We Are Tufts NSBE: An Overview of the 41st Annual NSBE Convention

I am not a regular face on the Tufts Career Center Blog, so it’s only appropriate that I introduce myself. My name is Marilyn Allen. I am a proud Jersey girl who loves Jamaican food and running hurdles and I am a rising senior in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department. This year I had the great opportunity to serve as the President of the Tufts chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE, pronounced NEZ-BE). NSBE is an international organization whose mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.” Throughout the year, we hope to build a community and outlet for Black and minority science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students through professional and academic programming. This year we were able to host a range of events for our members including Career Fair Prep with Robin Kahan of the Career Center, Time Management Tutoring through the ARC, and information sessions with companies and organizations such as CODE2040, the United States NAVY, and Draper Laboratory. We have collaborated with groups such as SOLES, Tufts Engineering Mentors, and the participants of Tufts Engineers Week. On campus, we are a close-knit group, which is why we call ourselves a “NSBE family.”  

A family photo from our spring general interest meeting

During the month of March, NSBE hosts its Annual Convention. This year the 41st Annual NSBE Convention was held in sunny Anaheim, California. Convention is an opportunity for NSBE members throughout the world to network, develop professionally through workshops, secure internships and jobs, and to learn more about the society as a whole.  

Tufts NSBE is suited up and ready to go!

With the anticipation of entering graduate school upon the completion of my Tufts career, my goal for convention was to connect with graduate schools and to attend workshops. Over the course of the two-day Career Fair/Graduate School Fair, I was able to speak with representatives from graduate programs such as Northwestern University, USC Viterbi, Florida A&M, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  I learned that many of these schools offer open-houses for senior undergraduate students and that there are institutional grants and fellowships for graduate students at each respective university, meaning graduate school can be fully funded!!!  

Out of all the workshops available to attendees, the most memorable was the Kaplan GRE Strategic Test Prep session and the For Women Only: The Unspoken Word discussion. The Kaplan GRE Strategic Test Prep session was my first introduction to taking the GRE. Yeah, I knew I needed to take the GRE soon, but school happened and preparing for the GRE didn’t. During the test, I noticed areas that needed more work, in particular the verbal reasoning section, the bane for most engineer test-takers, and areas where I needed to review like math from high school geometry and algebra. I left the testing site ready to commit to studying every day until I take the test in the fall.

During the For Woman Only: The Unspoken Word discussion, Black women from Northrop Grumman Corporation offered words of advice from their experiences as women of color in STEM. I was overjoyed by the sisterhood of Black women who shared their experiences and advice. It was amazing how a room full of strangers were able to connect over the difficulties we can all relate to. We were all reminded that we must support each other and strive to be an example for the younger generation, showing them that they too can pursue a career in STEM despite others telling them not to. This workshop resonated with me because I have always felt that the support of my family and friends has enabled me to continue to pursue engineering. This workshop reaffirmed how important it is for students to have a community on campus, such as NSBE, to help them reach graduation and beyond.  

Throughout the 41st Annual NSBE Convention, I had the opportunity to connect with professionals, graduate admissions officers, companies, and students. I can always walk away from convention learning more about myself and my goals as an engineer and professional. I am beyond excited for next year’s convention since the 42nd Annual NSBE Convention will be held in Boston! Make sure to be on the lookout for Tufts NSBE next year! We are always excited to meet any interested students who want to learn more about NSBE and what we have to offer students on campus. We have plenty of room for new members in the “NSBE family”! 

With NSBE Love,

Marilyn Allen

Class of 2016