NSBE - Winter 2009/2010 - 61

By Brian L. Jackson, NSBE National Alumni Extension Chair THEAEniCHe proving our worth • To increase Alumni visibility and NSBE National-International collaboration, NSBE-AE has developed Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter pages. These enable members to network with each other between NSBE conferences. • To increase participation in our programs and to enhance professional/ technical achievement among our members, we are taking steps that include streamlining the Professional Development Conferences, benchmarking our chapters’ Pre-College Initiative Tutorial Programs for high school students and investigating or the U.S. work force, and those about to join it, the current economy is the severest possible test of foresight in choosing a career. In this regard — at least among AE members — science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) has turned out to be a wise choice. While industries and professions across the board have seen increases in unemployment during this deep economic downturn, a good majority of AE members remain secure in their careers, supported by their solid work histories and professional track records. Of course, this is not to say that all is well in the workplace. Many NSBE Alumni who remain employed have voiced concerns about current moves within Corporate America to disregard the value of diversity. We also hear strong voices from the minority of our members who have been negatively affected by the downturn, either personally or by association. But perhaps most telling about the size of the challenges we face are our membership numbers. At this time, in October 2009, they are up 20 percent from a year earlier. Past and prospective members, faced with pocketbook issues, are choosing to join AE in record numbers, even as they reprioritize their financial and time commitments. Implicit in that choice is a silent demand that NSBE-AE show them its true value. Clearly, this is not the time to be halfhearted about NSBE’s mission. To meet our new, larger challenges, NSBE-AE is creating new programs and initiatives: • The AE Hot Jobs publications and AE Arsenal Bulletin are addressing membership development. Hot Jobs communicates and markets positions with NSBE sponsors who are seeking a talent pool of diverse technical talent to hire. Hot Jobs provides a twofold benefit to AE members, by providing jobs and by providing sponsorship for AE programs. At the same time, the AE Arsenal Bulletin is introducing the Alumni Executive Board and its goals to the membership. “Clearly, this is not the time to be halfhearted about NSBE’s mission.” strategic partnerships to aid in increasing the number of African Americans with PE/FE certifications. • To develop and generate additional revenue, we are executing the NSBEpreneur program and gathering data about technical business owners to create a database of potential minority-owned suppliers. • Moreover, metrics created by Njema J. Frazier, Ph.D., national AE chair emeritus, are helping substantiate the goals established by the AEB this year. These metrics will be reflected within the Chapter Development Program (CDP) to, at the least, establish starting points for accomplishment in the areas being measured. It is up to all of us — leaders as well as rank-and-file — to make the remainder of this program year an unprecedented success for NSBE-AE, in community service, in mentorship and in professional networking. In doing so, we will show the world what our organization is truly worth. ■ www.nsbe.org • career engineer • winter 2009 • 61

NSBE - Winter 2009/2010

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