Engineer Appreciation Day, Student Org Pride Day highlight Engineers Week

 Engineers Week will again feature a pancake breakfast.

A full slate of activities, including Engineer Appreciation Day and Student Org Pride Day, highlight a week of activities planned at West Virginia University’s Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources as part of National Engineers Week, February 19-25.

On Monday, February 20, a team trivia contest from 7-9 p.m., in the Blue & Gold Room, in Towers. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winning teams and pizza and beverages will be served. The event is being sponsored by KeyLogic Systems, Inc.

WVU President E. Gordon Gee will offer remarks when the College cuts the ribbon on its new Career Closet and dedicates its new Katherine Johnson Conference Room on Tuesday, February 21, at 1:30 p.m., in the atrium of the Mineral Resources Building.  

The Closet was established by the WVU chapters of Sigma Phi Delta, Alpha Omega Epsilon and the WVU Society of Women Engineers section. It allows students to obtain business attire from clothing donated by WVU faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends.

The Conference room is named in honor of Johnson, who is featured in the movie, “Hidden Figures.” A brilliant mathematician at NASA working in the space program’s earliest days, Johnson’s calculations underpinned many of the organizations most important projects, including the early NASA missions of John Glenn and Alan Shepard, and the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon. Johnson graduated from high school at age 14 and from West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University) in Institute at age 18. The following year, Johnson became one of three students to desegregate West Virginia University’s graduate school.

Later that day event sponsor Williams will host a resume review workshop in Room 120 of the Advanced Engineering Research Building. The session, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will include an overview of the company, segments on working a career fair, professional etiquette and resume structure as well as question and answer period. Attendees are encourage to bring their resumes for review after the formal program.

Engineer Appreciation Day will be held on Wednesday, February 22. Sponsored by Leidos, the day kicks off with a pancake breakfast in the lobby of the Engineering Sciences Building from 8:30-10 a.m. At 11 a.m., Leidos will host “Jeopardy” in the ESB Atrium. A light lunch will be provided.

Student Org Pride Day, sponsored by PPG, is Thursday, February 23. Members of engineering student organizations who wear their logoed apparel will get donuts and coffee from 8:30-10 a.m., in the ESB lobby. An invitation-only student organization leadership luncheon will be held from noon-1 p.m., in AERB 120. At 3 p.m., Paul Speaker , associate professor of finance in WVU’s College of Business and Economics, will conduct a seminar on how to compare job offers and select what benefits are right from you. The seminar will also be held in AERB 120.

On Friday, from 5:30-8 p.m., Triad will host movie night in G102, ESB. Attendees will be treated to popcorn and candy and students will have the opportunity to pick the movie they would like to watch as part of a planned social media contest prior to the event.

Other events slated to occur include the College’s second annual video contest, which challenges students to explore the future of engineering; an essay/problem solving competition for West Virginia K-12 students; a blood drive by the American Society of Civil Engineers; and a bake sale by the American Society of Safety Engineers. The full schedule of events can be found online at http://www.statler.wvu.edu/engineersweek.

Additional financial support of these activities has been provided by The Thrasher Group.

“Engineers Week is a chance to shine a light on the difference engineers make in the world around us,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College. “It’s also an opportunity for us to celebrate our students. This year’s schedule not only has sessions related to career preparation and readiness but some fun options as well. We are grateful to our event sponsors—Williams, Leidos, PPG, The Thrasher Group and Triad Engineering, Inc.—for their financial support, which makes all of this possible.”

Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week is an annual event that celebrates professionals in all fields of engineering and computing.

---