Professional Impact
As a freshman at Rice, I sent out hundreds of internship applications, hoping for any response that wasn't an automated rejection. It wasn’t until I joined the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) that I unlocked the mentorship, leadership, and professional opportunities that would ultimately define my path as a mechanical engineer.

Through NSBE’s Rice chapter, I gained access to resume workshops, grad school panels, mock interviews and engineering pathways discussions. These experiences helped me develop soft skills that aren’t always taught in my technical engineering courses. They’ve also taught me how to approach career fairs strategically, communicate my technical experiences, and network beyond the Rice community.

Beyond the Hedges
NSBE’s impact stretches far beyond Rice University. Through Rice, I’ve been able to attend two regional and three national conventions. My first conference, NSBE50 in Atlanta, Georgia, immersed me in a world I had never seen before. Meeting students and professionals from similar backgrounds reaffirmed that I have the skills and confidence to succeed in the STEM field. From Q&As with NASA Astronaut Victor Glover to technical engineering workshops, I was amazed by NSBE’s diverse collaboration of students, industry executives and faculty.

I was honored to be selected as one of the 24 Honeywell Integrated Pipeline Scholars during the conference. This distinction opened doors to mentorship opportunities from industry leaders. I was invited to intern at Honeywell in their Building Automation sector, where I analyzed precision airflow control systems for critical environments. But Honeywell wasn’t my only internship experience. I also worked at Case New Holland as a Quality Engineer on their skid steer line… I even learned how to drive one! 

This past summer, I worked at PepsiCo as a supply chain engineer. Not only was I able to see how a Lay’s potato chip is made, I also sharpened my networking skills by connecting with NSBE’s PepsiCo chapter. These experiences allowed me to apply technical concepts from engineering coursework to real-world engineering problems.

Leadership
The most rewarding part of my involvement in Rice NSBE has been the opportunity to lead at the executive level. I began my journey as a member, but over the years, I have grown as:

• Outreach Senator — I strengthened connections with the Houston community by hosting a blood drive with a local non-profit. 
• Secretary —  I increased chapter engagement through weekly newsletters and additional social media presence. 
• Vice President — I focused on e-board cohesion and strategic growth. I also coordinated sponsorships that allowed a record-breaking 35 Rice students to attend the 2025 regional NSBE conference.

From my first semester to my most recent internship, the Rice chapter of NSBE has been my constant source of community and mentorship. While Rice’s rigorous curriculum built my technical foundation, NSBE provided the tools to thrive in a corporate environment. As I look toward my future career, I can’t wait to give back by serving as a mentor, just as Rice NSBE has supported me!

-Claire, Martel ‘26 (Published on 2/3/26)