NSBE - Winter 2013 - (Page 41)

THE PROFESSIONAL’S PerSPeCtiVe OUR VISION, our name By Darnell Fisher, NSBE National Alumni Extension Chair U nder the direction of the 2011–2012 National Alumni Extension chair, Strauder Patton, your National Alumni Executive Board (AEB) began the process of changing our name from NSBE Alumni Extension to NSBE Professionals. We conducted a major marketing campaign to prepare the collegiate and Alumni membership for the vote at the Annual Convention in Pittsburgh. AEB members spoke at chapter meetings, Fall Regional Conferences, Professional Development Conferences and NSBE senator/delegate meetings. In the end, we were successful in obtaining a positive vote from the member representatives to change the name. However, per our operating guidelines, not enough voters were present for the proposal to pass. Today, the proposal is back on the ballot for the 2013 Annual Convention in Indianapolis. The national parliamentarian is assisting us in communicating the importance of the name change and the importance of those trusted to vote on behalf of their chapters. We consider this name change to be vital to NSBE’s Long Range Strategic Plan for two reasons. The first is how the change relates to the mission of NSBE: “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” Nowhere in this mission statement does it say “to increase the number of ‘alumni’ members.” Nowhere does it convey the idea that members are required to matriculate through NSBE from the Pre-College Initiative level and thus become NSBE “alumni.” In our efforts to recruit and retain members, we, as an organization, want to express the idea that we are looking for technical professionals who are succeeding professionally, regardless of when they started their participation in NSBE. The name NSBE Professionals allows us to expand our efforts to a larger audience for potential membership. The second reason this name change is so important is that it falls in line with our vision for this organization. Our vision is for NSBE to “become the premier career access organization for black technical professionals,” not “for ‘alumni www.nsbe.org members.’” Everything we are doing as an organization is geared toward making your NSBE membership experience one that will further your career and give you the tools to become the best technical professional you can be. In succeeding in this goal, NSBE will be the organization that our sponsors turn to when they want the best of the best; the organization that individuals looking for a positive change in their career will turn to; the organization that other minorities will turn to, to get the skills required to succeed professionally in industries in which minorities are still grossly underrepresented. The time has come for a change that takes this organization to the next level. Remember, “YOU ARE THE MISSION!” ■ “The name NSBE Professionals allows us to expand our efforts to a larger audience for potential membership.” • CAREER ENGINEER • winter 2013 • 41 http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Winter 2013

NSBE - Winter 2013
Contents
Graduation! Pump Up the Party
Clean Up Your Digital Brand
Reelected
ITW’s Dr. Alexander Anim- Mensah
Steven Henderson of Life Technologies
Patricia Edmonds of NAVAIR
Franklin E. Leaven Jr. of GE Transportation
General Mills: Winning through Diversity
Eye of the Tiger
39TH ANNUAL CONVENTION PREVIEW
Golden Torch Honorees
The Professional’s Perspective
Trailblazers
Professional Development Conference Recap
CE Cover CODE2040: Grooming Business Leaders in Silicon Valley
Uhuru: Freedom
‘To Increase the Number…’
NSBE Calendar
NCEES Employer Profile
Advertisers Index

NSBE - Winter 2013