NSBE - National Conference 2024

Reflections and thoughts on the NSBE 50th Annual National Conference

For the Spring 2024 semester, our members had an amazing learning experience attending the NSBE National Conference along with some of our other members.

Location, date and number of WSU attendees

The NSBE 50th Annual Conference took place from March 21-24 in Atlanta, Georgia, with over 15,000 people attending, including 17 WSU students and representatives from over 400 companies.

Progress from the previous year

This year, our NSBE chapter made significant progress by taking 17 members to the national conference, compared to just 4 members last year. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and the opportunities it has provided.

What we gained and learned

At the conference, 6 of our members secured internships or full-time roles, a testament to the value of this experience. Also, all of the members were able to connect with other students and employees accross multiple companies. In addition, we learned about different careers paths, industries and companies.

How the members afforded the cost of the conference

Despite facing challenges in securing funds for our trip, our NSBE chapter was able to cover the registration costs for all members attending the National Conference.

We are incredibly grateful for the support we received from both Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories(SEL) and Blue Origin, whose generous contributions helped make this opportunity possible for our members.

While it has been a struggle, their support underscores their commitment to empowering Black engineers, and we are deeply appreciative of their investment in our community.

What we expect for the following conference

Next year, we plan to continue finding more ways to secure funding for the conference. Our goal is to bring 25 students to the conference and fully cover all the costs (registration, flight, and accommodation). We want to achieve this goal to create opportunities for our members to get jobs, network with other students and professionals in the field, and gain valuable learning experiences