Manika Avasthi
Senior Professional Development Faculty and Engineering Management Educator VCU College of Engineering
- Richmond VA
Manika is a senior faculty for Professional Development and Engineering Management.
Links
Biography
About Me
I am an educator at VCU’s College of Engineering (and previously at the School of Business) focused on making higher education directly useful. My work bridges academic theory with industry reality, giving students the practical tools they need to step into the workforce with confidence.
Teaching & Leadership
Along with leading professional development courses, I focus on building and expanding our Engineering Management program. My teaching covers:
Professional Development
Engineering Product Development and Economy
Managing E-Commerce Technologies
Analyzing Organizational Systems
Project Management
Research in Action
My research examines how e-commerce impacts small businesses. Rather than keeping these findings strictly academic, I bring real-time market data into the classroom so students learn what is happening in the industry today—not five years ago.
Industry Partnerships & Mentorship
Learning goes beyond the classroom. I partner with companies and nonprofits to create hands-on projects and mentorship opportunities. These initiatives give students space to test ideas, tackle real operational challenges, and gain experience before graduation.
Mission
My goal is simple: to help students build the confidence, technical knowledge, and practical skills they need to step into leadership roles and adapt to the evolving workforce.
I am an educator at VCU’s College of Engineering (and previously at the School of Business) focused on making higher education directly useful. My work bridges academic theory with industry reality, giving students the practical tools they need to step into the workforce with confidence.
Teaching & Leadership
Along with leading professional development courses, I focus on building and expanding our Engineering Management program. My teaching covers:
Professional Development
Engineering Product Development and Economy
Managing E-Commerce Technologies
Analyzing Organizational Systems
Project Management
Research in Action
My research examines how e-commerce impacts small businesses. Rather than keeping these findings strictly academic, I bring real-time market data into the classroom so students learn what is happening in the industry today—not five years ago.
Industry Partnerships & Mentorship
Learning goes beyond the classroom. I partner with companies and nonprofits to create hands-on projects and mentorship opportunities. These initiatives give students space to test ideas, tackle real operational challenges, and gain experience before graduation.
Mission
My goal is simple: to help students build the confidence, technical knowledge, and practical skills they need to step into leadership roles and adapt to the evolving workforce.
