidence to hit the market, hit the global market, from day one, once they graduate,” he said.