Steve Vehorn
Student Outreach – Recruitment Specialist
I lived most of my childhood in Greensboro, N.C. and Virginia Beach. Growing up in Virginia Beach was fun as outside of school and sports, I had time to go surfing, crabbing and fishing. I’m fortunate that I still get to enjoy surfing and fishing and they are extra special when I get to do them with both my boys. Blue crabs are also still my favorite food.
What brought you to Richmond?
I went through ROTC at East Tennessee State University and after serving my active-duty commitment in the Army, I got a job working with the Colonial Athletic Association as a sports information intern.
What are the greatest challenges of student recruitment today?
The greatest challenge of recruiting students is communicating to potential students the number of different options that Reynolds and CCWA offer in a concise message. We have a tremendous product at Reynolds and with a very diverse student population, there is a strong need for a wide variety of options of flexible class schedules, programs and degrees – it is often tough to get in the full Reynolds message in just a few seconds.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working with students?
Seeing the hope that Reynolds and CCWA provide them – for many of our students, without Reynolds and CCWA, there would be no hope.
If you had one extra hour a day, how would you use it?
Tying fly fishing flies.
You are a surfer and love other outdoor activities like golf. What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
I love hiking to small mountain streams to fly fish for brook trout, but am passionate about surfing. Both fly fishing and surfing are sports that have allowed me to see some of Mother Nature’s most incredible landscapes from the babbling streams and waterfalls deep in the mountains to surfing alongside dolphins and sea turtles as the morning sun crests over the horizon. I also enjoy golf, but have found it more enjoyable when I don’t keep score.
Being passionate about surfing, what do you think about indoor surf "parks"?
I’m all for surf parks – anything to build the sport, and a park would be a great place to learn on perfect waves. I doubt any of the “real” surfers will use it unless it is winter when it is cold, but I’m all for them. This summer will be the first time they have surfing in the Olympics.
I’ve got a surf trip lined up for March to Florida, as my oldest son Sam got a job in Jacksonville - going down for a week to camp at a campsite on the beach and surf the week. Wahooo!
What do like most about Richmond? Favorite places to visit?
Favorite restaurants? I have lived in Hanover for over 25 years and the location of Richmond allows for easy access to many of our state’s natural treasures - two hours to the beach to surf, two hours to great fly fishing and hiking areas in the Shenandoah National Park and two hours to the top of Wintergreen Resort to snowboard – one day my boys and I were able to surf in Virginia Beach in the morning and snowboarded at Wintergreen that evening. Favorite restaurant: ZZQ and Fat Dragon. Favorite place to visit: Richmond International Raceway on race weekend. Go Chase Elliott!
If you won $100 Million in the Mega Millions lottery what would you do with the money?
I’d first pay off any of my church’s debit and invest in its future. I would then support a few of my favorite nonprofits: Special Olympics Virginia, Wounded Warriors Project, Richmond SPCA, Camp Hope and Reynolds.
