NSBE Spotlighted Leader: Justin Steele

When did you first fall in love with NSBE?

I joined NSBE during the summer of 2000 as a 1st year engineering student at the University of Virginia, but I first fell in love with NSBE at the 2000 Fall Regional Conference in Richmond, VA.  Watching hundreds of Black engineering students getting "2 hype" about increasing the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community was "love at first sight."  Even more lasting was the impression NSBE's student leaders left on me.  I was blown away that students had organized and ran the conference, and I walked away determined to be a part of the NSBE leadership team.

What was your most memorable NSBE experience?

The 2004 National Convention in Dallas was my most memorable NSBE experience.  As the National Academic Excellence Chair (AEx Chair), I was charged with leading a team of six regional counterparts and four committee chairs to develop a successful academic program and speaker track.  This conference served as a defining leadership experience, where my strengths and weaknesses were played out on a national stage.

One of my leadership strengths is passion, but as a NSBE leader this strength is mitigated by the thousands of miles that separate you from your team.  In order to deliver an outstanding academic program, I needed to lean heavily on my team and inspire their commitment.  My Region III AEx Chair was a veteran and needed to be given opportunities to showcase his talents.  My Region II AEx Chair was new to the board and needed to be mentored.  My Region I AEx Chair was a capable individual and required delegation of authority.  My Region IV Chair thrived off the team's energy but needed personal attention and encouragement.  By working hard to understand and manage my team's individual needs, I was able to bring our team together to host a national academic competition that attracted 77 chapter teams, a 35% increase from the previous year.  The dedication of my team also gave me time to focus on bringing two world class speakers to the national convention, one of whom is our current Executive Director, Mr. Carl Mack.  Carl's speech at the Friday morning general session was the most powerful oratory address I had ever witnessed at a NSBE conference.  He rocked the house and delivered the kind of impact we aspire to achieve as an organization.

Through my experience at the NSBE national convention, I learned that true leadership is an inner quality of service as much as an exercise of authority.  By being attentive to the needs of my team and empowering them to lead, I helped them develop as future leaders and prepared two of my team members to serve as future National Academic Excellence Chairs.

Why you decided to be a NSBE Leader?

I decided to become a NSBE leader because I recognized the incredible opportunity it provided to learn principles of leadership through hands on experience.  Many of us have taken classes or read books about leadership, but I've learned that leadership cannot be learned in a vacuum.  To truly step into authentic leadership, you must take on leadership positions with significant responsibility and find practical applications for the leadership principles you're taught.  I would challenge anyone to show me a better leadership opportunity than the one that exists as a student leader in NSBE.  Where else can a student in their late teens or early 20's serve on the Board of Directors of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with over 25,000 members?  Where else can a student manage of budget of a $100K?  I would challenge any aspiring leaders who are members of NSBE to step up and serve; it will be one of the best decisions you'll make as a student.

What do you feel you have gained from NSBE Leadership?

I don't even know where to begin in answering this question.  First and foremost, I've gained lasting relationships with the amazing leaders with whom I served.  Beyond that, NSBE molded me into the leader I am today.  Directly out of college I was hired by one of the world's most competitive management consulting firms, Bain & Co., in large part because of the strength of my NSBE leadership positions.  I was later hired as a consultant to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, largely because of my demonstrated passion and leadership in the nonprofit sector through my service to NSBE.  I was recently accepted into the Class of 2009 at the Harvard Business School, an institution known for only accepting students who have demonstrated an outstanding potential for leadership.  Can you guess what leadership experiences I wrote about in my Harvard application?  Can you guess who helped to write my Harvard recommendations to attest to my leadership potential?  That's right, NSBE!!  Many of the opportunities I am blessed to have available to me today have been made possible by the leadership experiences I cultivated while a NSBE leader.