Penn State Behrend-School of Engineering Speaker Series

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School of Engineering Speaker Series

The School of Engineering hosts a speaker series each year. Speakers in our seminar series feature external experts as well as our faculty members. Each year, the series has a theme of interest. All seminars are free and open to the public. We do ask that you notify us at (814) 898-6153 if you plan to attend a seminar. For directions to campus click here.

Spring 2008 Program

Carl B. Mack
Executive Director, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

Carl Mack

Thursday, April 10, 2008
Samuel P. “Pat” Black Conference Center
180 REDC

Lecture at 7:00 p.m.

Building the FIRE: Foundation to Impact, Revitalize and Empower

Carl Bernard Mack (cmack@nsbe.org) was born in Jackson, Miss., and is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, and where in 2006 he was named a Distinguished Engineering Fellow.

After moving to the Seattle, Washington area in 1987, Mack worked as an engineer with METRO – King County for 18 years and coordinated the county's award-winning Minority Engineering Internship Program. In addition, he served as president of the Seattle King County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 2003 thru 2004.

As chief servant of the NAACP's Seattle King County Branch, during his first year, the organization was recognized for its outstanding efforts with the 2004 Class 1-A Thalheimer Award – First Place, out of 1,800 branches in the NAACP. When presenting the Thalheimer Award to President Mack at the 91st anniversary celebration of the branch, Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP's National Board, stated that the Seattle King County Branch was "the best in the world."

Mack also revitalized the branch's Youth Chapter, which was recognized as one of the top three in the nation that year. His service led to an overall increase from 600 members to more than 2,000, as well as an increase in annual revenues from approximately $35,000 to more than $180,000.

On March 1, 2005, he began a new chapter of his life as the fourth executive director of the largest student-managed organization in the world, the National Society of Black Engineers, NSBE.

Again, his presence was felt immediately; in his first year he helped grow NSBE’s membership 100%, from its previous historic high of 12,842 members to 26,024 members. That year he also helped increase NSBE’s Board of Corporate Affiliates— the organizations top-level corporate sponsors — to the then elusive number of 53! The following year, another milestone was reached when Mack along with his team secured the largest single donation in the then 33 year history of the organization, $1 million.

Excited about his new challenge at NSBE, Mack realizes that to be successful, NSBE must reverse the declining academic achievement of African-American children in public education. It is that passion that fuels his efforts to truly leave no child behind.

Mack resides in Fort Washington, Maryland with his wife, Jamiyo — a chemical engineer whom he met at NSBE's Annual National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., in 2000 — and his sons, Joshua and Jonathan.

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