Celebrating 50 years of the National Society of Black Engineers
UC's NSBE chapter is one of nearly 100 in region four
For half a century, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has committed to increasing the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.
UC's NSBE chapter is one of nearly 100 chapters in region 4. Christopher Boles, left, and another chapter member hold up fours to signify this. Photo/Provided
In the early 1970's a group of six Purdue engineering students, dubbed the "Chicago Six," created the first chapter of what was then called the Society of Black Engineers. In 1975, after a unanimous vote by the Purdue students and nearly 50 more from other accredited engineering schools, The National Society of Black Engineers was born.
"NSBE creates a welcoming environment for minority and Black students in engineering," said Christopher Boles, a doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati and the NSBE chapter vice president. "We focus on being together, working together and uplifting one another as well as reaching out to the community."
UC's chapter is one of more than 600 national and global chapters; there are more than 24,000 active NSBE members around the world. Each year, NSBE members and industry partners come together for annual regional and national conferences.
I will never forget attending my first NSBE National Convention. It was my first time attending an event with tens of thousands of Black engineers and I was shell shocked.
Deborah Cole-Taylor UC NSBE chapter president
The conferences provide opportunities for professional development, including a career fair wherein hundreds of companies attend. Students can network with employers, sometimes landing co-op or full-time jobs. Additionally, the conferences are a tangible representation of the community NSBE provides for Black engineers.
"I will never forget attending my first NSBE National Convention," said Deborah Cole-Taylor, chemical engineering student and president of the UC NSBE chapter. "It was my first time attending a convention with tens of thousands of Black engineers and I was shell shocked. I came back from the convention with unforgettable memories I still reflect on today."
NSBE's community is reminiscent of a family for its members. Cole-Taylor shared that her involvement with the organization was driven by the desire to find a community of people on campus who could relate to her experiences as a Black person, and woman, in engineering. NSBE provided that for her.
"Engineering is challenging by itself, but holding these identities presents me with obstacles that many of our counterparts within the college and the field do not face," Cole-Taylor said.
Nationwide, NSBE is working to increase the number of Black students that earn bachelor's degrees in engineering to 10,000, annually, by 2025. To do this, they are organizing outreach programs with pre-collegiate initiative (K-12) students and their families. Each year, UC's chapter hosts several events for Cincinnati-area schools to inspire students to get interested in STEM.
One of the biggest annual events UC hosts is Engineer for a Day. NSBE members work with students on science experiments and demonstrations like the egg drop and the chemistry behind creating slime to show them what it's like to be an engineer. While they are doing these activities, their parents and guardians attend a panel hosted by current UC and CEAS students for a Q&A session about their experiences, the resources available and what it might look like here for their student.
NSBE is magic. I am so thankful for this network because it's more like family.
Whitney Gaskins, PhD CEAS Associate Dean
Whitney Gaskins (left), CEAS associate dean, has been involved with NSBE since she was an undergraduate student here at UC. She is pictured with founding member of UC NSBE, Keith Boswell. Photo/UC Alumni Association
NSBE works to form this connection with students before they enter college, and once it's made, it lasts well beyond graduation day. Many can testify to that. For Boles, he was introduced to NSBE during his undergraduate program, and a connection within the organization inspired him to pursue his doctoral degree, leading him to UC. For CEAS Associate Dean Whitney Gaskins, NSBE created a foundation for her career.
A unique element of the NSBE organization is that it is wholly student run on a campus, regional and national level. The policies and direction of NSBE are managed by engineering students. For instance, Gaskins shares that at the age of 21, she was managing a multimillion-dollar budget, planning conferences for thousands of people, and interacting with hundreds of companies in her role on the NSBE National Executive Board.
The University of Cincinnati has a strong history related to NSBE. For instance, one of the founding members of the chapter, Keith Boswell, was present at the inaugural NSBE conference in 1975 and the following year was named the first Region Four Chairperson.
"NSBE is magic," Gaskins said. "I am so thankful for this network because it's more like family."
For 50 years, the organization has been uplifting, encouraging and inspiring Black engineers and welcoming new members with open arms.
Featured image at top: NSBE region four members at the fall regional conference. Keith Boswell (center), Deborah Cole-Taylor (left center) and Christopher Boles (right center) are pictured. Photo/Provided
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