Engineering Opportunity Through WVU Tech’s Culinary Program with Chef Devin Noor-Mackowiak

In this episode of Our Communiversity, hosted by Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, president of WVU Tech, the focus is on how higher education and community truly work hand in hand across Southern West Virginia. Sponsored by Pendleton Community Bank and Cucumber & Company, the program explores the idea that the community is the university and the university is the community. Dr. Stuart welcomes viewers into a conversation centered on opportunity, access, and the creative ways WVU Tech is investing in people and place.

Dr. Stuart is joined in the studio by Chef Devin Noor-Mackowiak, who oversees the WVU Tech culinary program. Chef Devin shares her journey from growing up in Shady Spring, West Virginia, to attending culinary school in upstate New York, owning a local restaurant, and ultimately returning home to teach the next generation of culinary professionals. Together, they discuss the value of keeping talent in the region, the real-world challenges of entrepreneurship, and how hands-on education prepares students for meaningful careers in the culinary and hospitality fields.

The conversation highlights WVU Tech’s state-of-the-art culinary facilities, community outreach events, student internships, and the impact of the West Virginia Invest Grant in making education accessible. From local festivals to national experiences like Nemacolin and Michelin-star dining, this episode showcases how the culinary program opens doors for students while strengthening the regional economy.