NSBE Magazine - Fall 2011 - (Page 34)

national t offiCers 2011/2012 The NEW Neo he elected and appointed officials on the National Executive Board (NEB) are the top policy makers and administrators of the National Society of Black Engineers. these college students and young professionals, headed by the national executive officers, or NEo, are empowered by the Society’s tens of thousands of members to use their talent, creativity and energy toward fulfillment of NSBE’s mission. National Chair Calvin Phelps, 23, is a master’s degree student in mechanical engineering at Cornell University. A member of NSBE since high school, he is now serving his second consecutive term as the Society’s top-ranking officer. Phelps has melded his service with an outstanding academic record. Among his many academic achievements, he is a former Gates Millennium Scholar and NSBE Golden Torch Award Scholarship Recipient, and was the GEM Fellow of the Year for 2010. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering in May 2009 with a 3.63 GPA. “My goal is for NSBE to be the organization young, black students join to ensure their success in engineering,” Phelps says. 34 • nsbe magazine • fall 2011 National Vice Chair Kari L. Jordan, 28, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at Michigan Technological University and is now a doctoral student in engineering education at The Ohio State University. She is a former GEM Doctoral Fellow, King-ChavezParks Future Faculty Fellow and recipient of a doctoral scholarship grant from the National Science Foundation. Ms. Jordan previously served on NSBE’s National Executive Board as 2009–10 national secretary and 2010–11 national academic excellence chair. She is sustained in her work by this passage from Scripture: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” National Secretary Brenda A. Nathan, 22, is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She has been a member of NSBE since 2006 and has held leadership positions in the Society each year — senator, external treasurer, chapter president and Region VI secretary — and is now serving a second consecutive term as NSBE’s national secretary. She is responsible for the implementation of the new enews processes and virtual chapter visits, and has great plans to use all communication outlets to make NSBE a household name around the world. “It is through effective communication that we can fully achieve the mission of NSBE,” she says. National Treasurer Sade Ruffin, 26, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Polytechnic Institute of New York University. In her current position with NSBE, she is responsible for the development and financial maintenance of the $8-million international operating budget, oversight of investments, chairing of the Convention Planning Committee Taskforce, service on the Administrative and Personnel Committee and other duties critical to the organization. Ruffin says she has learned an important truth during her six years of service as a NSBE leader: “When you do the right things for the right reasons, success is inevitable.” National Programs Chair Matthew E. McFarland, 22, is a master’s degree student in systems engineering at the University of Virginia. He comes from a family of engineers and enjoyed participating in several math and science summer camps as a child. These experiences increased his interest in engineering and math, leading him to pursue a major in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University. As a freshman, he immediately took on NSBE leadership as chapter programs chair and later served as chapter president, Region II programs chair and Region II chair. He believes that nothing is impossible and that “those who say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those doing it.” www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE Magazine - Fall 2011

NSBE Magazine - Fall 2011
Contents
The Next Level
Achievement Finds an Ally
Leadership, Your Way
The Programs Zone
Dr. Philicity Williams of the National Security Agency
Chapter News
Membership News
International News
NSBE Advisor Makes History
Pack Out Pittsburgh!
Empowered by Vision
Top Officers
St. Lucian Students Thrive at IIT
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
SEEKing Excitement for STEM
What’s New?
NSBE Calendar
The Professional’s Perspective
Shifting to Renewables for Electric Power
Alumni Officers
The Japan Effect
AE Members on the Move
Golden Torch Honoree
‘Brother Founder’ Donates $100K to NSBE
XL’ent!
Building Successful AE Chapters
Advertisers Index

NSBE Magazine - Fall 2011