On November 8th, Virginia State University played host to a groundbreaking event aimed at fostering innovation and opportunity in STEM with a collaboration with the White House HBCU Initiative. The event was organized by the VSU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and featured a range of academic and community-focused activities.
“The National Society of Black Engineers is committed to academic excellence, and under my leadership, we’ve collaborated with the university to host academic sessions like study halls before midterms and finals. We also organize social events, with one of our most recognized being a STEM trivia event. We make sure to give back to the community with regular community service projects too,” Nicolas Pollard, VSU NSBE President- elect said.
The event highlighted the chapter’s efforts to support the academic and professional growth of Black students in STEM fields.
Melvin Valentine, founder of Valentine Communications, a Las Vegas-based social architecture firm, spoke about the firm’s commitment to preparing urban communities for the knowledge economy and their growing partnership with VSU.
“My wife and I run a firm that focuses on preparing communities for the future economy. We met Nicholas, through the White House HBCU initiative and were impressed by his leadership vision for the university. We’ve been discussing a partnership with VSU and our Nevada-based partners,” Valentine said.
“Coming from the West Coast, we don’t have the privilege of having historical black colleges so it was a new experience but getting there, we were pleasantly surprised walking on the campus and seeing all that black excellence… and passionate young black students that are STEM driven,” Valentine said.
The event also highlighted efforts to build a more inclusive and collaborative STEM ecosystem. VSU’s NSBE chapter, along with other campus organizations are working to create cross-disciplinary partnerships to ensure that students from all fields of study have access to STEM opportunities.
As the NSBE president discussed the event, he expressed optimism about the future.
“I know we’ve had challenges in the past, finding people and organizations to support us, but seeing all these companies, representatives, and like-minded people in one room gives me hope. We want to invite more and more students to help us to support another successful event,” Pollard said.
“We’ve worked with political science, agriculture, and even the arts department to make sure that every student on campus feels represented.”
As the event wrapped, one of the key takeaways was the vast potential of collaboration and creativity. The NSBE chapter, alongside partners like Valentine’s firm, are looking to establish opportunities and foster more pathways into the STEM workforce.
“The biggest takeaway from the event is that the possibilities are endless. There are an infinite amount of opportunities if you stay creative and collaborative. I’m really excited for what opportunities will come as a result. We are currently in collaboration to create grant opportunities for students,” Pollard said.
VSU is positioning itself as a leader in cultivating the next generation of Black STEM professionals. The NSBE chapter’s event serves as a powerful reminder of the vital role HBCUs play in shaping the future.
Stay updated with NSBE’s future initiative and events by following them on Instagram at @vsunsbe.
