2013 Convention - (Page 8)

From the PublicationsChair My Academic Comeback By Khalia Braswell Acting NSBE National Publications Chair B efore I arrived at NC State, I was told the following: “Don’t let your GPA slip, because it will be hard to pull it up.” Then, several upperclassmen gave me the same advice repeatedly during my first year. Why didn’t I listen? Better yet, why didn’t I take action to prevent problems with my grades? I’ll never know the answer to those questions, but I can tell you what happened and why my GPA is so important to me now. My lowest grade point average was 2.75. It was the end of my freshman year at NC State, and it felt like rock bottom. Once I reflected, I realized I was going about things “…I got my act together! I started going to office hours, began studying in groups, attended tutoring sessions and, most of all, put school first.” I talked to recruiters from several companies. They all loved me but said, “You need to get your GPA a little higher” or, “I would hire you, but you have to have a 3.0.” I know I started off wrong and let a number of things distract me from my road to success. But when I had recruiters basically telling me to “talk to the hand” with my 2.9-plus, I felt getting a 3.0 was a must! It wasn’t that I needed a superior GPA to get an internship, obtain scholarship funds and be a student leader. I didn’t. In fact, I served in leadership positions on campus, and I had multiple internship offers each summer after my freshman year. So why was reaching my goal so important? It’s simple. No one likes to be limited, so when someone constantly tells you “No,” you do something about it! This was my motivation to do better. My mentor is a varsity basketball player, and she graduated with honors from the computer science department. So, why can’t I? As long as people understand you’re working hard and trying your best, they’ll understand your struggle and encourage you. Just don’t settle for less than Academic Excellence! ■ the wrong way. I had too much on my plate, and I did not like my major, computer engineering! What did I do? I changed my major to computer science. I took a very light academic load the next fall, realized my college courses were much more challenging than my high school classes had been, and I got my act together! I started seeing my professors during their office hours, began studying in groups, attended tutoring sessions and, most of all, put school first. As a result, my GPA rose to 2.92 by the end of my sophomore year. Since then, I have raised my GPA to 3.08, and I even made the dean’s list last semester. I can’t describe how happy I was to finally get a 3.0, but I do need to explain why doing so meant so much to me. In engineering, some people do not expect us to have superior GPAs. My advisor told me that I was doing well with my 2.92. Of course, I looked at her sideways, because I know everyone doesn’t feel that way. For example, at the NSBE Annual Convention, 8 • nsbe magazine • convention 2013 www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 Convention

2013 Convention
Contents
Your 4.0…Guaranteed!
My Academic Comeback
THE PROGRAMS ZONE
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Inga Brathwaite: Empowered at Toyota
Jerome Brown: Stoking the Engines at Aerojet
Christina Barker: On Track at PGW
Leveling Up
SEEK 2013 Update!
Back to Indiana
NSBE Calendar
Honoring Our Past, Driving Our Community Forward
Passing the Golden Torch
The Professional’s Perspective
Trailblazers
Petroleum Engineering Digs Deep for Talent
Employer Profiles
Celebrating Academic Excellence
Advertisers Index

2013 Convention