Wayne State engineering students take the lead with regional National Society of Black Engineers Conference

DETROIT (Nov. 21, 2013) - Nearly 700 members of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) will gather in Detroit from Nov. 22 to 24 for the NSBE 2013 Region IV Fall Regional Conference, hosted and planned by the Wayne State University College of Engineering's NSBE chapter. Held at the Detroit Marriott, the conference will provide workshops, competitions and networking events for pre-collegiate, collegiate and graduate students and professionals.

	Members of the WSU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) plans the NSBE Fall Regional Conference.

"NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community," says Alanna Tremble, industrial and systems engineering senior and conference planning chair. "With this event we not only want to increase the number of minorities going into STEM education programs, including engineering, but also encourage and equip them with the tools and opportunities to be successful. Furthermore, we want to change the view of Detroit, showing the outside world that there are positive things occurring here, and that Detroit is able to compete with other major cities for opportunities and talent."

Tremble was serving on the NSBE Regional Executive Board during the 2012-13 academic year when she heard that the 2013 regional conference would be held in Detroit.

"I felt that this was our chapter's opportunity to expose visitors to Detroit's greatness," says Tremble. "Being that we live in Detroit and receive our education here, we want to uplift and change the idea of what Detroit is. Planning this event has allowed us to combine our love for engineering and our city."

According to Tremble, the conference will not only serve as an opportunity to show off engineering talent in Detroit, but will also showcase the Wayne State College of Engineering. Pre-collegiate conference attendees will have a chance to learn more about the five pillars of a Wayne State engineering education while taking a tour of the college on Friday, Nov. 22. Keith Wadley, academic advisor, will also be available to discuss the college's emphasis on experiential learning, hands-on experience, global perspective, scholarships and undergraduate research. Additionally, Carmen Gamlin, career services consultant, will host a workshop on post-undergraduate opportunities for engineers, and Gail Evans, academic advisor, will host a workshop on study skills and balancing responsibilities.

The conference will also demonstrate the leadership and initiative of Wayne State's engineering students, as the conference's planning committee is comprised entirely of members of Wayne State's NSBE chapter. Tremble says they have planned a conference that is unique in that it offers components for participants of all ages. A Pre-Collegiate Mini Conference will expose K-12 students to engineering concepts and critical thinking. College students will compete in a Battle of the Engineers and Technical Research Exhibition. Graduate students and professionals will find workshops on personal branding, corporate awareness and self-motivation to be of use. Lastly, the conference will offer a Career and College Expo, with more than 20 companies and five colleges registered to attend and recruit.

More information on the conference can be found at http://www.nsbe.org/Regions/Region4/FRC.aspx

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

About NSBE
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), with a membership of more than 30,000, is one of the nation's largest student-governed organizations. NSBE was founded in 1975 and is the premier organization serving African Americans in engineering and technology. With more than 300 chapters in the U.S. and abroad, NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of college and pre-college students and technical professionals. www.nsbe.org