NSBE Announces Inaugural Wildcat of the Month
The UA student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers recently announced that materials science and engineering senior Jeremy Hamilton has been voted the club’s first Wildcat of the Month.
Club president and chemical engineering junior Iesha Batts said the club established the award to improve the quality of student club members. “Recognizing people for their accomplishments and dedication encourages others to improve their performance,” Batts said. “Even though one person wins this award, acknowledging hard-working members makes everyone in the society feel good because they see that this person is working with and for them.”
Hamilton said he was honored to be recognized as the inaugural Wildcat of the Month. “This award means a lot to me,” he said. “Not only because it displays my hard work to my peers, but also because it shows that UA NSBE is really taking an interest in the success of its members.”
Hamilton received the award for his high academic achievements and dedication to the club and its activities. “In the midst of his demanding senior year, Jeremy has attended every NSBE gathering and shared his wealth of experience of campus funding with the club,” Batts said. “That kind of dedication to our society while achieving high grades is what we value.”
Ideally, Batts said, the club would like to find sponsorship for the award. “At the end of the school year we want to enter all monthly Wildcat of the Month winners in a raffle for a cash prize,” she said.
But there is more to this award than a prize. In her role as club president, Batts wants to provide UA NSBE members with the opportunities to gain experience relevant to their professional lives after graduation. “That way they have the edge over their peers and are able to perform better,” Batts said. “The goal is for employers to be impressed by the quality of students in UA NSBE.”
Batts cites the club’s annual “precollegiate initiative day” as an example of mutually beneficial club-community cooperation. Club members invite high school students onto campus to take part in workshops that teach the students about engineering and inspire them to pursue a future in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The upside for NSBE members is that they get to polish their skills in public speaking and workshop organization while refreshing their understanding of engineering concepts through teaching.
“Club members benefit from having a source of academic, personal and professional help,” Hamilton said. “And the community benefits from a group of individuals who are willing and eager to improve the community we all call home.”
About NSBE
Founded in 1975, NSBE has more than 30,000 members and is one of the biggest student-governed organizations in the United States, with about 400 collegiate, professional and alumni chapters around the world. The society’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact their community.”
Main picture
NSBE members Jeremy Hamilton (right) and UA graduate Casey Mackin (left) flank philanthropist and financial planner Ryan Mack at the NSBE annual convention in Indianapolis in March 2013.
Contact
Iesha Batts, UA NSBE President
uansbepresident6@gmail.com
UA NSBE website