April is a month of celebration and transition for NSBE—and this year, both are happening in powerful ways.
Fifty-one years ago this month, six visionary students at Purdue University gathered with a bold idea: to create a community that would nurture, support, and champion Black engineers. From that spark in 1975, NSBE was born. Happy Founders Day to the NSBE family!
As we honor that legacy, we’re also celebrating the excellence of our members who continue to reach extraordinary heights. At our 2024 Annual Convention in Atlanta, we had the privilege of recognizing Victor Glover, NSBE lifetime member and Artemis astronaut. Seeing Brother Glover—who has traveled to space—reminds us that NSBE engineers don’t just build careers; we build the future.
We’re still riding the momentum from our recent Baltimore convention last month, where the BSX stage powered by STEMedia and supported by an incredible coalition of corporate partners showcased the breadth of our impact. From GE HealthCare’s Engineering Health and Wellness Expo to the Golden Torch Awards and countless career connections—we saw our mission in action. Students excelling academically. Professionals succeeding in their fields. All of us remaining culturally responsible as we positively impact our communities.
And now, this month, we’re channeling that energy into the future. This weekend, we hosted the NSBE National Transition Meeting here at our World Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. This immersion experience is the critical first step in supporting the transition between our outgoing and incoming National Executive Board members—and it’s where the real work of collaborative leadership happens.
NSBE’s strength lies in our student-led board governance model. Our National Executive Board members are students who carry the weight and privilege of leading this organization alongside our staff. At the Transition Meeting, our WHQ team meets with their National Executive Board counterparts to work collaboratively in planning the year ahead—always in service to the mission and members of NSBE.
These aren’t ceremonial meetings. This is where we set the pace for the year ahead. Financial reviews. Board governance practices. The presentation of our new strategic plan. This is where vision meets execution, where student leaders and professional staff align around shared goals, and where we ensure that every decision we make centers our members.
I’m energized by what I witnessed this weekend—the questions asked, the commitments made, the seriousness with which our incoming board approaches this responsibility. This is collaborative leadership at its finest, and it’s exactly what our founders envisioned when they created a space for Black engineers to lead, serve, and thrive.
To our outgoing board: Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your dedication. You’ve moved this organization forward in profound ways.
To our incoming board: Welcome to the journey. We’re here to support you, collaborate with you, and ensure you have everything you need to lead with excellence.
To our entire NSBE family: April reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of giants while simultaneously building the foundation for those who will come after us. Let’s honor both truths with our continued commitment to this work.
In service and solidarity,
Janeen Uzzell
Chief Executive Officer
National Society of Black Engineers
