Hailing originally from Nigeria, Dr. Emiola Oriola serves as the inaugural Director for the new Office of Inclusion and Belonging. Prior to this role, he was the founding Program Manager for the new Office of Interfaith Dialogue and Engagement. In that role, he created the framework for the office, managed its day-to-day operations, developed, implemented, and executed the vision and mission of the office, and represented the office and University both on and off campus regarding DEI & interfaith matters. During his time in that position, he helped students, campus, and community members create spaces, share perspectives, restore justice, and build bridges across various backgrounds
Dr. Oriola received his BA from the University of Pittsburgh, his MA from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and his EdD from Pitt. His research focuses on experiential learning, global perspectives, and building significant learning skills in students through intentional exposure, communal dialogue, and creative expression.
Dr. Oriola is the recipient of the Black Prestige Community Leader Award (2014), Who’s Who in Black Pittsburgh honoree (2015), a One Young World US Ambassador (2016), Pittsburgh Magazine and PUMP’s 40 Under 40 awardee (2016), a recipient of the New Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence award (2017), a recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Leadership Award for exceptional leadership to INVESTING NOW students and families (2018), a recipient of the Rising African American Leader Award from the African American Alumni Council of the University of Pittsburgh (2019), and an awardee of Interfaith Youth Core We Are Each Other’s Harvest (2020).
Emiola ultimately sees himself as a lover of people who strives to build unity-in-diversity proactively and intentionally wherever he goes.
