Syracuse University chapter of the National Society for Black Engineers has strong showing in regional competition, heads to national convention

Syracuse University chapter of the National Society for Black Engineers has strong showing in regional competition, heads to national conventionMarch 03, 2001Jonathan Hayjhay@syr.edu

The Syracuse University chapter of the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) dominated the award presentations at the Region One NSBE Spring Conference in Trumbull, Conn., Feb. 9-11. The SU chapter excelled throughout the conference and was named the Region One Medium-Size Chapter of the Year. Andrea Williams, a junior in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and president of the SU chapter, says the organization’s members are excited about the success on the regional level and are looking forward to the national convention in Indianapolis March 14-18. “Our chapter will have a strong presence at the national convention and will represent SU proudly,” Williams says. As the Region One Medium-Size Chapter of the Year, SU’s chapter development packet documenting the organization’s activities for 2000 will be on display at the national convention. Other honors garnered by the SU chapter at the regional conference were Chapter of the Month for October 2000; Chapter of the Month for Dec./Jan. 2000/2001; and the Monthly Theme Award in Membership for September 2000. Members who received awards for their work were Linda Kyei, an ECS junior who won the Academic Excellence Member of the Year award, Academic Excellence Student of the Semester for Fall 2000, Academic Excellence Member for October 2000, and Academic Excellence Member for Dec./Jan. 2000/2001; and Oronde Baird, an ECS sophomore who won the Academic Excellence Member award for November 2000. While at the regional conference, NSBE members participated in various competitions and finished first in two categories. Stacy-Ann Collins, an ECS senior, won first place in the Undergraduate Studies in Technical Research competition, and Colin Seale, an ECS freshman, took first place in the NSBE LUV Poetry Contest. The mission of NSBE is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. Along with their work in the classroom, members of the NSBE-SU chapter have reached out to the Syracuse community throughout the year.

Members of NSBE have created their own pre-college initiative and junior chapter of NSBE. The chapter, which includes high school students, provides tutoring to students in local elementary schools. On Friday evenings, NSBE members, along with Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity members and the Black and Latino Information Studies support group, host local high school students in an SU computer lab, providing basic-to-advanced computer training that even includes instruction on creating Web pages. Williams says that 28 members of the SU chapter will travel to the national convention, a number she believes is the most in the history of NSBE at SU. Kweisi Mfume, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), will deliver the keynote address at the convention banquet. Tavis Smiley, host of “BET Tonight” will welcome the attendees to the conference, which will also feature a number of networking opportunities and workshops. “The national convention is a huge event that provides students the opportunity to work on personal and professional development,” Williams says. “There are opportunities presented at the convention for internships and even employment on the spot. “The theme for NSBE this year is ‘Embracing Our Global Community,’ and all the events happening will center around this. I’m glad so many members of our chapter will get to take advantage of those opportunities,” Williams says. Williams says the work of the SU members is greatly supported by Dawit Negussey, associate professor of civil engineering in ECS. “He will also be at the convention, which all the students are excited about,” Williams says.