Venessa Mitchell
Director of ECCO and Student Programs Coordinator
Venessa Mitchell
Director of ECCO and Student Programs Coordinator
Bio
Dr. Mitchell brings an extensive variety of life experiences to the position of Director of ECCO Center and Student Programs at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She received her Bachelors (Organizational Management) from Roberts Wesleyan College, Masters (Human Resource Development) degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and eventually earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership/Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She has been in the Higher Ed field for over 15 years between the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology in positions such as an HR Liaison/Principal Assistant to Center Administrator and Administrative, Financial Services Coordinator in Mechanical Engineering and now Founder and Director of the ECCO Center (Engineers of Color Creating Opportunities) at Rochester Institute of Technology. Venessa is one of the founding members of Women of Color Honor and Ambition (WOCHA) and is currently on the Women of WOCHA Council, has previously been Key Captain, RIT United Way Campaign and ALAANA Faculty and Staff Association Treasurer.
Venessa has chaired RIT’s Pillars of Hope Team in collaboration with the City of Rochester. A Pillar Team “adopted” a school and implemented activities for the purposes of instilling and/or increasing learning in children; sharing personal journeys in the pursuit of education/careers; sharing stories of overcoming challenges; encouraging students to know that they have the power and strength of character to change, redirect, and take charge of their lives in ways that lead them to achieving their personal goals and dreams.
In the Rochester Community Venessa has graduated from United Way AALDP (African American Leadership Development Program) and was a member of the AALDP recruitment and selection committee for several years. She has volunteered for Empire Justice (formally with United Way) CASH program as a tax preparer & quality reviewer for over 8 years.
Venessa has received the Citibank Student Loan Corporation Service Excellence Awards and been nominated for gold awards and RIT Presidential Award for Outstanding Staff. Most recently she was recipient the Isaac L Jordan Sr. Staff Pluralism Award for her work the AALANA students and promoting a unified community.
In the News
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February 5, 2020
Pioneers of Progress: RIT celebrates National Engineers Week
RIT is one of hundreds of universities and organizations across the country involved in National Engineers Week, taking place Feb. 16-22. Events include talks with engineering alumni and open house sessions for K-12 students and families.