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National Society of Black Engineers
The National Society of Black Engineers at Virginia Tech
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Article / Dianna Kim
AEP representatives and the 2019-2020 VT NSBE executive board posing for a photo after a presentation given by AEP.
Photo / Twitter @ NSBE_VT
The following is an interview with Christelle Jose, the Vice President of the National Society of Black Engineers at Virginia Tech. Jose is currently a senior majoring in Materials Science and Engineering.
Photo / Christelle Jose
31 Engineers’ Forum | www.ef.org.vt.edu
What is the National Society of Black Engineers?
The National Society of Black Engineers, NSBE, is the largest student-run organization in the nation. Our mission is to “increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” We have members on several levels: pre-college (NSBE Jr.), collegiate, and professional (post-undergraduate). NSBE provides its members with scholarship opportunities, professional and academic development activities and events, and areas for community service.
What resources does VT NSBE provide for its members?
Our organization provides its members with countless opportunities on the professional, academic, and personal level.
Professionally
The national board hosts an annual convention where NSBE Jr., collegiate, and professional members are invited to participate. The National Convention is full of workshops, networking events, and a large career fair. Some of the companies that have attended the National Convention are Microsoft, Snapchat, IBM, P&G, and General Electric.
NSBE also hosts smaller conferences based on region. Virginia Tech students are invited
and encouraged to attend the Fall Regional Conference (FRC) of our designated region. Similar to the National Convention, FRC consists of competitions, workshops, networking events, and a smaller career fair. We’ve had several of our members get their internships and even full-time positions at an FRC!
Academically
Having chapters on each level provides students with the opportunity to interact and learn from each other. The connection between NSBE Jr., collegiate, and professional members is done through mentorship programs. At Virginia Tech, we have a mentorship program based on major. For example, an upperclassman studying Mechanical Engineering would be paired with an underclassman studying the same discipline. This year, our chapter is looking to connect current undergrads with NSBE alumni. This will help new graduates navigate their way through the industry or graduate school!
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Young students from nearby high schools and middle schools working together on an activity during a PCI event.
Photo / Twitter @NSBE_VT
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Personal
NSBE emphasizes the act to give back to our community and to inspire younger children. VT NSBE has two sub-programs under its umbrella that focus on that: TORCH and PCI.
TORCH (Technical Outreach Community Help) is a community service program. At Virginia Tech, TORCH works closely with PCI for more impact. In the past, we’ve held activities at the Blacksburg Local Library. One activity included teaching children how to build a toy car from a plastic bottle and other common materials!
PCI (Pre-College Initiative) was put in place to inspire minority children to pursue further education in STEM-related fields. Our chapter focuses on middle school to high school students. One Saturday per month, we host 30 to 50 students at Virginia Tech for a full day of activities. A typical day consists of engineering department presentations, lab tours, and hands-on activities such as coding and robotics. Our most popular day event is the Spring Game where students watch our football team play from the President’s Box. Both programs impact our community and allow our members to positively impact those around them!
What actions is VT NSBE doing to support diversity in the professional workforce, especially in the engineering field?
Our chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers has always been driven to “increase the number of professional black engineers.” To help our students succeed we hold study sessions where we have tutors for popular classes, such as math, chemistry, and physics. Upperclassmen are also more than willing to share their experiences and tips to success with the underclassmen, as well as offering any type of additional help they may need.
We also hold professional development events including resume workshops, mock interviews, and professional headshots. We host collaborative events with companies, too. These partnered events allow students to network with company representatives, learn about the company, and possibly land offers for internships and co-ops.
How has the Black Lives Matter movement impacted your organization?
NSBE is constantly working towards increasing the retention of Black students at their institutions by providing a safe and inclusive area to grow both
33 Engineers’ Forum | www.ef.org.vt.edu
Attendees visiting the Google booth at the 2019 Nation Convention career fair hosted in Detroit, Michigan. Photo / National Society of Black Engineers
personally and professionally. The BLM movement has increased awareness of anti-blackness and issues of systematic oppression in the engineering profession. The lack of representation in faculty and the lack of available scholarships are just two of the many factors that play a role in retention rates.
Recent visibility has also prompted us to take more of an educational role in the Virginia Tech community about the experiences of people of color and Black students. We are building a tighter relationship with organizations like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) in hopes of fostering a better environment for our members. We’ve also been contacted by other non-minority student organizations and faculty committees interested in beginning a dialogue about Black student experiences in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. As a chapter, we hope to establish long-lasting plans to benefit current and future Black students. We would also like to note that efforts must not stop at simply starting a dialogue. Action toward attainable goals is what we need.
Lastly, what are your plans for the upcoming year, especially given these unique circumstances due to COVID-19? How do you plan on staying engaged with your current and prospective members?
Our executive board has decided to conduct all activities online using Zoom in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. By having all events online, we are removing the possibility of transmitting and spreading the virus unnecessarily.
Social media will also play a large role in staying engaged with our members. Over the summer, we’ve been able to hold a few events such as a “Senior Send-Off,” “Live Instagram Q&A Session” for the incoming freshmen, and a “Self-Care Sunday” series. We’re looking forward to a great semester full of impactful events.
To keep up with us, follow us @nsbe_vt on Twitter and Instagram!
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