Beverly Watford Inducted into Engineering Academy

Dr. Beverly Watford was one of five members inducted into the Academy of Engineering Excellence this year! With three degrees earned from Virginia Tech, Watford carries a special distinction: a triple Hokie.

• B.S., mining engineering, 1981

• M.S., industrial engineering and operations research, 1983

• Ph.D., industrial engineering and operations research, 1985

Watford is an engineering education pioneer. Her impact on Virginia Tech engineering has spanned almost three decades. In 1992, Watford founded the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED). The center provides programs in pre-college and K-12 STEM programs, living-learning communities, and peer mentoring, which have successfully increased the college’s enrollment. She is the first Black woman to be promoted to professor in the College of Engineering.