The National Society of Black Engineers Is Where Black People in STEM Find Scholarships, Recruiters and Each Other

In the late 1960s, roughly 80 percent of the Black freshmen entering Purdue University’s engineering program dropped out. Dr. Arthur J. Bond, the only Black engineering professor there, described why plainly: a Black student could go from freshman year to graduation without seeing another one. Students organized to fix that, and in April 1975, after one of them wrote to 288 engineering schools, they founded the National Society of Black Engineers at Purdue.

NSBE calls itself one of the largest student-led organizations in the country, with over 700 chapters and more than 24,000 members worldwide, spanning collegiate, professional and pre-college chapters.

The Annual Convention is the reason most people join. The U.S. Department of Energy counted more than 400 exhibitors at the 2025 career fair, which makes it realistically the largest annual recruiting event for Black engineering talent anywhere. Students walk in with resumes and leave with internships. The 2026 convention met in Baltimore with more than 16,000 expected.

Professional chapters carry the network after graduation, with special interest groups, a Technical Professionals Conference and mentorship that runs both directions. NSBE says it awards over $1 million in scholarships every year, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

Collegiate membership is $15 a term. Professional membership is $50. NSBE Jr. for K-12 students is $5.

Membership details are at nsbe.org/memberships.

Watch The Yard is an official partner of the National Society of Black Engineers.