Alumni who inspire: Gbolahan Idowu

Alumnus Gbolahan 'Bugzy' Idowu shares his story of connection and an exciting career journey this month (Photo supplied)

The Alumni Who Inspire! Program recognizes alumni for their dedication to their professions, the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and West Virginia University. The program was launched in Fall 2023 as a monthly discussion board with Statler alumni.

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

For this month’s discussion we connected with Mr. Gbolahan (Bugzy) Idowu who graduated with a B.S. in Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering in 2013 and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2017.

Bugzy was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria in an engineering family. His father was an electrical engineer, and Idowu and his elder brother credit their passion for engineering as a direct result of their father’s passion for his work. Idowu and his brother enjoyed following their father to sites at a young age to learn about what he did. Today Idowu is an associate manager in the production engineering department at Tesla Inc., an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Q: We are thrilled to have you join us Bugzy. You achieved some amazing things since graduation, culminating with an associate manager position today! To start, could you tell us why you chose WVU?

Idowu: It really started three years before I joined WVU, when my brother graduated from WVU Tech and raved about the quality of experience and exposure that WVU offers. I became drawn to the Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering (PNG) program and was excited about the opportunity to learn about disruptive technologies in the exploration and production fields.

You graduated from the PNG program, worked for 2 years in a manufacturing environment at Exterran, a systems and process company in oil, gas, water and power and then came back to WVU. What made you return? 

Indeed! I came back because I’ve realized that I had a strong drive for working in process optimization environments. This led me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering which further prepared me to step into a Manufacturing Engineering role at Tesla, and has helped shape my career in a very positive way.

Looking back on your time at WVU, what were some other things that influenced your career journey?

WVU taught me a lot of practical lessons and I am forever grateful for how my experiences as a student helped shape my career path and progression.

At WVU, I developed a passion for problem solving and critical thinking through working on complex engineering projects in my engineering courses. I also learned the importance of effective collaboration through working in team settings on group projects and gained some leadership exposure along the way. The importance of time management is another big lesson that has helped me juggle different priorities like coursework, labs and student org activities.

Moreover, WVU was where I learned not only technical skills but also soft skills like leadership, collaboration and communication. My involvement in student organizations like Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) gave me not only the technical exposure, but also the interpersonal and collaborative experience that served as professional pillars in my career. Finally, the networking experience I obtained through attending national conferences (e.g. annual NSBE conference) and participating in technical design competitions at these events really helped develop my skills in crossfunctional collaboration, precision engineering design and executing under tight deadlines, which later became essential in my professional roles. 

It sounds like those experiences shaped you in powerful ways. What are some memories that you have from your time as a student?

Too many to give them full justice! Here are just a few that I’m very fond of:  

• Attending WVU Up All Night events. My favorites were when we got to make our own personalized street signs (I’ve kept mine to this day!) and where I played a game called “mind ball” where you use your mind to control a ball against an opponent (I was in shock when I won!)  

• Singing “Country Roads” at the end of a home football game victory. No better feeling than locking arms with fellow Mountaineers and hearing the entire stadium in unison singing those nostalgic lyrics. I still get chills thinking about those moments whenever I hear the song on the radio.  

• During my time as a Statler College Ambassador, I gave a tour to a high school student who was considering joining WVU but was unsure of the decision. A year later, seeing that student on his first day of orientation was a truly special feeling, knowing that I was able to be a part of his success story and journey towards becoming a part of the Mountaineer family!  

• Finally, my fondest moment was meeting the love of my life (Loretta Idowu) at WVU during a casual introduction at church. Our paths crossed again at a student org event and our connection grew as we realized we had a lot of shared values. Now three years into marriage, I am truly blessed to do life with such a loving, caring and supportive partner. The real surprise came when we found out that we had lived just 10 minutes from each other back in Nigeria! It was unbelievable to think that we had traveled thousands of miles away from home, only to meet here at WVU. This truly highlights how WVU brings people together in the most incredible ways. 

Thank you for sharing these with us! Did you feel at any time in your student experience that the positivity has left the room and allowed the pressure to step in? Were there any such setback moments for you?   

I experienced setbacks at WVU, but they taught me valuable lessons — particularly about preparation and time management! One of the biggest challenges I faced was when I signed up for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam but realized too late that I wasn’t adequately prepared. I underestimated the time and effort required to study effectively, and as the exam date approached, I felt completely unready. Ultimately, I had to forfeit the exam, which was a tough but eye-opening experience. 

Setbacks and accountability can be daunting, but it’s helpful to hear from others who have faced the same experiences. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who's facing similar challenges? 

The FE exam setback taught me a valuable lesson — that poor planning leads to missed opportunities. From that point on, I transformed the challenge into a positive opportunity; I became much more intentional about time management and preparation! I developed structured study and work habits, ensuring I set realistic goals and stayed accountable to and on top of deadlines.  

This mindset has been crucial in my career, whether it’s leading large-scale manufacturing projects, or implementing process improvements under extremely tight timelines. 

That's powerful advice and really helps to put things into perspective.  

You left an incredible legacy at WVU. Do you feel that your legacy is tied to the work you did as a student, or is it more about the way you impacted people? 

It is both! I feel incredibly proud of the legacy I left at WVU, particularly through mentorship and leadership. One of the most rewarding experiences was serving as President of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where I worked to secure funding that allowed a record number of students to attend our national convention. Seeing those students gain networking opportunities and land internships was a defining moment — I knew I was helping lay the foundation for the chapter’s future success. Through my time as a Resident Assistant (RA) & Statler College Ambassador, I also had the opportunity to mentor and support students, helping them navigate their academic and professional journeys. Whether it was offering guidance on career choices, sharing personal lessons, or simply being someone they could talk to, I valued every moment of helping new students grow. 

That’s inspiring! And your involvement did not end when you graduated; you continue to support our students. Tell us about some initiatives you participated in as an alumnus. 

I stay connected to WVU by continuing to support and mentor existing students and giving back whenever possible. I participate in alumni events, and I continue to stay engaged with the local NSBE student chapter.

I was thrilled to come back to celebrate an incredible milestone last year, the chapter’s 40th anniversary. This event allowed me to reconnect with alumni, network with existing students and faculty and celebrate the legacy of one of the chapter’s core advisors. It also was an excellent opportunity to look back on the growth of the chapter and strengthen the passion I have for seeing the chapter succeed.

Did you always know you wanted to give back to WVU in such a tangible way? 

Staying connected is important to me because it allows me to support the next generation of engineers and leaders, just as others did for me. So yes, I wanted to give back! WVU played a pivotal role in my growth, and I want to ensure that future students have the same opportunities to succeed like I had. 

It’s amazing to see someone so dedicated to helping others and creating a cycle of giving, motivated by inspiration. It really feels like you’ve not only built a legacy but also created a path for others to follow. As we wrap up, what’s your one piece of advice you’d give to a current student? 

The one piece of advice I will give to students is to embrace challenges as learning opportunities — no matter how complex or difficult. There will be moments in your career when things don’t go as you have planned, whether it’s struggling with coursework, getting a grade you aren’t excited about or missing an important deadline at work. But those challenges are where the most growth happens. Instead of fearing failure, focus on adapting, learning and improving. Even now in my career, I approach every project and challenge I face with the mindset that there’s always room for improvement, always a new skill to learn and always a way to do things better.

This is inspiring Bugzy. Thank you so much for sharing your strategies for success and motivating us to focus on progress over perfection! 

Like Idowu, there are so many Statler alumni here and around the world with amazing stories. Join us next month to learn more about our community members and their inspiring journeys. Take a lesson from their success book and be the inspiring Mountaineer. Let’s Go! 

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