WVU’s annual Diversity Week endeavors to promote celebration, education, and understanding of different identities and experiences present on our campuses. Its aim is to create an atmosphere that provides the WVU community, including students, faculty and staff, the opportunity to explore different backgrounds, engage in discussions that bring new perspectives, and celebrate the presence of, and contributions made by, people of all identities and experiences.
Statler College celebrates Diversity Week with you ALL; join the Office of the Dean through the Engagement Initiative, the Academic Diversity and Inclusion, and the Community Engagement Committees in the events highlighted below and celebrate WHO WE ARE!
2023 Statler College Celebrates Diversity Week: September 18-22
Monday, September 18th, 11-1 p.m. Engineering Sciences Building Spin the wheel and appreciate our diversity and integration!
Wednesday, September 20th, 1-2 p.m., MRB 301 Snack and Conversation: The session supports informal, open dialog for an inclusive Statler community.
Thursday, September 21st, 1- 5 p.m., Engineering Sciences Building Atrium All Voices as One! Student-led conference: LEARN about the purposeful and meaningful exchanges of personal experiences, values, beliefs and views through our keynote lecture and alumni networking events, and CELEBRATE our successes, differences and WHO WE ARE!
Friday, September 22nd, 11.30-12 pm Engineering Sciences Building Diversity awards! Come and celebrate the hard work of our students, faculty and staff as we award these prizes.
All Voices as One: Together we can Innovate and Shape the Future
2022 Statler College Celebrates Diversity Week: October 10-14
Diversity Wheel: Back in 1990, Marilyn Loden (a workplace advocate and a familiar figure who talked about the challenges to career advancement faced by women in the workforce) and Judy Rosener (Ph.D., national expert on gender and leadership) talked about the different dimensions of diversity within individuals and institutions. They introduced the concept of a “Diversity Wheel” to encourage thinking about values, beliefs, and dimensions of identity for people and organizations.
All are invited to think of who we are, accept and celebrate ourselves and others, spin the wheel of diversity in our Statler College to learn about our specific programs and initiatives and win a prize!
Diversity Map: The Value of Mutual Respect
We, in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources work diligently to exemplify the importance of diversity and inclusion. We value and learn from the exchange of personal experiences, values, beliefs, and views that arise from differences of culture, ethnicity, language, gender, age, race, religion, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more.
Let’s celebrate our origins: our place of birth, our place of study, our community belonging, and all that shaped us to become who we are today! Take a pen and make a dot on the map to symbolize your origin and waypoint to our Statler destination! Share with us all you would like to share about those places; write your message and put it in the box of your College destination!
Diversity Awards: Pedro Mago, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, and the Statler College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, announces the recipients of the College’s Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards. The awards are presented to the recipients in conjunction with WVU’s annual Diversity Week celebration; awards will celebrate students, faculty and staff and their contribution to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the Statler Community.
Other Selected Events from 2021
Tuesday, October 12: Overcoming Barriers and Thriving in a Complex and Diverse Environment/Perspectives on Different Career Path
Join our alumni to engage in interactive discussions starting at 6 p.m. via Zoom. Distinguished panelists include:
Line-Audrey Nkule, Catepillar, Inc. - Originally from Cameroon (Central Africa), Line-Audrey Nkule moved to the United States in 2013 to further her university studies.
She graduated from West Virginia University in May 2018 with a Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Mining Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering as well as a minor in Geology. While completing her degree, she secured a mining engineering internship with Freeport-McMoRan at the Bagdad Mine, as well as a sales management internship at Enterprise-Rent-A-Car.
She joined Caterpillar’s Mining Technical Development Program in July 2018 at the Tucson Mining Regional Office. As of now, she represents the company in the Commercial Mining Technology space, supporting other Caterpillar groups, Dealers and Customers.
Line-Audrey is a very active member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) where she holds several leadership roles in the Young Leaders, Inclusion and Diversity and Mining and Exploration Committees. Outside of work, she enjoys music, soccer games, outdoor activities (i.e. hiking) and discovering new cultures.
Sabrina Ridenour, General Motors - Sabrina Ridenour is a 2017 graduate of West Virginia University with a B.S. in mechanical engineering and a minor in vocal performance originally from Frostburg, Maryland. She is employed as a Controls Design Engineer at General Motors while pursuing her M.Eng. in energy systems engineering at the University of Michigan.
At General Motors, she works on developing charging software for all electric/autonomous vehicles. She participates in company culture initiatives including a reverse mentoring program to mentor executives and was requested to serve on her vice president’s inclusion advisory board to advance DEI within talent recruiting.
Ridenour has advocated for women in STEM through the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in various collegiate and professional leadership positions throughout the last eight years. Most notably, she was selected to the 2016-2017 AAUW National Student Advisory Council in DC and has served as a guest speaker for conferences including TechConnectWV’s 2017 “Women Technology Conference” and SWE’s 2019 conference. In 2018, SWE-Detroit presented her with their top honor, the “Key Contributor Award”.
Ridenour hopes to continue inspiring the next generation of female engineers in many years to come just as her mom, also an engineer (like mother, like daughter), has done for her.
Andrew Gillette - Andrew Gillette is a 2008 graduate of the West Virginia University Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program and currently lives in Orlando, Florida. In addition to his BSIE, Andrew has earned an MBA from the University of Florida and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.
While at WVU Andrew interned and was hired as a Labor Analyst after graduation. He has held multiple roles with Workforce Management, Industrial Engineering, and Entertainment Operations. Currently, Andrew is a Proprietor of Entertainment Operations, and he leads a team of eight managers.
Andrew is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and passionate about creating inclusive environments that drive belonging, equity, and authenticity. Previously, Andrew served as the Executive Producer of Operations and a Board Member for Come Out With Pride Orlando.
Outside of work, Andrew can usually be found spending time with his partner and their dog, on the Peloton Leaderboard, at an Orlando City Soccer Game, or enjoying the attractions and live entertainment Orlando has to offer.
Announcement of Excellence in DEI Awards: Stay tuned to the Statler College social media channels.