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Crossroads
The Official Newsletter for the Drexel University Chapter of the
National Society of Black Engineers
Message from the President NSBE Membership –
What’s in it for me???
Welcome back upperclassmen and hello to
all new students. As Drexel begins the
For 27 years and counting, the National
school year with a new look, NSBE is be-
Society of Black Engineers has been in-
ginning the year with a whole new attitude.
This year’s Executive Board has been work- creasing the number of culturally re-
ing diligently throughout the summer to pre- sponsible black engineers who excel
pare innovative workshops and stimulating academically, succeed professionally,
programs for the entire fall, winter, and and positively impact the community.
spring terms. Now is the time for execution. With over 10,000 members, it is the larg-
Our programs will address all of our seven est student-managed organization in the
key business areas—academic excellence, country.
technical excellence, communication, finan-
cial vitality, leadership, cultural and com- So why should you join?
munity awareness, and continuing education
and career access. Look for stronger com-
My freshman year, NSBE had meetings
munity service and increased pre-college
every Tuesday like clockwork. After
involvement for the upcoming year. We
have also prepared a number of workshops dinnertime at the cafeteria, everyone
focusing specifically on supporting and im- would pack up and head out. When
proving academic performance. Keep in asked if I were coming, I would always
mind that we have reaffirmed our focus for reply with a sad, “I’m not an engineer.”
the organization—MEMBERS. Our mem- It was not until the end of the year that I
bers are the driving force of this organiza- discovered NSBE is not in the least ex-
tion and it is with their support and clusive to engineering majors. With that
admiration for NSBE that has made Drexel bit of information, I joined the thou-
one of the top chapters in the Philadelphia sands before me, and haven’t looked
area, but we cannot stop there. With in- back since.
creased membership participation and effec-
tive leadership from the E-board, I see
To my delight, NSBE wasn’t just a place
Drexel becoming one of the top chapters in
the entire organization. With that said, I to go every Tuesday night to eat pizza
hope to see YOU taking advantage of all the and hang out with the African-
opportunities that NSBE has to offer this Americans on Drexel’s campus. There is
year. so much more to the organization.
Through NSBE, you can develop your-
~Samuel J. Laurencin self professionally, and groom yourself
DUNSBE President
for adult life in general. For once you We are also looking at Imhotep Charter
won’t have to ask, “Why do I need to High School and Central High School for
know this?” This year as a chapter, we future chapters. As NSBE members, we all
will be presenting diverse programs on can help by becoming mentors to our junior
topics including health, academic, and chapters. It’s up to us to help the college
students of the future. If you know high
economic issues. On a regional and na-
schools in the Philadelphia area that might
tional level, there are three major NSBE
be interested in a Jr. NSBE Chapter, and if
conferences held each year. National you have any suggestions for PCI programs
conferences provide excellent network- for this year, please email me at
ing opportunities, career fairs, graduate (DUNSBEpci@yahoo.com.)
school fairs, and various technical, cul-
tural, and professional workshops. Re- ~Karla Hawkins
gional conferences rotate location, and DUNSBE Pre College Initiative Chair
are hosted by varying NSBE chapters
within our region. This year the Fall
Regional Conference will be hosted Membership Spotlight
right here in King of Prussia.
For two years, I had the privilege to lead the
Simply put, to join NSBE at Drexel is to Drexel University Chapter of NSBE, and in
join the best chapter, in the greatest re- that amount of time I came to learn no mat-
gion, of the most wonderful student-run ter what your title is or who you may be,
organization in the country. Is that a bit there is always someone positive that you
much? Probably. But I can’t help it; I’m can look up to. When this lesson comes to
mind, so does the thought of Mehari Kassa.
just TWOOOOOOOOOO HYPE!!!
Mehari graduated last June with his Bache-
~Christina Achampong lor of Science degree in Chemical Engineer-
DUNSBE Membership Chair ing. He then went on to Shell Chemical
Company's Game changer department in
Houston, TX to complete a summer intern-
ship. He is now at Louisiana State Universi-
NSBE Jr. - The Pre-College ty's (LSU) Gordon A. and Mary Cain
Initiative Department of Chemical Engineering, seek-
ing his Masters Degree. He is also explor-
ing the possibility of a dual MBA
This is Karla Hawkins, your Pre-College
concentrating on Entrepreneurship. With a
Initiative (PCI) Chair, giving you an update
motivational push from Dr. Steve Cox, the
on NSBE Junior in your region. Drexel
Associate Director for the Philadelphia Alli-
NSBE is now in the process of getting our
ance for Minority Participation and the advi-
first NSBE Jr. Chapter in Philadelphia start-
sor of the Drexel University Chapter of the
ed and ready to participate in FRC (Fall Re-
National Society of Black Engineers, in his
gional Conference). This PCI chapter will be
Junior year, Mehari set his sights on a PhD
at University City High School, located at
in chemical engineering. He recently told
36th and Market Street; a location that we
me that “The PhD goal is still there, but [he]
should take advantage of as Drexel students.
wants to test drive LSU through their Mas-
ters program. I plan to concentrate on the DUNSBE Positively Impact-
department's environmental stud-
ies…possibly sediment contamination.” ing the Community- How
can you be apart of it?
All of this is very impressive as well as in-
spiring, but what is even more impressive is One part of the NSBE mission is for us, as
how Mehari navigated his undergraduate students, to “positively impact the communi-
career and left his mark on Drexel’s campus ty”. What better way to fulfill that mission
community. Mehari was the ultimate role than to take part in community service!
model for a Black man in college. He in-
spired his younger classmates to better This year, so far, Drexel University National
themselves beyond simply going to class; he Society of Black Engineers (DUNSBE) has
encouraged research, recommended intellec- two community service opportunities. The
tual readings, and provided overall guidance first was to build a playground at the Hou-
to those who were following in his footsteps. ston Elementary School, part of the Phila-
Beyond his leadership, Mehari is a great delphia School District. The playground was
person with an unmatchable personality. designed by the students of the Houston
For all that he had done and all that he was School, a public Kindergarten through
to Drexel, he became the first recipient of eighth grade school located at Rural and
the Dr. Stephen Jones Award for outstand- Allens Lanes in the Mt. Airy section of Phil-
ing member achievement, given by the adelphia. It was solely built by volunteers.
Drexel Chapter of NSBE in the spring of The build days were scheduled from
Wednesday, October 9th through Sunday,
October 13th. DUNSBE helped out on Sat-
urday, October 12th from 1-3pm.
The second community service opportunity
is the Philly AIDS Walk. It is a 12k (8 mile)
walk on Sunday, October 20th at Kelly Drive
and West River Drive from 10am until
you’re tired. This is one of the largest fund-
raising walks in the city. Please take part in
the search for the cure of AIDS, by joining
our team; DUNSBE. It is very easy to sign
2002. Those who had the opportunity to
up:
know him, already miss his friendship and
guidance. The world gaining Mehari is
Drexel’s loss. Go to www.aidswalkphilly.org
Click AIDS Walk Philly 2002 ( on
~Lee V. Pham left side)
2001-2002 DUNSBE President Click “register here”
2002-2003 Region 2 Finance Chair Click “join a team”
Select Drexel University
Find DUNSBE team # 0112-07 and
join!!
If you have any questions, contact me, Chair found that the workshops provided her
Kiana Nunn, your team captain. with “a lot of ideas for improving the chap-
ter’s technical excellence”. At the Finance
I hope to see your name as the newest mem- Zone Workshop it gave those who attended
ber of our team. ideas on how to brainstorm and come up
with different methods to fundraise.
~Kiana Nunn
DUNSBE Secretary Each workshop and functional informed,
educated, and aided each of the executive
board members. We all left the conference
feeling better informed about what our posi-
Operation “RE-BUILD” sets tion entails. It was a knowledgeable experi-
ence that molded us to be better leaders to
the motivation for DUNSBE serve you, the member, and make our chap-
E-BOARD ter better.
On September 6-8, 2002 eleven executive ~Tamara Gabriel
board members attended the Regional Lead- DUNSBE Convention Planning Chair
ership Conference (RLC). When I think
about the RLC, I am reminded that “the en- Grad School is for Everyone
tire ocean is affected by a pebble”1. After
going through our various workshops and When one finds the inspiration to dare to
functionals, everyone on the e- achieve higher learning, the travesty of gain-
board emerged better informed and ready to ing access to the plethora of resources for
accomplish our individual tasks in the year programs and funding should not discourage
ahead. Attending RLC gave everyone on the students of today. Minority students
the executive board more confidence and have historically shied away from Graduate
resolve to serve NBSE members in the best programs due to lack of awareness of the
way possible. financial and academic support available.
The intent of this article is to shed a brief but
Certain members gave me insight on how informative light on the incentives to go, the
their training went. The Pre-College Initia- steps to preparing, as well as the overall ac-
tive Chair, emphasized how many contacts cessibility of graduate programs at this point
were made through this conference that she in time.
was not able to do before. Having their in-
formation proved invaluable for her because Students should continue their education for
if she needed help she has someone to go to various reasons. Students who complete
for advice on how to start a NSBE Chapter graduate programs inherently increase their
at the high school or grade school level. The net worth and enhance their marketability in
Public Relations Chair felt that it, “gave the long run. A graduate student represents
[him] more creative ways of promoting the an “Indication of the next level of Profes-
image of NSBE to the community…and to sionalism” (Dr. Stephen Cox). Furthermore,
build upon the buddy system between chap- there is a continued disparity between the
ters in the area.” The Telecommunications numbers of underrepresented minorities in
graduate programs, compared to other stu-
1 dents.
Quote by Blaise Pascal
There are a series of sequential steps that Another factor that hinders primarily mi-
prove imminent to the success and place- nority students is the inconceivable costs of
ment of competitive Graduate Students. In pursuing graduate school. But, the unknown
the student’s sophomore year, they should fact of the matter is that YOU DON’T
be concentrating on building a competitive HAVE TO PAY TO GO TO GRAD
GPA for Grad School (~3.3 Cumulative), be SCHOOL! Provided the appropriate GPA
seeking a mentor, and be involved in Under- and exposure to the implemented funding
graduate Research (by the end of freshman programs, one can easily obtain a fellow-
year, well into sophomore year). The next ship, assistantship, grant, or scholarship to
step to pursuing a graduate program is de- cover more than the cost of obtaining a
ciding which direction best fits your goals. graduate degree. Support information can
Masters Programs are viewed in two ways: be obtained through the Philadelphia AMP
either as a means to a doctorate or as a ter- (Alliance for Minority Participation) pro-
minal degree. These programs expect the gram whose Associate Project Director; Dr.
prospect to maintain a B average and have Stephen R. Cox resides in the Drexel Suc-
practicum or academic focus on coursework, cess (Act 101) office (3rd floor, Main Bldg.).
research, papers and a graduate thesis. By a Dr. Cox’s remains an invaluable resource on
student’s junior year, they should be prepar- getting into graduate programs through his
ing to take their respective Graduate School own experience as well as the opportunities
Admissions tests: GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or through AMP. For more information on
MCAT. Information on test prep courses graduate grants, fellowships or conferences
being offered as well as test dates can be being offered in the near future visit Dr.
found at Kaplan: www.kaptest.com (distrib- Stephen Cox (srcox@drexel.edu) in the
utor of four of the specialized tests) or ETS: AMP office or review the host of opportuni-
www.ets.org / 1(800) GMAT-NOW (dis- ties listed in your technical department.
tributor of GMAT). Graduate program ap-
plication paperwork should be submitted ~Kara Dundas
one full year ahead of the intent to enroll. DUNSBE Senator
