Letters From Your Chairs
Letter From Your Region V Chair, Paul Nguyen
Region V,
February marks the beginning of a time of remembrance, honor and celebration for African Americans in the United States. As we remember all of those great men and women who came before us, let us not forget the hard work they put in to make our lives easier today.
Many times, I reflect on the nature of NSBE, and I wonder where we are as a society today. Why do we lack membership engagement? Why did we have more people running for office when we had 50 percent fewer members than we do today? Why has the number of blacks in engineering become static?
During the recent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, I was able to reflect on his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. It prompted me to think about the dream I have for NSBE. I have a dream that one day, members will become engage with this organization and fight for positive change in the current status of blacks in engineering. I have dream that members will empower the NSBE Senate and make decisions that will shape the future of this organization. I have a dream that every leadership position on the national, regional and chapter level will be contested by multiple candidates. Finally, I have a dream that one day, we will have 100 percent of African Americans who enter engineering programs emerge with their undergraduate degrees.
But Nelly said it best: ”It was only JUST A DREAM.”
The reality is that we have members who changed from the “we” to the “me” mentality and are only in NSBE to put it on their resumes. The reality is that we have positions that go uncontested and unfilled every year. We have senators who are barely involved with the direction of the organization, let alone the senators who do not even bother to vote at Annual Convention, because they just wanted the discounted registration. Worst of all, we have only graduated roughly 3,000 African Americans in engineering each year for the past 10 years.
But the question is, “Whom do we blame?” We are quick to point the finger and say it is not our fault, but when you point the finger, you have three more pointing back at yourself. We have no one to blame for our failure but ourselves. You and I are the ones who effect change in this organization.
This article is not meant to be a personal attack, but I do want it to be a wake-up call, so people can see the writing on the wall. At the end of the day, it is not too late to make the DREAM a REALITY. It all starts with each of US. Get your senators involved, make plans to run for leadership, and become active in your chapter and NSBE Programs. Most important, do not just stand up and recite the mission statement, go out and BE THE MISSION!
Paul P. Nguyen
2010-2011 Region V Chairperson
r5chair@nsbe.org
Letters From Your Chairs:
National Chairperson - Calvin Phelps
National AE Chairperson - Thzaira Charles
Region I Chairperson - Ricardo Theodore
Region II Chairperson - Matthew McFarland
Region III Chairperson - Yael Monereau
Region V Chairperson - Paul Nguyen
Region VI Chairperson - Ogugua Agu