NSBE - January/February 2009 - (Page 33)

eConomiC Crisis BOOSTiNg NSBE on Wall sTreeT B y ch r i s t i n a ro y s t e r- h e m b y e arly in life, Tonya O. Parris set her course for success. She attended Binghamton University, where she helped launch a NSBE chapter and graduated with a degree in computer science. After attending the University of Pennsylvania for graduate school, she found employment with the global financial services firm Morgan Stanley and, later, Goldman Sachs & Co., where she became vice president in the Technology Division in less than two years. But instead of just focusing on her own career, Parris chose to widen her sights to help others — reaching back to build infrastructure, contacts and bridges for NSBE mem- impactful and influential student and professional leaders. Any combination of those (qualities) makes for excellent contributors as thought leaders and change agents in our working-class society,” says Parris. “She is the personification of the mission statement of NSBE — living, breathing, walking,” says Mack. “If every person who went through NSBE was as appreciative of NSBE as she is, we would be a onemillion-member organization with a $50-million budget.” Parris says her motivations for giving back have been personal. tonya o. parris “She is the personification of the mission statement of NSBE — living, breathing, walking.” — NSBE Executive director Carl B. mack bers to come. According to NSBE Executive Director Carl B. Mack, Parris was largely responsible for convincing both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to recruit at NSBE and join the Board of Corporate Affiliates, NSBE’s top-level sponsors. Parris also persuaded Goldman Sachs to sponsor an intern at NSBE Headquarters to build the website that became NSBE Online, and she influenced the company to make a donation of voice boxes to NSBE for conference calls. She also helped create “Wall Street Row” on the Career Fair floor of NSBE’s Annual National Convention. This area housed recruiters from several Wall Street companies that wanted to boost their brands and let convention-goers know about their opportunities for engineers. Since partnering with NSBE, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have hired more than 100 NSBE members, Parris reports. “I chose to help so many young and fellow professional people during my own career development because I could,” she says. “All NSBE members I’ve interacted with have been great human beings with impeccable work ethics, who are academically driven, www.nsbe.org She grew up in a low-income neighborhood where complacency and crime were the tenor. Still, she knew that if she worked hard, she could escape being an unfavorable statistic. She wanted to help other young people do the same. She admits her unofficial mantra is “of those to whom much is given, much is required.” After an 11-year tenure, Parris recently left Goldman Sachs. However, she says, no matter where she lands, giving back to NSBE will continue to feature prominently in her plans. “If I had to do it over, I would absolutely recruit as many and even more (NSBE members) where possible,” Parris says. “I would recruit NSBE members into the Morgan Stanleys, Goldmans and any other preeminent corporations that need exposure to the talent that organizations like NSBE has in abundance. In addition, I will continue to be involved in an array of philanthropic organizations that would appreciate monetary and time commitments.” ■ Christina Royster-Hemby is a freelance writer based in Baltimore, Md. • january/february 2009 • 33 http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - January/February 2009

NSBE - January/February 2009
Contents
Image or Action?
Bringing It Home
Your Time
Nigerian Students Celebrate
Region III Makes ‘iImpact’
Fall Regional Energy
A Walk for Education
Member Benefits from Microsoft!
Success Catches On
Grad Conference Seeks Heavyweights
Al Collins of Fluor Corporation
What the meltdown may mean for U.S. engineers
Boosting NSBE on Wall Street
“Energizing Creativity to Achieve Exponential Growth”
NSBE Golden Torch Awards
The AE Niche
Jobs in Green Industries
AE Members on the Move
NSBE for Life!
Toronto 2010: Making It Happen
NSBE Calendar
Advertisers Index

NSBE - January/February 2009