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Apply for Scholarships NOW Apply for Scholarships NOW

The society offers a variety of NSBE and Corporate-sponsored scholarship and award opportunities to our pre-college, collegiate undergraduate and graduate student, and technical professional members. Our scholarship packages range in value from $500 to $6,500. Don't miss out on this NSBE access only opportunity! For more details on the available scholarships and awards, please visit the Scholarship Repository for more information.

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GTA Applications GTA Applications

The Golden Torch Awards (GTA) recognizes excellence among technical professionals, corporate, government and academic leaders, and university and pre-college students. These awards illustrate the possibilities that can be cultivated through support and responsibility. The proceeds of GTA are used to create college scholarships for gifted high school students. Nominations for the 16th Annual National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Awards are now open.  Click here to apply.  For FAQs about the applications process click here.

Click more for a list of the 15th Annual National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Award Honorees. 

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Step up to Leadership! Step up to Leadership!

Take the next step up to leadership! Apply for the vacant positions on the National Executive Board! Be a part of the board of directors of the National Society of Black Engineers - expand your network, mix and mingle with high ranking officials, make a difference in NSBE! Applications are due April 15th so apply TODAY!

Vacant postions are: Chair Emeritus, Treasurer, Treasurer Emeritus, Financial Controller, Assistant Treasurer of Special Projects, Communications Chair, Publications Chair, Parlimentarian, Finance Chair, NLI Chair, PCI Chair, Business Diversity Chair.

To apply click here

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National Leadership Conference National Leadership Conference

It is that time of year again! The 2012 National Leadership Conference (NLC) is to be held June 6th - 10th in New London, CT. The theme of NLC and the Regional Leadership Conferences (RLC) is Leadership: A Catalyst for Positive Change.

NLC is NSBE's premier training program for national and regional officers. Participants receive training in such areas as budgeting, expense management, public relations, and funds solicitation. They will also learn soft skills such as effective communication, teamwork and conflict resolution.
 
To register click here.
 

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Message From Your Chair Message From Your Chair

"It was only a number of years ago that I was considering dropping out of college because of poor grades. Sometimes I think back. What if I never joined NSBE? What if I didn’t have mentors to push me? What if I gave up? It’s simple; I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be a college graduate nearing the completion of my second degree. I wouldn’t be in the Operations Leadership Program at UTC. I wouldn’t be National Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers. I wouldn’t be the “Cal” that members are now proud to call “Chairman”. "

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Renew Your Membership! Renew Your Membership!

NSBE Family,

It is that time of year again! Be sure to renew your membership with NSBE! Keep forgetting year after year? We now have a automatic renewal feature in IMPak! Be sure to remind your fellow members to renew and/or join NSBE! Don't miss out on all our membership benefits - for a list of benefits click here.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

By Rachel Irving-Mann


At age 14, William Kamkwamba used engineering to save his family from famine.

Necessity is the mother of invention. However, in 2001, in a small village in the East African country of Malawi, desperation and a season of famine gave birth to genius. William Kamkwamba’s desire to save his family led him to teach himself engineering, at age 14, and build a machine — a windmill — that harnessed the wind and generated energy to produce light and pump water. His story is told in his recent autobiography, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” cowritten with journalist Bryan Mealer.

With two English science books and a limited command of the English language, Kamkwamba studied diagrams to learn about electricity and physics. In 2002, he finished building his windmill and brought electricity to his family’s home — a luxury that only 2% of Malawian’s can afford.

Kamkwamba’s work made such an impression on the international community that he was invited to the TEDGlobal (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference in Oxford, U.K., last year, as a guest speaker. An outpouring of support followed to help him improve his windmill and start new projects, including projects to find clean water and produce energy using solar power.


African Solutions

Kamkwamba also started a school group called the “Doer’s Club.” Much like NSBE Jr. chapters, the Doer’s Club works on engineering projects. Now, the group is designing and building a solar-powered steam engine.

All of Kamkwamba’s projects use green, renewable energy that is affordable and accessible for local use. His philosophy is “African Solutions for African Problems.”

Says Mealer: “If you want to save Africa, you go and find people like William Kamkwamba. It made me realize that if there was one William Kamkwamba in Central Africa, there must be thousands more in Africa…and in our own communities.”
 




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