National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Fall Regional Conference

Fall Regional Conference is one of the largest regional gatherings of Black and minority engineering students, STEM professionals, and employers. Attendance at this conference would be an investment in the development of underrepresented Purdue students.We need your support to be able to subsidize members registration fees, travel fees, and lodging fees.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is a society that was founded in 1975 at Purdue University and is one of the largest student-run organizations in the United States, with core activities centered on improving the recruitment and retention of Black and other minority engineers in both academia and industry. Fall Regional Conference (FRC) is a regional event for NSBE chapters, but its roots trace back to that 1975 gathering, which combined the first national convention with the birth of the organization’s regional network. NSBE's Fall Regional Conference has roots dating to the organization's early years. After NSBE was founded through a national meeting at Purdue University in 1975, regional conferences emerged to provide members with opportunities for academic development, professional growth, networking and fellowship closer to their home chapters. The first regional conference was held in 1977, and today each of NSBE's six regions hosts an annual FRC. Region IV, known as the “Mother Region” because NSBE began at Purdue, continues that tradition by bringing together students, professionals, employers and NSBE leaders from across the Midwest.

Funding Purdue’s attendance at the NSBE Annual Convention would be an investment in the academic, professional, and leadership development of underrepresented Purdue students. As the founding chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, we have a reputation to uphold. A large part of that comes with our presence at conferences. With the possibility of needing to fly our members to Boston, Massachusetts, funds are imperative to get us to where we need to be.

Donations received will be used to help cover the costs of sending Purdue NSBE members to the NSBE Region IV Fall Regional Conference. Funds will primarily support transportation, lodging, conference registration, and other necessary travel-related expenses. These donations will help reduce the cost for students and make it more accessible for members to participate in the professional development, networking, and career opportunities offered at FRC.

The Purdue - West Lafayette chapter of NSBE also assists in funding the Purdue - Indianapolis chapter of NSBE, by receiving any amount of funding that would greatly assist in subsidizing costs for all Purdue students interested in attending this conference. If donations are not acquired, then several students will miss out on the opportunity to expand their professional network and to become culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.