1. F RESHMAN R ETENTION P ROGRAM A CADEMIC E XCELLENCE P RE -C OLLEGIATE I NITIATIVE Academic Tech Bowl The objective of the Academic Technical Bowl is to encourage and showcase Academic Excellence and understanding of the fundamental principles of engineering covered in the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/EIT) Examination. Program participation occurs through healthy competition in a “Jeopardy!” style game show format with multiple choice questions. Questions cover a wide variety of topics, from NSBE and African American Scientists and Inventors history to general engineering and science curricula from the FE/EIT. Technical Research Exhibition The objective of the Technical Research Exhibition is to encourage African Americans and other underrepresented collegiate and alumni members to participate in technical research projects that will lead to the pursuit of advanced degrees and professional licenses in technical fields. Similar to its previous form as USTR and Tech Paper, student participants who have completed summer research in academia or through internships, graduate students who have performed extensive research topics, and alumni members who partake in research and development will have their work highlighted on the regional level, as well as the guaranteed opportunity to compete on the national level. Summer Camping Conference Moving African-American youth into the NSBE pipeline early ensures both the future of the organization and the future of a skilled, diverse technical workforce. Student and professional members, along with corporate sponsors support this concept through NSBE’s Pre-College Initiative Program (PCI). The PCI Camping Conference is designed to introduce pre-college (mainly high school aged) students to career opportunities in engineering and technology through a series of workshops relating to engineering, science, and technology. Additionally, students are exposed to college related subjects such as financial aid, choosing a college, academic skills development, and internship and cooperative education. Camping conferences are held during the summer on university campuses or actual camp sites. Try-Math-A-Lon Engineering Design Competition The purpose of the Team Engineering Design Competition is to expose pre-college students to a hands-on, team oriented, collaborative activity that involves mathematics, physics, mechanical engineering, software engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and industrial engineering. Region 1 Academic Improvement Scholarship Purpose: To encourage NSBE members to begin today to strive for academic excellence tomorrow, no matter where they stood in the past. Prize: Ten (10) $200 winners Region 1 Kolawle Glover Memorial Scholarship Purpose: To reward NSBE members who exemplify dedication to the service of our membership while preserving academic success and a sense of cultural responsibility, in memoriam of the late Region 1 Regional Executive Board member Kolawale Glover. Prize: One (1) $500 winner Try-Math-A-Lon is a tutoring program meant to foster good study habits for at-risk Black students, help prepare for standardized test exams such as the ACT and SAT, promote competition and good sportsmanship. The TMAL competition is held between teams composed of high school students in grades 9-12. The purpose of the competition is to help groom TMAL team members for success in STEM courses and prepare them for standardized SAT/ACT testing. (Courtesy of pci.nsbe.org) Academic Pyramid of Excellence The Academic Pyramid of Excellence recognizes members for outstanding academic achievement on the chapter, regional and national levels. Members must submit an official transcript or GPA verification form. These levels are based on cumulative GPAs. NSBE All-STARS include: Honorable Mention (most improved GPAs; recognized only at National Convention; honorees may have less than 3.0) Club Excel (GPA requirement – 3.0 -3.19) Torchbearer (GPA requirement – 3.2 – 3.59) Club Honors (GPA requirement – 3.6+) S CHOLARSHIPS Science Fair The National PCI Science Fair was established to promote understanding and implementation of the scientific method for pre-college students. The event exposes students to engineering and science before their matriculation into the college world. The fair is a project-based event where students in grades 7 – 12 submit abstracts for science projects in the categories of Biological or Life Sciences, Physical Sciences or Engineering. The purpose of the National Society of Black Engineers' Freshman Retention Program is to increase the number of first-year prospective engineering students who successfully matriculate into an science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) major for their sophomore year. This initiative allows NSBE to counteract the most devastating statistics surrounding Blacks in high education, more specifically statistics that reflect Black student performance in applied sciences and engineering. The NSBE Freshman Retention Program serves as an umbrella for six different programmatic pieces: the summer bridge/academic boot camp, orientation programming, problem solving seminars, skill development workshops, mentorship programs, and supplemental awards and recognition. These six components have been identified as key factors that contribute to the success of first-year students. Understanding that the low number of first-year students matriculating to the second year cannot be addressed by a single program, each of these programmatic pieces are designed to address a specific concern, which together create the NSBE Freshman Retention Program.