NSBE - November/December 2008 - (Page 21)

THE PRogRAMS zONE Cash In Your GpA! By Aftin Ross, NSBE National Academic Excellence Chair N “NSBE, the greatest product we have to offer employers is the talent of our membership.” SBE, this is a time of enormous opportunity and growth both for our organization and the world at large. But to “cash in” on the aforementioned opportunities, we must have the right currency. In the realm of academia and employment, the required currency is academic performance. For students, this is measured via grade point average (GPA). NSBE’s GPA confirmation initiative began several years ago, however, participation in this initiative is not representative of the tremendous growth in membership we have experienced. Simply put, members are not confirming their GPAs with NSBE World Headquarters. During my six years in NSBE, I have heard a myriad of reasons for failure to report this information, and this has led me to compile this listing of the “Top Three Reasons Why Students Do Not Confirm Their GPA”: 1. Potential Cost. We are aware that some schools charge students for sending out official transcripts. But cost is not an issue anymore, NSBE, as we now have a GPA verification form that your school’s registrar can fill out and send instead of an official transcript. This form can be found on www.nsbe.org, on the Achiever’s Plus page of the Academic Excellence section. 2. GPA. We know that not all of our members have GPAs of 3.0 or above. However, this should not keep you from confirming your GPA. NSBE, if we do not know where our students stand academically, we cannot develop the most effective programs to meet their needs. GPA confirmation is also imperative in the evaluevalu ation and assessment of our current programs. 3. Apathy. Many members simply do not want to take the time to request transcripts and make sure they are sent. However, submitting your transcript or GPA verification form not only benefits you, it helps the organization as a whole. For example, GPA confirmation is needed for participation in two new academic programs/competitions: “Bridging the Gap” and “Achiever’s Plus Team Challenge Heptathlon.” Winners of these competitions may receive monetary prizes and be featured on NSBE’s national website, as well as in NSBE Magazine. In addition, the Academic Pyramid of Excellence (APEx) — a NSBE initiative to recognize students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement on the chapter, regional and national levels — also relies on confirmed GPAs to confer member benefits. An APEx member will enjoy numerous rewards, including but not limited to exclusive early entry to the Career Fair at the Annual National Convention, reduced conference registration fees and recognition in the conference program booklet. Now that you have been reminded why it is essential for you to submit an official transcript, I am going to tell you how you can do so. Step 1. Request an official transcript from your registrar, or have the registrar fill out a GPA verification form. Step 2. Send the transcript or GPA verification form to the following address: NSBE Transcripts 205 Daingerfield Rd. Alexandria, VA 22314 Step 3. Wait two weeks, and then check your NSBE Online (NOL) account. NSBE, the greatest product we have to offer employers is the talent of our membership. Academic excellence is a hallmark of this outstanding organization. And in verifying your GPA, you are embodying the critical portion of NSBE’s mission concerning academic excellence. Furthermore, you are helping the Society continue to demonstrate its efficacy in producing engineers with the ability to solve the problems of the world today and in the future. So, submit your transcript today, and avoid the convention rush. ■ www.nsbe.org • november/december 2008 • 21 http://www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - November/December 2008

NSBE - November/December 2008
Contents
How We Got Over
Obama Wins!
LaTanjia Robinson of Aerojet
Membership News: You Did It Again!
Cash In Your GPA!
NSBE-AE Signs On
Growing from One Love
New York Renaissance
Toronto Welcomes NSBE Convention Planners
Regional Officer Reconnects in Ghana
Texas A&M - College Station, NSBE's Distinguished Chpater of the Year
Lifetime Members: 118 and Counting!
NSBE Midshipmen
Vision and Change
The AE Niche
Thinking Green
Blacks in Computer Science: The Secrets of Their Success
NSBE Calendar
AE Programs Address Critical Goals
AE Members on the Move
Making Games for the Masses
Advertisers Index

NSBE - November/December 2008