City Council members Robert Cornegy and Laurie Cumbo, yesterday, honored the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), whose pioneering self-empowerment program in the summer draws hundreds of African-American elementary school kids from Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights.
The national program called Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) is run locally through a partnership with the non-profit Magnolia Tree Earth Center. SEEK puts young African-American engineers from throughout the country into specific inner-city schools for a three-week program full of fun and learning about the field of engineering.
Cornegy, Cumbo and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito gave the organization a proclamation in the City Council chambers.
“Around the world, careers in science and math are becoming increasingly numerous and important. Here in the United States, we are failing to engage our youth in the kinds of science and math programs that would strengthen their interest in STEM fields and promote the creation of engineers in these communities, particularly amongst our minority communities,” said Cornegy.
“Fortunately, NSBE has a long, proud history of promoting the success of black and minority engineers and for that reason I am pleased to present them with a proclamation recognizing their great service to minority communities nationwide,” he added.
Established in 1975 as the Black Society of Engineers, NSBE has grown from six to over 31,000 members and hosts and Annual National Convention with over 9,000 attendees. NSBE has 99 active NSBE, Jr. pre-college, 250 student and 68 professional recognized chapters nationwide, 10 of which are located in New York City.
To learn more about the National Society of Black Engineers, visit http://www.nsbe.org/.
