NSBE - Winter 2011/2012 - (Page 16)

chApTEr news NSBE volunteers Have a Win-Win-Win B y Y a z m i n I n c e , M e m b e r, U n i v e r s i t y o f A l a b a m a – H u n t s v i l l e N S B E C h a p t e r NsBe’s University of Alabama–Huntsville chapter volunteered recently with Habitat for Humanity to help families in the local community. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” — Muhammad Ali I t was a sunny, cloudless Saturday in Huntsville, Ala., and the weather was ideal for any outside activity. The University of Alabama–Huntsville NSBE chapter was up early to volunteer for the local Habitat for Humanity branch. As chapter members walked into the charitable organization’s main office building, they could sense the excitement and anticipation from all of the volunteers. About 20 members, including the university’s dean of engineering, Shankar Mahalingam, Ph.D., showed up ready to get their hands dirty. After signing in and watching a short video about the organization, they were split into groups along with other volunteers and given their assignments. Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organization that provides housing to families in need, by building simple, affordable houses. The group has built more than 400,000 homes for underprivileged families around the world. Volunteers are used in the construction of these homes and also in coordinating all of the donations received. Some of the NSBE volunteers from University of Alabama– Huntsville were sent to another location to assist in installing insulation underneath a house. Others were selected to install blinds and clean up debris from a house that was nearly finished. “It was a great experience. It felt good knowing that something as simple as hanging blinds was going to put a smile on someone’s face,” says chapter member Jasmine Young. A third group stayed at the main warehouse, where all of the supplies were stored. A huge donation of used bricks had recently been made, and the volunteers’ job was to scrape the dried mortar off of the bricks and stack all of the usable ones onto pallets. At the end of their shift, they had stacked more than 2,000 bricks. The job may not sound very exciting, but the group found that the time spent together was actually quite fun. This experience highlighted three benefits of chapter volunteerism for community service: 1. Personal Growth: As a volunteer, you’ll find that by helping others you are also helping yourself. Hearing the stories of the people who were getting the houses was inspiring and encouraging. You can be proud of the work you did, and you can maintain that positive attitude in your own life. 2. Chapter Bonding: As chapter members worked together, they got to know each other better and even filled some vacant leadership positions on their executive board. The group made the work fun by cracking jokes, and afterward, several members went out to lunch together. The experience brought the chapter closer together as a NSBE family. 3. Positively Impacting the Community: By lending your time and talents for a good cause, you are contributing to society. As a part of its mission, NSBE wants to make a difference in the community. Whether it is through tutoring at a local school, helping at a Boys & Girls Club or building houses for Habitat for Humanity, volunteering is a great way to get your chapter to positively impact your local community. To get started, decide which organization you would like to help, contact the group, and set a date. Get motivated, volunteer, and encourage those around you! ■ www.nsbe.org 16 • nsbe magazine • Winter 2011/12 http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Winter 2011/2012

NSBE - Winter 2011/2012
Contents
Engagement Matters
Worth a Thousand Words
Living Abroad
Mizanu Kebede of L ife Technologies
Marques Griffin of Chevron Corporation
Chapter News
What’s New?
Membership News
Soaring in Finance, Grounded in Math
The Programs Zone
International News
NSBE Calendar
NSBE Golden Torch Award Winers
The Professional’s Perspective
Opportunities in Emerging Africa
Improving Energy Efficiency in Signal Processing
Council Selects NSBE to Help Improve the FE Exam
The NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference
Boost Your Knowledge! Join a SIG
AE Members on the Move
Advertisers Index

NSBE - Winter 2011/2012