Alumni Who Inspire: Sabrina Ridenour

Mechanical engineering alumna Sabrina Ridenour chatted with us this month about her inspirational journey from WVU student to vehicle systems engineer for General Motors. (WVU graphic/Paige Nesbit)

Alumni of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University have a broader impact in the world. Whether a recent graduate or seasoned professional, they remain vital in upholding Mountaineer values and spirit beyond their time at WVU — inspiring others and helping shape next generation of students.  

Q&A about Sabrina Ridenour

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Through the Alumni Who Inspire! program launched in Fall 2023 as a monthly discussion board, we recognize our alumni for their dedication to their professions, our college and our West Virginia University community.  

This month we caught up with Sabrina Ridenour, a 2017 graduate with a B.S. in mechanical engineering originally from Frostburg, Maryland. Her journey spans from college competition labs to Vehicle Systems Engineer responsible for the propulsion systems of the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Equinox EV at General Motors. A company with more than 90,000 employees, GM is driving global impact in its 150+ facilities sparking progress for communities and economies across America.

Sabrina began her career ;at GM through the entry-level rotational program, gaining experience across engines, transmissions, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and noise and vibration — roles that spanned validation, software development, calibration, and integration respectively. She then spent four years developing electric vehicle charging software, becoming GM’s subject matter expert on the CHAdeMO charging standard and earning two patents in the EV space. 

After completing a master’s in energy systems engineering from the University of Michigan, Sabrina took on her current role, overseeing the full propulsion ecosystem — from drive units and high-voltage batteries to charging systems — for new vehicle programs. Her work involves collaboration with teams across engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and regulatory, spanning all the way to a plant in Mexico to see the first 2027 model year vehicles for her programs roll off the line.  

Balancing a dynamic career with ongoing learning, Sabrina is also halfway through an MBA at Indiana University, preparing for the next step in her career.  

She credits her time at Statler College for laying the foundation for her technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and passion for innovation in engineering. 

Q: Thank you for speaking with us today, Sabrina. For starters, can you tell us what originally drew you to our college? 

A: Half of my family attended WVU, including many engineers, so I had grown up cheering for the Mountaineers all my life.  I knew Statler was a great college, but what really sold me on WVU was that the engineering faculty I met while touring campus. They encouraged me to continue pursuing not only engineering but all my other interests I’ve had in addition to.  For instance, I wanted to complete a minor in vocal performance and sing in VWU’s flagship choral ensemble, the WVU Chamber Singers. Most other engineering schools I toured tried to talk me out of doing a music minor, but WVU was the only university that enthusiastically supported me to pursue that in addition to engineering.  In hindsight, I feel that Statler’s encouragement to be involved in extracurriculars led to more well-rounded leaders entering industry.  

 

Q: Did you get involved in student organizations or clubs while you were here? 

A: The first student organization I joined at WVU was the Society of Women Engineers and this group has proved instrumental in teaching me professional development and soft skills that students might not get exposure to in the classroom.  I remember attending my first SWE conference and attending sessions about interview preparation, imposter syndrome, salary negotiation, leadership, and different tech talks put on by companies and professionals.  I happened to get 6 interviews/offers at the conference career fair which kick started my career here at General Motors. Nearly 10 years after graduation, I still talk to my WVU SWE friends daily, and we try to meet up once a year.  

I was also involved in several other orgs, but I think I was most proud of being a founding member of the WVU chapter of the American Association of University Women.  I was introduced to this national nonprofit after being selected by the Honors College freshman year to attend their annual leadership development conference.  I felt so inspired that I came back and founded the student org at WVU.  I learned so much from leading that group for 3 years – everything from advertising, asking for donations, budgeting, and event planning. My proudest moment with this group was  being selected by the national office to serve on the “National Student Advisory Council”  where I met their lobbyists in DC to help advise and support legislation related to all issues that affect women professionals.  By the time I graduated, this org was selected by the WVU Student Government Association as a finalist for “Student Org of the Year”. 

 

Q: Were there any academic or project experiences that had a lasting impact on you while at WVU? 

A: At Statler, one of the core classes I had to take was manufacturing processes concurrently with finalizing my internship details with GM to be a manufacturing engineer at Arlington Assembly in Texas that summer.  I had no other experience in manufacturing other than this class, so I reached out to the faculty who truly went above and beyond to prepare me by regularly sending me articles and interesting papers on the latest technology in automotive manufacturing leading up to the start of my internship.   

I went into my GM internship with much more confidence because of how much faculty in Statler care for students’ success and they build professional relationships outside of just the regular lectures. 

When I returned to WVU for my senior year, my academic advisor recommended I keep the connection with GM and join the EcoCAR competition team as my senior capstone since this was sponsored by GM. I spent the next year working with my EcoCAR faculty advisor, and a GM mentor to convert the propulsion system of a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro from the traditional ICE architecture into a plug-in hybrid architecture.  This relationship enabled me to convince GM to switch their return offer to me from manufacturing to product development! 

 

Q: It sounds like those experiences shaped not just your career but your perspective as an engineer. How do you give back now to our students in the engineering community? 

 A: Absolutely. I reach out and help coordinate a meet up between alumni and the current WVU SWE section at conference every year! I mentor current students sharing what I learned in college and early in my career; I participate in panels and workshops, helping students understand the real-world applications of what they are learning and encouraging them to be involved and stay connected in their WVU community and beyond.  

 

Q: That’s wonderful! What is your fondest memory from your time at Statler College outside of the curricular experience? 

A: I mentioned the WVU Chamber Singers earlier – this choir gave me incredible experiences such as touring domestically or internationally every year, performing for a few sporting events (including a football game!) and with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, singing with the Grammy-winning composer Eric Whitacre, and being recorded and featured in the university’s annual holiday  video.   While being in this choir did require daily 1.5-hour rehearsals and a busy performance/travel schedule, I really enjoyed taking advantage of all the opportunities WVU provided me with!  

 

Q: What advice would you give to students and prospective students considering this college? 

A: Here are my top 3 tips I would give to current and future students: 

1. Connect with WVU Alumni – especially in the geographic location and/or industry you wish to pursue.  As soon as I moved to Texas for my summer internship – I quickly realized how alone I was.  I connected with the Dallas/Fort Worth WVU Alumni chapter who took me under their wing – their leaders invited me over to dinner at their homes, I met the section at one of their meetings (which they hold at the Big 12 conference headquarters!), and we still keep in touch since I later founded and led the Motor City WVU Alumni Chapter serving the metro Detroit area. Because of that impactful experience, I (and many other alumni) will always go out of their way to help a student/new grad enter their area or industry for a job. 
2. Join a professional organization that you can stay involved in on campus and after graduation.  The Society of Women engineers has been instrumental in helping me find mentors/friends, navigate difficult situations, and grow within my profession both while at WVU and with the Detroit professional section.  You never know when this network will come in handy later in your career. Also make sure you join early on campus so that you can work your way up to leadership roles.  This will set you apart from most other candidates when you apply to internships and entry-level jobs.  

3. Start your job search earlier than you think you need to and put in as much effort into the preparation as you would a class.  I am lucky that I got to support most of GM’s recruiting efforts at EcoCAR competition and SWE conference, so I’ll run through my top advice: 
   

   • Many large engineering corporations are posting their openings during the summer/early fall of the year ahead of when you would start the job. Most students don’t think about looking that early, so they are likely to miss out on those applications before all the spots are filled.   
   • Have your resume reviewed by at least 3 people each semester – preferably someone currently in the industry you are pursuing, a professor/faculty, or even by WVU Career Services.  Resume feedback can be subjective, so my advice is that if you get the same feedback multiple times, you should heed it.  If it is a one-off comment, then it is probably an opinion and it is up to you if you want to apply it. 
   • Attend every career fair you can and be well prepared.  Ahead of the career fair, do research on the companies you plan to talk to (latest tech they are working on, positive recent news stories, etc.).  Have an elevator pitch ready, practice your firm, quick handshake, and come with questions for the recruiter. 
   • Schedule mock interviews and prepare using the STAR interview method of answering questions.  WVU Career Services offers mock interviews, or you can easily look up interview questions online and have your friends or faculty member practice with you. Look up the company’s mission and core values – these will clue you in on what they are looking for in an employee.  

Sabrina, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us; from your time at the Statler college to your work at GM and your efforts mentoring the next generation of engineers, your story is truly inspiring! 

 

For all our Alumni: Whether you are near or far you belong here, in the Statler community! Thank you for your commitment and dedication and Let’s Go Mountaineers! 

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