ECE Students: Leading the Way in NSBE Roles
February 7, 2022
Mississippi State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering students are making a difference in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) in five of the leadership roles in the campus chapter.
The students’ engagement is helping to fulfill NSBE’s mission, which to increase the number of Black engineers who excel academically and professionally and who positively impact the community.
Mississippi State’s chapter hosts professional development, community service, and social events throughout the semester to help its members succeed.
MSU’s NSBE President Kaitlyn Jackson says that the organization provides a community of support for students. Jackson, who is a senior electrical engineering major from Moss Point, said that her role as president helps in assuring “everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve the success they strive for.”
Jerrick Dubose, a senior computer engineer major, serves as the chair for Technical OutReach and Community Help (TORCH) in MSU’s NSBE. This programming is critical for raising awareness and promoting the value of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education for all levels.
“I serve as the chair for our chapter because I want to showcase that engineers are more than just the work that we do,” Dubose said. “I want a community to see that we care and want to help beyond just completing a project, but by providing technical and professional assistance or helping families see how STEM impact their lives every day.”
Danielle Ware, MSU NSBE parliamentarian and computer engineering senior, said MSU-NSBE offers members professional skills development and networking opportunities with employers from all over the country.
“Serving as the President and Vice President of the MSU National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has paid dividends in development of my leadership tool belt. The interpersonal skills, leading by influence, and the idea of servant leadership were cultivated during my time serving on the NSBE executive board,” said Dr. Terrance West, who earned three electrical engineering degrees (’04, ‘06 and ’09) from MSU and is current chief of SHIELD M&S Division, U.S. Army.
NSBE has over 790 chapters nationwide with over 20,000 members. For more information on the national organization, visit https://www.nsbe.org/.
The ECE leaders in NSBE are Kaitlyn Jackson (president), Jerrick Dubose (TORCH chair), Danielle Ware (parliamentarian), Joshua Cotton (telecommunications chair), and Dani Maposa (financial chair).
Students interest in learning more about NSBE’s MSU chapter can find information in Cowbell Connect.