CCNY Black Engineers Chapter, Members Earn Accolades

Wins for best chapter in region, finishes in second for retention at national conference; three members receive individual honors

The City College of New York's student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) celebrated its 30th anniversary on a high note; it was named best chapter at the NSBE Region 1 conference, held November 23 in Hauppauge, N.Y. The recognition follows taking second place for retention programs at the NSBE national convention, held last March in Indianapolis.

In addition to the group awards, three chapter members received awards at the regional level. 

Sophomores Oren Previl and Candice Chang were named Region 1's top members in September and October, respectively. Mr. Previl, a civil engineering major, is the chapter's publications chair, and Ms. Chang, a mechanical engineering major, is the programs chair.

A third City College student, Tyrone Kirk Shillingford, a junior majoring in environmental engineering, placed second in the Draper Technical Challenge, adjudicated at the conference, and third in the 30-second pitch competition. Both events are designed to showcase NSBE student members' innovative problem solving, technical writing, and presentation skills. Mr. Shillingford chairs the chapter's academic excellence committee.

The City College chapter, which was founded in 1983, has 107 members. Its retention program serves students at City College, A. Philip Randolph Campus High School and the High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College. 

Chapter President Shawn Charles said the awards continue to validate the group's mission after three decades.

"We work to follow the NSBE mission, which is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community," the senior mechanical engineering major said. "We try to live up to these ideals by running retention programs, hosting resume building and interview workshops and organizing small-scale volunteer events in and around the Harlem community."

NSBE has 29,900 members. Region 1 serves the northeastern United States, eastern Canada and the countries of West Africa.

About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. More than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; the School of Education; the Grove School of Engineering; the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. U.S. News, Princeton Review and Forbes all rank City College among the best colleges and universities in the United States.