In its 39th year, the FAMU-FSU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is set to host its annual “A Walk for Education” event.
Scheduled for 10 a.m. on March 1 at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, “A Walk for Education” promotes STEM awareness and increased African American representation in the field.
“At one point, it was a literal walk where people would go door-to-door and essentially just inform people about the resources provided to them through NSBE and what it means to be a Black person in STEM,” Julius Walls, chapter president, stated. “Now, it’s like a festival.”
Other student organizations from FAMU and FSU collaborate with NSBE to help educate the Tallahassee community on STEM opportunities, broadening the reach of this initiative.
NSBE’s Program Chair Zoë Fleurinord shared the impact of being able to connect with the community for this vital event.
“It was really upsetting that it was canceled last year because getting to be able to reach out to the community and help them is really important and it’s a part of who we are as NSBE,” Fleurinord said. “It’s an event where people get to interact with each other. They get to connect with each other as well so just that community involvement and making sure people are having fun. That’s another important goal as well.”
Walls expressed similar sentiments, focusing on how Black people have influenced STEM fields so far.
“A lot of people don’t know that a lot of the tangibles that we have around us were created by Black people. I truly think that we are the building blocks of America and I think that should be broadcasted more and if the history books aren’t going to say anytime soon then I think we should.”
“A Walk for Education” is a national initiative within NSBE’s Technical Outreach Community Help (TORCH) program. The TORCH program allows NSBE members to engage with their local communities and inspire positive change. TORCH programming also offers community training in STEM, traditional community service, and technical expertise services where students
put their engineering skills to work in the community.
With community connection to STEM at the forefront of the initiative, the event is sure to offer insight into a field with countless opportunities, especially for people of color.
“When it comes to the National Society of Black Engineers, you don’t have to be an engineer to be in NSBE and I find that to be really comforting, knowing that we can help anybody no matter who it is,” Fleurinord said.