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Meet the Grads, Kimberly Morris: Finding purpose in and out of the classroom

Kimberly Morris posing at a both with her handmade goods.

Kimberly Morris is a dual major in industrial and mechanical engineering and also runs a small business that focuses on vintage and antique home décor, glassware and furniture. 

As a native West Virginian, Kimberly Morris grew up knowing she was destined to become a Mountaineer. What she didn’t know was that one day she would be graduating from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources with two degrees and a thriving small business. 

Story by Brittany Furbee, Communications Specialist

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—

For Morris, an industrial and mechanical engineering dual major from Bridgeport, attending the Statler College was a lucky shot in the dark.  

“All I knew leaving high school was that I loved math, science and working with others, so engineering was my best bet,” Morris said. “After my freshman year, I was struggling with my choice of being an industrial engineering major though. IMSE faculty member Philomena Krosmico spent countless hours with me and helped me decide to pursue a dual major in industrial and mechanical engineering, which isn't a common path. Without her guidance and advice, I probably wouldn’t be graduating on time.”  

Through hard work and perseverance, Morris found her footing and began to thrive in the classroom. She even made the Dean’s list for six semesters throughout her 4.5 years at the College.  

Student Kimberly Morris working on a project in a lab with two other students.

“I was motivated to work hard in my classes because I realized early on that I wanted to be a great engineer,” Morris said. “My freshman year, we had a panel of Statler alumni come to discuss with us their daily jobs and what to expect when working as an engineer. As a listened I thought, ‘Wow, I want to have careers as successful as these people and be a person that students could look up too in the future.’”

In addition to thriving in the classroom, Morris was an active participant in extracurriculars. She was a member of the WVU Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineering and the WVU Hip Hop Team. She also served as a volunteer math tutor for high school students as part of her capstone project.  

Photo of the WVU Dance Team

When the pandemic struck in 2020, Morris decided she wanted to expand her horizons by exploring new hobbies and activities, so she decided to give furniture refurbishing a try.  

“I began by refurbishing furniture for my own home and then it slowly expanded to custom work and selling pieces through my online shop,” Morris explained. “This turned into my small business Invidia Vintage, which now focuses on vintage and antique home décor, glassware and furniture.”  

Kimberly Morris holding two yarn art pieces.

Today, Morris still runs her business and sells both online and in-person at markets in the Morgantown area. She credits the success of her business in part to the principles she learned at the Statler College.  

“In my Industrial Engineering courses, we were taught a lot of skills that help businesses thrive like production planning, manufacturing concepts and quality control,” Morris said. “However, when I started my business, I began running headfirst without taking the time to think about any of my skills as an industrial engineer. As my business grew to a certain point of sales, I realized that this would be my first chance to really incorporate my schoolwork into everyday life. I found it to be an exciting point in by business’s lifespan because it allowed me to operate from a professional standpoint where I could forecast next year's sales or produce my products more efficiently.”  

Although Morris’s business started as a hobby, she plans to continue operating the business simultaneously with her new full-time position after graduation.  

After a successful internship last summer with Carmax, Morris was offered a full-time position with the company as a processing engineer at their home office in Richmond, Virginia.  

Kimberly Morris on stage at CarMax headquarters delivering a presentation on two projector screens.

“My daily tasks could range from optimizing the car reconditioning process to testing out new tools for mechanics,” said Morris of her new role. “I think the Statler College helped prepare me for this role by emphasizing the importance of incorporating internships and real-world experience into the general curriculum. The Statler College pushed me into the working world and emphasized the importance of learning from both your successes and failures in life.”  

With graduation quickly approaching, Morris reflected on her time as a student at the Statler College and expressed that her fondest memories as a student were those that made her feel like WVU is where she belonged. 

“What I remember most from my time here is the collective effort to make everyone feel at home,” Morris said. “Every semester on the first day of school, the administration does first day of school photos. I originally thought it was a funny thing to do as a 20-year-old, but I realized how sweet it was to be able to send a photo back to my parents and to look back on now. Small efforts like these are things that the faculty may think go unnoticed but mean a lot to many of the students.” 

Kimberly Morris and another student posing with a sign that says "first day of school"

Morris hopes to inspire the next generation of engineers and encourages them to pursue their passions, whether that be in the classroom or in your free time.  

“If you’re interested in engineering, explore the different jobs or career paths you can take,” Morris explained. “Coming into college, I felt I had such a vague idea of what it meant to be an engineer and I only really learned through the help of my professors. Talk to and learn from the faculty around you because they only want to see you succeed and are more than happy to discuss any of the unanswered questions you may have when deciding your future. Don’t let the term ‘engineer’ intimidate you. I’ve met a lot of students who were interested in engineering but didn’t believe they had the skills needed to succeed in their major. The Statler College is there to teach you everything you don’t know, so don’t let anything hold you back.”  

 


-WVU-

bmf/12/13/22

Contact: Paige Nesbit
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4135, Paige Nesbit

For more information on news and events in the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, contact our Marketing and Communications office:

Email: EngineeringWV@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: 304-293-4135