Statler College announces 2024 Excellence in Cultivating Engagement and Belonging Award recipients

Excellence in Cultivating Engagement and Belonging award recipients are Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova, Todd Hamrick, Kara Cunningham and the WVU student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. (WVU Photos)

The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, and the Statler College Academic Diversity Committee, announced the recipients of the College’s 2024 Excellence in Cultivating Engagement and Belonging Award. The awards were distributed to the recipients in conjunction with WVU’s Diversity Week celebration. 

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

“Through a competitive process with over 20 applicants, two faculty members, one student, one student organization and one staff member were selected for the award in recognition of their dedication and involvement in creating a sense of community for our college,” stated Cerasela Dinu, associate dean for student, faculty and staff engagement. “The awardees have demonstrated through their purposeful, tangible action that they have yielded positive outcome in supporting our students, faculty and staff wellbeing, community integration and engagement to thus enhance the sense of belonging for all.” 

The 2024 Excellence in Cultivating Engagement and Belonging Award recipients are Professor Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova from the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Teaching Professor Todd Hamrick from the Fundamentals of Engineering program, civil and environmental engineering PhD student, Kara Cunningham and National Society of Black Engineers student chapter and one staff member, and Susie Huggins from the Fundamentals of Engineering program. 

 

Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova: Faculty awardee 

As a PI of the NSF S-STEM funded project “Attracting and Cultivating Cybersecurity Experts and Scholars through Scholarships,” Goseva-Popstojanova serves and leads the bachelor’s program and area of emphasis in cybersecurity for the college. During this time, she has made significant contributions in cultivating the engagement and sense of belonging of the ACCESS scholars and other students who pursue B.S. or AoE in cybersecurity, as well students from other LCSEE majors who are interested in the cybersecurity field. She developed and offered numerous opportunities for co-curricular engagement and student support services like career development seminars and panels, social events including award ceremonies for new scholars as well as strengthened the partnerships with many cybersecurity employers from the public and private sectors.  

Over four and a half years, these efforts have culminated in a total of 63 awarded students — 22 of these 63 students were incoming freshmen and 96 annual ACCESS scholarships. Measuring program success, 20 ACCESS scholars have graduated, out of which 18 have started full-time jobs and two are pursuing M.S. degrees and currently there are 32 ACCESS scholars enrolled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Todd Hamrick: Faculty awardee 

Hamrick has been involved in developing and supporting frameworks to both help colleagues thrive as well as students understand, appreciate and integrate complex concepts like teamwork, project management, ethics, and effective communication for their development as successful engineers. Through practical insights and case study based on hands on projects, Hamrick integrates real ethics scenarios in his engineering classroom to encourages students to actively participate in their learning process rather than passively receiving information. He has successfully shown that experiential learning promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills as students face challenges that require them to analyze situations, make decisions and reflect on their outcomes. His approaches have also been applied in his mentorship to graduate students and in the community — over 18 years of support and continuous involvement in the Mountaineer Area Robotics high school robotics team.  

Kara Cunningham: Student awardee 

As the founder of the WVU American Water Works Association Club, Cunningham has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to creating an inclusive, engaging, and community-oriented environment. Her approach unites undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their experience level or background, feels valued and connected within the Statler College community. To deepen this sense of community integration, Cunningham has forged partnerships with organizations such as WV Rivers Coalition and Friends of Cheat, enabling students to engage in water-related projects that connect them with the local community and the environment they inhabit. Additionally, she played a pivotal role in establishing a comprehensive mentoring program within the WVU AWWA Club by connecting underclassmen with experienced upperclassmen, professors, and industry professionals, to build a support system that significantly enhances students' academic and career development.  

NSBE: Student organization awardee 

The National Society of Black Engineers provides a welcoming environment for students of color within Statler College and cultivates engagement, friendships and lifelong connection that exemplify the values represented by this award. Their commitment to fostering a vibrant community has greatly enriched the academic experience for members. Such as raising funds to send members to national meetings and conferences like the NSBE National Convention where 11 representatives from WVU networked with approximately 17,000 students and professionals from across North America. At the convention, Raphael Oladokun, a graduate student in chemical and biomedical engineering was awarded the national winner of the Golden Torch Award for Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year in recognition of his service and scholarship.   

NSBE recently celebrated its 40th anniversary as a chapter at WVU, marking four decades of dedication to supporting students through mentoring and community building. Their professional development activities cover topics such as financial planning, networking, and resume writing, featuring speakers and workshops from industry leaders, including First Energy, Whiting-Turner, and Mathworks, among others. The organization has also played an important role to assist in outreach and recruitment efforts for Statler College, participating in EngineerFest, Fall and Spring High School Visitation Days, Decide WVU Days and Track or Treat.  

Susie Huggins: Staff awardee 

Huggins is recognized for her dedication and commitment to the students and her support of the Fundamental of Engineering K-12 outreach and recruitment programs for our college. Huggins ensures that each student feels welcomed, valued, and supported, thus demonstrating excellence and inspiring those around her. Her active engagement and dedication led to funding to support basic students' needs and enhance their academic experience, which has significantly impacted our community. Whether it is answering questions, providing guidance, or simply lending a listening ear, Huggins helps create a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of community for our first-year students.  

“We are incredibly grateful for our awardees’ contributions, and these awards are a well-deserved recognition of outstanding efforts to make Statler College a community,” Dinu explained. “Congratulations to our students, faculty and staff who make a daily difference!” 

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