College of Enginerring Names Omnia El-Hakim Assitant Dean for Diversity
Dean
Neal Gallagher has named Dr. Omnia El-Hakim as the new Assistant Dean for Diversity
in the College of Engineering, effective July 2003. As Assistant Dean for Diversity,
Dr. El-Hakim will work in collaboration with the Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs and the engineering departments to recruit and retain undergraduate
and graduate women and underrepresented ethnic minority students in the college
and enhance the academic programs. She will direct the Women and Minorities
in Engineering Program (WMEP) and represent the college in national organizations
that focus on women and minority enrollments.
Professor El-Hakim has an established record of leadership in academia. She
joined Colorado State in 1984 while holding a joint appointment as professor
of civil engineering at Fort Lewis College in Durango, where she served as chair
of the Department of Physics and Engineering from 1996-1999. During the past
seven years, she has led a consortium of universities, community and four-year
colleges and tribal Nations as Director of the Colorado Alliance for Minority
Participation (CO-AMP). CO-AMP is a National Science Foundation-funded program
developed to assist students of diverse backgrounds as they transition from
two- to four-year schools, and from college to professional careers or graduate
school. The program also reaches into middle and high schools to interest and
motivate students to pursue college degrees.
"Dr. El-Hakim has built a bridge program in Colorado that is expanding
the educational and career opportunities for our diverse population," said
Dean Gallagher. "It was her vision to create a partnership among Colorado's
institutions of higher education to address the needs of women and underrepresented
students. CO-AMP provides the groundwork upon which today's youth can build
a new and brighter future. The College is indeed proud of Dr. El-Hakim's achievements.
Under her leadership and with the emerging opportunities made possible by this
new administrative structure we hope to continue to expand our diversity programs
and provide new opportunities for tomorrow's leaders."
In addition to CO-AMP, Dr. El-Hakim also serves as co-principal investigator
and CSU site director of the Colorado PEAKS Alliance for Graduate Education
and the Professoriate (AGEP) project. Her efforts have been focused on increasing
the number of women and underrepresented minority students receiving baccalaureate
and graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
in Colorado and the Four Corners region. With her new appointment, these efforts
will now be expanded to include oversight of all diversity activities in the
College of Engineering.
"Dr. El-Hakim was the obvious choice for this position," said Tom
Siller, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering. "She
has demonstrated a unique ability to secure funding for diverse student activities;
is knowledgeable of the current activities and programs in the college, university
and the engineering community; and is experienced in recruiting and retaining
diverse engineering students. With the addition of Omnia to the Dean's staff,
we are excited that all of the diversity activities in the college will be centered
in the Academic Affairs Office. This new focus of operations will provide for
better coordination of college and department recruitment and retention programs
and enable all of us to work together as we develop goals for the coming year."
Dr. El-Hakim earned a doctorate in civil engineering from Colorado State University
and master's and bachelor's degrees in civil engineering and hydraulics from
Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt. Her specialization is hydraulics and on-farm
irrigation systems, and she is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers,
the American Society of Agricultural Engineering and the Rotary Club of Fort
Collins. She has directed peer advising, training and enrichment programs for
Hispanic and Native American youth in the Four Corners region, and has served
as the chapter adviser of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society
at Ft. Lewis and the Society of Women Engineers at Colorado State.
"I am honored and privileged to be a part of this unique opportunity to
focus on expanding recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented students
in career and leadership positions," said Dr. El-Hakim. "I am excited
to work with this excellent administration to continue fund-raising efforts
and enhance opportunities for students in STEM fields, and to make a difference
in the State of Colorado. I look forward to seeing an increase in the number
of women in faculty and leadership positions in engineering."
Dr. El-Hakim's office will be located in the Associate Dean's suite on the first
floor of the Engineering Building.