NSBE - Fall 2012 - (Page 49)

THE PROFESSIONAL’S PERSPECTIVE WINNING the eNDgaMe By Darnell Fisher, NSBE National Alumni Extension Chair N SBE professionals: on behalf of the 2012–2013 Alumni Executive Board of the National Society of Black Engineers, I welcome you to another great year for the NSBE Alumni Extension (AE). Since the 38th Annual Convention in Pittsburgh, Pa., last March, your newly elected Alumni Executive Board (AEB) has been working diligently to formulate strategies that will enhance your NSBE experience while assisting you in meeting your career goals and impacting your communities. Our No. 1 goal for the year is the “Elevation of the NSBE Professional Brand” via your personal successes in your career and your communities. Ultimately, your success will be what sets NSBE head and shoulders above all other minority-based STEM organizations and truly distinguishes NSBE as the “premier career access organization for Black Technical Professionals.” Today, more than ever, NSBE leaders recognize that the fulfillment of NSBE’s true potential rests in the hands of its technical professionals. We are what I like to call NSBE’s “end product.” In the words of NSBE’s mission statement, we have excelled academically, we are succeeding professionally, and we continue to positively impact our communities. Since NSBE’s first National Meeting in 1975, the Society’s focus has been to increase the number of minority students who strive to attend college and accept the challenge of becoming STEM professionals. In short, we are what NSBE has been about since its conception. As we honor and stand on the shoulders of the visionaries of NSBE’s past, it is the responsibility of the current AEB to take you and this organization to the next level. Based on your feedback, we feel that the following AE focus areas will best serve you and the organization: Professional Development – The 2012–2013 AEB will work to ensure that: your membership benefits are revisited and well-outlined for you; technical and professional development courses offered are beneficial to your career progression; we seek out credible industry experts to host panels, speak to Alumni assemblies and offer their services to your chapters; Special Interest Groups (SIGs) will be focused on industry-specific projects and marketed efficiently to the NSBE membership; www.nsbe.org and members obtain the support of your employers. Chapter Development – Thanks to the formation of the single Professional Development Conference this year, Regional AEBs will now be 100 percent focused on supporting chapter leaders with the sustained development of their chapters. Global Impact – We ask that you report your accomplishments so we can publicize them to the membership, track them on a national scorecard and properly document how many people we truly touch. Our two special projects chairs will “Today, more than ever, NSBE leaders recognize that the fulfillment of NSBE’s true potential rests in the hands of its technical professionals.” focus on strategies and mechanisms that will accurately measure the effectiveness of our programs and retention efforts for our U.S. and International members. NSBE’s current leadership realizes the true value and potential of the technical professional entity of this society. This is evident in National Chair Calvin Young’s National Directives — Academic Excellence, Professional Branding and Engineering Exposure — as well as the AE’s expanded role in NSBE’s long-range strategic plan. In serving as your national Alumni chair, I consider it an honor to be one of the Alumni leaders who will not only help NSBE–AE reach its goals but ensure that you have the tools to better yourself, strengthen your chapters and drive your community forward. I implore you to spread the word to your colleagues, family and friends about the great changes the AE has been undergoing over the past two years. Your voice and success stories will have much greater impact than my success story ever will. Remember: you are what NSBE is all about. You are the end goal. YOU ARE THE MISSION! ■ • CAREER ENGINEER • fall 2012 • 49 http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Fall 2012

NSBE - Fall 2012
Contents
Lead by Example
Come Correct!
Kola Fagbayi of Shell
The Programs Zone
Veronica Davis Honored as White House ‘Champion’
A Catalyst for Change
NSBE and ExxonMobil Reward Retention ‘Impact’
Dr. Baratunde Cola Earns Presidential Research Award
Regional News
In the Lead
At the Vanguard
Staying Connected in Today’s Business World
Back to Indiana
NSBE Calendar
Seek 2012: An Experience Worth the Ride
The PDC Is Coming Soon, to Dallas!
The Professional’s Perspective
The Space SIG Lifts Off
CE Cover: Status:FALSE
Alumni Officers
Biggest and Best
What’s in a Name?
AE National and Regional Websites
Advertisers Index

NSBE - Fall 2012