Fresno State’s National Society of Black Engineers attends Annual Convention in Chicago

photos courtesy of Cameron Black and Payton Green

Fourteen members of Fresno State’s National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) recently travelled to Chicago to attend the NSBE Annual Convention, nearly doubling the number of students that attended the convention in 2024.

NSBE is one of the largest student organizations in the US. NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” 

This year’s NSBE Annual Convention was a four-day event with an anticipated 15,000 attendees. The convention offered attendees an opportunity to “conduct organizational business, elect national and regional leaders, [and participate in] competitions, professional and personal development, and networking and celebratory activities.”

NSBE members pose in front of the famed Chicago Bean

Cameron Black, president of NSBE at Fresno State, said, “One of my biggest goals for this convention was not just to secure an internship for myself, but to help our younger members do the same. 

“I wanted to set them up for a successful college experience, just like I was able to [have] after attending the NSBE convention in Atlanta last year. That convention helped me secure an internship as a freshman, which gave me the experience and confidence to excel this year.”

Every single Fresno State NSBE member secured at least one interview while at the convention, with a total of 32 interviews overall. About half of the students received an internship or job offer. 

A NSBE member since 2023, Black had six interviews at the convention and secured three internship offers. He said, “I also had the chance to connect with other NSBE chapter presidents across the country, exchanging ideas to strengthen our chapters. Overall, the conference was both exciting and rewarding. It reinforced the power of preparation, networking, and the impact NSBE has on opening doors for students in STEM.”

Attending the NSBE convention also provides students an opportunity to see and experience representation that may have been otherwise lacking. 

This was Payton Green’s first time at the NSBE Convention, and first time traveling outside of California.

Payton Green (above), a sophomore who recently decided to major in engineering, said, “I grew up in a predominantly white area and…I was taught that being black and smart was complex, something that was never said in the same sentence. As if being black and being smart were posed to be a juxtaposition of each other. 

“[Going to the convention] let me know that there are people all over the world (literally) that are going into fields that are meant to be challenging and are sticking to it. It was genuinely life changing. I’ve never seen so many people that look like me in one area, making things happen for themselves.”

To learn more about NSBE and connect with students like Black and Green, visit the NSBE website or Instagram page. 

by MARISA MATA

Related :

Share your story

Do you have news you would like to share with the community? Let us know! Contact our Communications Coordinator Marisa Mata at 559.278.6560 or marisamata@csufresno.edu to get started!

BLOG ARCHIVES

←
→

Leave a comment