Collegiate Times

Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner speaks to the Montgomery County Democratic Committee Dinner in Shultz Hall.

Today, former Governor and current Democratic Senate candidate of Virginia Mark Warner and CEO of Google Eric Schmidt will be at the Lyric between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 pm.

The event is sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, and is open to the student body. Warner and Schmidt will be discussing the promise of increasing technology while also creating jobs and opportunities across the country, especially in rural America.

"When speaking about technology and a global economy, you don't leave smaller, rural communities behind," Warner said in an interview Tuesday. "And I thought what better place to take this than Blacksburg and Virginia Tech."

Before his appearance, Warner sat down with CT staff writer Justin Graves.

Look for a complete recap of the event in Friday's edition of the Collegiate Times.

Q: How did you get involved with Eric Schmidt and Google in Thursday's event?

A: Google is one of the most exciting companies in the world and they have been supporters of mine for a while.

 Q: What is your view on smaller communities, such as Blacksburg, and the role they play in the global economy?

A: When speaking toward technology and a global economy, you don't leave smaller, rural communities behind, and I thought what better place to take this than Blacksburg and Virginia Tech.

Technology must withstand the boundaries of time, especially with the number of services available anywhere, any place.

 Q: What is the driving force behind the economy, and the obvious factor of technology?

A: I believe that the driving force behind our economy and the world economy is going to be a well-educated work force and capital innovation.

As for as education, that's what Virginia Tech does and that's what Google does, allowing us to be a leader again. America has fallen to sixth in the world as far as foreign percentage of their GDP, and that's not good enough.  We need a renewed focus on research and development with technology.

The next four or five years is going to be the age of energy for the world in terms of job creation. This is something that Google has taken the lead on, and something I would love to see Virginia take the lead on.

Q: What would you say is the greatest factor in the whole technology -- global economy spectrum?

A: Beyond driving down health care prices, beyond education and innovation, you've got to have infrastructure.  In the 21st century, it's been mostly defined as roads and rail, but you also need broadband.

What has really helped America in the last 20 years is innovation on the Internet and the telecom innovation such as things like satellite.

 Q: What are the political implications for Virginia Tech students concerning the role that technology will play in the global economy?

A: Political implications are two-fold.  One is in the past; if you were left behind you might still have a place or a job that you can find.  Those jobs are basically gone.  They are disappearing in our society.  The challenge we've got, from a political standpoint, is not to leave rural America behind.

The real challenge is future versus past.  We need elected leaders who are not afraid of the future.  They don't have to be a techno-whiz, but they sure have to be aware of technology and globalization.

 Q: What should Virginia Tech students do to be ready for their role in the future?

A: Students have got to be educated and they've got to understand that they live in a global economy, whether they like it or not. And they've got to be involved.  The world is changing at a great speed and you've got to engage in the political process. Do things that actually get results.

 Q: What is your view on America and their role in the future world economy?

A: Just because America was the pre-eminent in the 20th century, doesn't mean we still are. I think America can be the pre-eminent power in the 21st century, but we've got to earn it.  And students must be ready for that, and they must demand leadership so that America can stay competitive.