Despite significant adjustments to routine campus life required by the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Kentucky chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (UKNSBE) persevered in its professional development and outreach goals.
UKNSBE was able to continue its Metro Cats program, where UKNSBE volunteers teach digital literacy to inner-city students. It also hosted an Alumni Night, which brought three UKNSBE alumni at different stages of their careers to give insight into how they navigated their undergraduate years.
One of UKNSBE’s biggest events of the semester was its Diversity in Engineering Conference, which spanned four days. The first day featured a Diversity in the Workplace Panel, in which four companies answered questions involving their companies’ initiatives to create diverse environments. On the second day, keynote speaker Ricky Mason—a UKNSBE alumnus, founder of AgriTech and CEO of BrainSTEM University—spoke about his experience in engineering. On the third day, attendees participated in a Networking Night, which allowed over 30 company representatives to meet UKNSBE members and initiate meaningful conversations. The final day of the conference featured the virtual Fall Engineering and Computer Science Career Fair.
Regarding UKNSBE’s dedication in the midst of uncertainty and change, K’Lynn King, a chemical engineering senior and UKNSBE’s president, commented, “UKNSBE’s mission is to excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community despite all natural odds placed against us and we will continue to thrive by safely assuring our members and community are given our best efforts.”
The photo for this article was taken in September 2019.