How to Hack the NSBE Conference — 2019 Edition.
I went to my first National Society of Black Engineers conference this year. For those not aware of what NSBE is, it is an organization founded in the 1970s with a mission to “increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community”.
Many college campuses have a chapter and many high schools have chapters. More info on joining the Org here: http://www.nsbe.org/home.aspx
From what I understood about my time at the NSBE conference this year, there are three ways you can approach the conference to make the most out of your time:
1) Get a job / secure the “bag”.
NSBE’s conference is notorious for on-the-spot interviews with jobs paying anything from $65k to $500k in salary and bonuses for engineers, coders, and other STEM majors from the black diaspora. I did not involve myself in this part of the conference so I will just describe the energy overall with one word — Amazing. It’s amazing to see hundreds of black STEM majors all in one place prepped and ready to recruit for a job paying arms and legs above the average black household in America. It’s amazing that this is even a tangible thing. The black wealth movement grows a little more year by year with these types of endeavors. I love it. More about how to get a $100k job from Microsoft and other big tech firms here: https://medium.com/@studentsoflinkedin/nsbe-45-optimize-performance-maximize-experience-64c7f2482cd6
2) Making something worthwhile.
When I say make something worthwhile, I don’t just mean making an app at the Google hackathon (I am guilty of that but I mean, check it out: @ StrattyX ). I mean making other things that are tangible and lifelong such as friendships, networks, and even meeting your potential spouse. In a giant building full of nothing but black, high potential, STEM majors, this is the place where you meet your other half to match your Type A engineering personality. This is the place to meet that co-founder for your fintech startup. This is the place to meet your future roommate when you have to split housing for a summer job in Silicon Valley. I met a lady at an entrepreneurship event who I think will influence me and how I do business for the rest of my life. There is no other place like it. Make something worthwhile.
3) Impacting the future generation of black youth.
NSBE’s high school and college linked conference allows the older professional and college-aged engineers to volunteer and impact the lives of the younger ones without even leaving the conference hall! When you go to the NSBE conference, you have the chance to impact hundreds of little black boys and girls to become engineers and grow the pipeline of the black middle class and wealth in ways many other people cannot. These kids get to see, touch, and hang out with real engineers. Use some of that 120k check to take a few kids out for lunch and chat. Take 20 minutes to help a kid review over their resume. Spend time with the future you and me. Give back as much as you take in at this wonderful event.
Thank you NSBE, Thank you Detroit, and Thank you to my university (Harvard U) for giving me the chance to experience my first NSBE conference, Thank you to our NSBE chapter planner Augusta for pushing to make this happen. It was a pleasure.
Who am I?
I am a current Harvard Computer Science student, a black female technical founder, and a previous Quant at a large bulge bracket bank. In my free time, I like to mentor young kids, play with my baby cousin, swim, vlog, and converse with old people in fluent Mandarin Chinese. Link up with me to chat about #DiversityInTech, #TheBlackWealthProject, or #Fintech anytime.
Peace,
Elle W.
Harvard CS Class of 2020
CEO/CTO of StrattyX