Grove School’s NSBE chapter is nation’s best

A student team from The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering returned from the National Society of Black Engineers’ 49th annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri, as NSBE Small Chapter of the Year Award winners. Some 13,000 members from NSBE Chapters across six regions attended the five-day gathering at the Kansas City Convention Center. 

The CCNY chapter’s honor was based on its programs and community engagement during the 2022-2023 academic year. Highlights, according to Ashley Bailey, a senior majoring in environmental engineering, and chapter VP, include: 

• Co-hosting and serving as ambassadors for employer engagement events -- such as the campus career fairs,  NielsenIQ Day, Bloomberg Day, and informational sessions by Cantor Fitzgerald, and FDM Group -- with CCNY’s  Career and Professional Development Institute (CPDI) under the guidance of Rhea Faniel, senior associate director of diversity recruitment and employer relations; 
   
• Hosting a "Welcome Back Mixer" on campus to bring NSBE members together to learn more about the organization; 
   
• Contributing to “Harlemween,” CCNY’s annual event that welcomes children in the Harlem community on campus to participate in various activities and enjoy Halloween in a fun, friendly and inspiring environment; and
   
• Supporting and coaching the College of Staten Island (CSI) to establish its first NSBE chapter headed by Stephonie Leonard, a Grove School electrical engineering alumna and current graduate student at CSI.

Bailey added that the chapter has collaborated with other engineering groups on campus to co-host the Accenture Office Tour event beginning this spring semester. They also supported the Grove School’s Prospective New Freshmen Student Phonathon outreach for incoming freshmen.

The chapter comprises more than 40 members and Bailey said: “Our mission is to continue growing our membership and to keep pushing the NSBE mission statement ‘to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.’” 

Other CCNY chapter members to Kansas City were: treasurer Iruka Onwubiko (mechanical engineering), Mamadou Salihou Bah (electrical engineering), former chapter VP Anthony Diaz (ME), and Benjamin Pascal (ME), a former CCNY chapter president. 

Bailey thanked Grove School Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ardie D. Walser, the chapter’s faculty advisor, and other CCNY and Grove administrators for their support.

About the City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.