Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines.
The Essence of NSBE
Dive in to discover the heartbeat of our organization, unravel our inspiring mission, and witness the transformative impact we’re making in the Black engineering community and beyond.
Chika Okwor
National Chairperson
Janeen Uzzell
Chief Executive Officer
History
The African American engineering students who came to Purdue University in the early 1970s were small in number, but they came with big dreams. The Civil Rights Movement had brought progress but also unfulfilled promises of social and economic equality. Aspiring Black Engineers at Purdue wanted to see more of their people and their communities empowered by knowledge of STEM.
Purdue undergraduates Edward Barnette Jr. and Fred Cooper teamed with their faculty advisor, Arthur Bond, Ph.D., to launch a campus organization, the Black Society of Engineers (BSE), in 1971. For the next four years, the work of this student group helped significantly increase the recruitment and retention of Black engineering scholars at Purdue.
In 1973, under the leadership of six close-knit Purdue engineering students from Chicago — Edward A. Coleman, Anthony Harris, Brian Harris, Stanley L. Kirtley, John W. Logan Jr. and George A. Smith — the BSE changed its name to the Society of Black Engineers (SBE) and a year later launched an effort to create a national organization to increase the number of Blacks in the engineering profession across the U.S. Letters of invitation mailed nationwide by the SBE drew 134 students from 28 schools to a gathering on April 10–12, 1975, at Purdue, where the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) was established.
Mission
To increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.
Vision
We envision a world in which engineering is a mainstream word in homes and communities of color, and all Black students can envision themselves as engineers. In this world, Blacks exceed parity in entering engineering fields, earning degrees, and succeeding professionally.
Who We Are
A beacon of excellence, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) stands as one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the U.S. Founded in 1975, NSBE champions the dreams and ambitions of collegiate and pre-collegiate students, as well as technical professionals, in engineering and technology fields. Boasting more than 700 chapters and a membership exceeding 24,000 around the globe, NSBE advances a critical mission: “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.”
With a legacy spanning 49 years, NSBE has birthed countless businesses, empowered corporate leaders, moved multitudes of engineers to graduation, and enriched STEM education for hundreds of thousands of K–12 students worldwide. In essence, NSBE members, chapters, and supporters are fervently committed to shaping a brighter future where Black excellence reigns supreme.
What We Do
At NSBE’s core, our programs form a thriving STEM pathway. Through leadership, technical and academic excellence, and mentoring, we uplift our community. Supporting NSBE cultivates a legacy of future leaders, innovators, and global citizens poised to make lasting positive impacts worldwide.
Our Impact
Each year, NSBE leaves a profound mark across various spheres. From the thousands of 3rd – 5th graders engaged in our national Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) camps, to the 15,000 collegiate students honing their academic and technical skills, and the myriad of businesses led by our professionals daily, the impact of our organization is unmistakable. As trailblazers in shaping the future of Black Engineers and Blacks in STEM, NSBE stands at the forefront of positive change.
