Organizations
How can you make the most of your time at the University, gain experience, and network? Get involved!
Becoming involved in any of these organizations allows you to get to know fellow students and familiarize yourself with potential careers. Plus, it looks great on your resume to show that you were active outside of the classroom.
Take a look at our electrical and computer engineering organizations and the organizations open to all engineering students — and try one (or more!) on for size.
Eta Kappa Nu (HKN)
Purpose: While one of its purposes certainly is the stimulation and reward of scholarship, Eta Kappa Nu has a far broader purpose than merely to award a badge of distinction to scholars. As conceived by its founders and as carried forward by its membership during more than two generations, another aim is to assist its members throughout their lives in becoming better professionals as well as better citizens. In turn, it is still another purpose of the organization, that its members be a constructive force, helping fellow members and non-members alike to improve the standards of the profession, the courses of instruction, and the institutions generally where its chapters are established.
Activities and Services: Some of the activities and services in which undergraduates and alumni of Eta Kappa Nu engage are set forth briefly below. Besides the membership qualification, which in itself encourages and gives recognition to high scholarship and other significant achievements, Eta Kappa Nu makes the following awards:
Outstanding Electrical Engineering Senior
Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer
Outstanding Professor Award
Outstanding Chapter Award
National Website: http://www.hkn.org/
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Vision: To advance global prosperity by fostering technological innovation, enabling members' careers and promoting community world-wide.
Mission: The IEEE promotes the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and applying knowledge about electro and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession.
History: The IEEE and its predecessors, the AIEE (American Institute of Electrical Engineers) and the IRE (Institute of Radio Engineers), date to 1884. From its earliest origins, the IEEE has advanced the theory and application of electrotechnology and allied sciences, served as a catalyst for technological innovation and supported the needs of its members through a wide variety of programs and services.
Welcome: The UL Student Chapter of IEEE has a student lounge which is located in Madison Hall Room 142. There are monthly meetings which has free sodas and pizza. Please stop by and visit between classes.
National Website: http://www.ieee.org/
The National Society of Black Engineers
Welcome: The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) with more than 15,000 members, is the largest student-managed organization in the country.
Mission: NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.
Organization: NSBE is comprised of more than 300 chapters on college and university campuses, 75 Alumni Extension chapters nationwide and 75 Pre-College chapters. These chapters are geographically divided into six regions.
History: NSBE had its genesis at a national conference planned and hosted by the Society of Black Engineers at Purdue University in April 1975. Black Engineering students from the United States and Canada attended the event. From this meeting of concerned students and educators, NSBE was born. In 1976, NSBE was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the State of Texas. NSBE also became recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Objectives:
Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines.
Strive to increase the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and to obtain professional engineering registrations.
Encourage and advise minority youth in their pursuit of an engineering career.
Promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for Blacks and other minorities in that profession.
Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Black Engineers.
Activities: New and innovative project ideas are generated and implemented throughout the year on the chapter, regional and national levels. Some of NSBE's present activities include tutorial programs, group study sessions, high school/junior high outreach programs, technical seminars and workshops, a national communications network (NSBENET), two national magazines (NSBE Magazine and the NSBE Bridge), an internal newsletter, a professional newsletter (The Career Engineer), resume books, career fairs, awards, banquets and an annual national convention.
National Website: http://www.nsbe.org/
Other Engineering Organizations
- Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society
- Louisiana Engineering Society
- National Society of Black Engineers
- National Society of Women Engineers
- Society of Entrepreneurial Advancement