National Society of Black Engineers Convention a Major Success for USD’s Chapter

Monday, April 4, 2022

The University of San Diego’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) sent 28 students, the largest cohort yet, to the 48th annual NSBE Convention in Anaheim, California– and it was filled with success stories.

NSBE is committed to increasing the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact their communities. During this year’s convention, thousands of students got to explore opportunities at dozens of technology, automotive, medical, energy and other companies. 

“Seeing so many people that look like me striving for greatness forced me to grow as a person. When everyone in the room is a smart minority engineer you are forced to shed these titles and find out who you are at your core,” said Leonard Leau ‘22, mechanical engineering major. “This was my first conference and the only regret I have is that I didn’t go before.”

Twenty USD students interviewed with companies at the convention and twelve USD students received either internship offers or full-time employment offers out of those interviews. Those offers came from companies such as Boeing, Honeywell, UPS, and Lockheed Martin.

“NSBE is more than an opportunity to connect with employers and secure internship and job offers. Our students get a chance to learn from leaders in their field, connect with peers from across the country and interview with top professionals who not only look like them but have come from similar backgrounds and share in the collective understanding of being Black in engineering. There truly is nothing like it,” said Rhonda Harley, USD’s NSBE advisor and interim senior director of the Career Development Center and assistant director of career development in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.

Harley worked hard with the NSBE president Lauren Washington ‘22 and the executive board to plan for the convention. This planning included two preparatory meetings which were mandatory for all attendees and consisted of resume reviews, networking preparation and community-building. These students also received in-person support at the conference from Chell Roberts, PhD, dean of the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, Elisa Lurkis, director of development for the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, and Tom Lupfer, member of USD’s Board of Trustees and President of Clarity Design. Clarity Design, along with SDGE and USD’s Associated Student Government, also provided financial support so that USD’s NSBE students could attend the conference without having to worry about the cost of attending. 

“I felt very inspired from the NSBE Convention and I felt the feeling of unity, knowing that I can make it and will make it,” said Kamilah Isah ‘25.  “Networking with different companies really encouraged me to continue on my path and continue to grow. I also now understand the importance of LinkedIn.” 

Alumni Josh Williams ‘16 and Kheperah Ray ‘19 were co-founders of USD’s NSBE chapter in 2016. They both were in attendance and have remained heavily-involved with the chapter and its success. And it seems to be paying off– during the convention, the USD chapter received the 2022 NSBE Region 6 Medium Sized Chapter of the Year Award.