National Society of Black Engineers

2009 NATIONAL Scholarship Recipients

The Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year 2008-2009

The Mike Shinn NSBE Distinguished Member of the Year Program provides scholastic motivation to achieve and serves as a tool to encourage members to continue to strive for academic excellence, while developing professional and leadership skills through organization and community involvement. This distinction is awarded to a female and male NSBE member who exemplifies all that NSBE mission embodies. The awards are given to student members who have demonstrated high scholastic performance, dedicated service to the Society and other organizations, and who possess high professional promise. Judged on the basis of fulfillment of the mission through participation in NSBE programs and other activities, the members selected for this prestigious honor serve as role models for the entire membership.

Award $7,500

Candice Marie Dixon                Louisiana State University                    Educational Technology

I have always been someone who strives to go that extra mile and give 110% in everything I do. In fact, many of my peers refer to me as an overachiever. I did not want to just graduate from high school but graduate with Honors, in the top 5% of my class. I did not just want to attend school, church, and community activities, but become an active leader and role model within them. I do not want to simply graduate from college, but graduate with Honors having defended my thesis well. I do not want to simply work at a successful company, but build and run my own competitive multi-billion dollar firm. I am not happy being average or only doing exactly what is necessary to get by. My personal goal, in everything I do, is to surround myself with the best of the best and then find a way to become even better than them.

So, being the person I have just described, I am, of course, a very active and ambitious person. After graduating from Southern University in 2004 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, I went to work for Northrop Grumman in Newport News, VA. In addition to working full time as an Engineer on designing the CVN21/78 Aircraft Carrier and serving as National Vice Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers, I also started as a full time student at the University of Baltimore County pursuing a M.S. in Information Systems. I completed my Masters degree in 2006 and worked as an IT Consultant up until May 2007 when I resigned from my job to pursue a PhD in Educational Technology and further develop my own website development and graphic design business, Dixon Solutions. Upon graduation, I would like to use my PhD to expand my current business to provide educational technology consulting services, specifically in the areas of K-12 math and science subjects.

Currently, I am actively involved in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links, Inc., the National Society of Black Engineers, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). I also serve on the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority Nominating Committee which works closely with the Governor's Office to review and recommend board members and ensure that we have qualified and unbiased people on the two regional levee boards which oversees flood protection methods in the Greater New Orleans area on the east and west banks of the Mississippi River.

Lastly, as we approach a very important and historic Presidential Election, I felt compelled to get more involved and do all that I can to elect the person I feel would best serve our National as President of the United States of America. Therefore, I have been working closely with Barack Obama Campaign as the Louisiana State Coordinator for Students for Barack Obama (SFBO).

Edward J. William, II                University of Idaho                               Electrical Engineering

In 1985, I was a fourth grader and one of five black children attending Fletcher Hills Elementary School in El Cajon, California. I considered myself to be a pretty normal child, occasionally being mischievous, but at that age kids normally are. However, according to some of the teachers and administrators within that district, they considered me to be troublesome and mentally incapable and incompetent of being in regular classes. This information was presented to my parents based on testing and feedback. The school district thought it would be best to place me in special education classes at an alternative elementary school. This transition was devastating to my development as a child, and when I reached middle school I was transferred out of that oppressive environment and placed in regular classes at Horace Mann Middle School in San Diego, CA. I worked my way up to honors classes, and graduated as most improved student. When I reached Lincoln High School in San Diego, CA, I began to focus on my future and that is where I developed an interest in engineering. I graduated with a 4.2 grade point average and began to prepare myself for college and the real world.

I first learned about The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) my junior year of high school, it was my goal to become a member and to give back to the community which granted me the introduction to the world of engineering. This award would most certainly help with attaining my masters and eventually PhD; putting me one-step closer to creating a scholarship opportunity for someone in my current situation. Once established in my life-long career, I plan on going back to the middle school/high school and offer scholarships to those interested in engineering and science.

My dedication and diligent work ethic helped me to break free of the negative label attached to my character by educators of the past. The Mike Shinn award is a great opportunity for me to offer my educational experiences to others and to show how the NSBE directly affected my choice to venture into engineering. I am one of the many thousands of members of NSBE who perpetuates the truth of the mission statement and objectives. I was stimulated by the idea of engineering in high school; I am one of few students of color in a graduate engineering program; I have and will continue to encourage youth to take part in engineering programs; I promote engineering everywhere I go; and I function as a responsible representative for the NSBE. The Mike Shinn award will help make my dream a reality; thus, being a catalyst for an individual who plans to offer guidance to future engineers of color.

S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation Engineering Scholars                 Award: $15,000

This scholarship is funded through a general grant provided by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.

Imani  N. Adams                     North Carolina A&T State University        Mechanical Engineering

Clyde Grey                             Florida International University                Civil Engineering

Matthew McFarland                 North Carolina State University               Mechanical Engineering

Verizon Scholars                                                                     Award:  $6,400 (1 / $5,000 (2)

                                                                                                Possible Internship

Verizon High Scholar - $6,400

Jessica Kennedy           Jackson State University                                    Computer Engineering

Verizon Scholar - $5,000

Jacklin F. Guerrier          New York Institute of Technology –                     Electrical / Computer

                                    Old Westbury                                                    Engineering

Jasmine Jones              University of Maryland – Baltimore County            Computer Science

Bechtel Group Foundation Scholars                                        Award: $5,500

Cara B. Butler                     North Carolina A&T State University       Civil & Geomatics Engineering

Brittany Hudson                  University of South Florida                     Mechanical Engineering

Battelle Collegiate Scholars                                                    Award:  $5,000

                                                                                                Possible Internship

Battelle Scholars

Brookhaven National Laboratory Scholars

Idaho National Laboratory Scholars

Oakridge National Laboratory Scholars

Pacific  Northwest National Laboratory Scholars

Battelle High School Scholars – PCI                                                       Award: $5,000

Hoachi Chen                            Northland High School                                 Columbus, OH

Benjamin N. Madueme              Fort Hayes Arts & Academic High School     Columbus, OH

Aron Mahlman                          Highland High School                                  Sparta, OH

Cherron L. McLemore                Hughes Alternative Center                           Cincinnati, OH

Amara G. Ugwu                        Northland High School                                 Columbus, OH

Chibudo Ugwu                          Northland High School                                 Columbus, OH

United States Steel NSBE Academic Scholars                                      Award:  $5,000
                                                                                                             (Paid over two years)

Lockheed Martin Corporation Scholars                            Award: $2,000

Elroy Ashtian, Jr	University of Central Florida	Computer Engineering
Kristina Banks	Howard University	Computer Science
Shantoya R. Evans	Virginia Commonwealth University	Electrical Engineering
Jarred D. Gibson	Prairie View A&M University	Computer Engineering
Shaher M. Sarsour	Clemson University	Electrical Engineering

Medese M. Assogba	University of Benin	Chemical Engineering/Nigeria
Pendieu D. Enkoue	K. Nkrumah Univ. of Sci. & Tech. – Ghana	Petroleum Engineering/Cameroon

Leroy Callendar Award – PCI                                        Award: $500

NSBE FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The NSBE Fellows Scholarship Program is a three tiered-scholarship program that provides scholastic motivation to achieve and serves as a tool to encourage members to continue to strive for academic excellence, while developing professional and leadership skills through organization and community involvement.  The awards are given to student members who have demonstrated high scholastic performance, dedicated service to the Society and other organizations, and who possess high professional promise.  The three award tiers are:

Board of Corporate Affiliates (BCA) Scholar                 $3,000

Major Sponsors Scholars                                              $1,500

NSBE Fellows                                                               $1,000

BCA Scholar Sponsoring Companies – The Board of Corporate Affiliates

3M Company

Accenture

American Electric Power (AEP)

BAE SYSTEMS

Battelle

Bechtel Corporation

Boeing Company (The)

Booz Allen Hamilton

Boston Scientific Corporation

bp

Caterpillar Inc.

Central Intelligence Agency

Chevron Corporation

Cisco Systems, Inc.

Clorox Company (The)

Cummins Incorporated

Dell Inc.

Deloitte & Touche

Delphi Corporation

Delta Air Lines

Dow Chemical Company (The)

DuPont

Eli Lilly and Company

EMC Corporation

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Genentech, Inc.

General Electric Company

General Mills, Inc.

GM North America

Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Hewlett-Packard

Honda

IBM Corporation

Intel Corporation

ITT Corporation

Johnson & Johnson

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Lockheed Martin

Medtronic Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Microsoft Corporation

Morgan Stanley

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Praxair, Inc.

Raytheon Company

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Rolls-Royce North America

Texas Instruments Incorporated

Timken Company (The)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America

United States Army Research Development & Engineering Command (RDECOM)

United States Navy

United States Steel Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

Verizon Communications