Author: Buddy Pearson

Studying for a degree in engineering can be both challenging and fun. On Tuesday, it was all about fun as members of the National Society of Black Engineers in the College of Engineering at Tennessee Tech held a π (Pi) throwing event on the main quad. Along with relieving a little stress, the event also raised almost $300 to help fund student activities.

Pi is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It is key to calculations used by engineers in a variety of tasks, from the design of electric motors on airplane flaps, to calculating the volume in oil refinery tanks, or determining the length of time for a spacecraft to orbit a planet. Sometimes, after studying Pi and other complex theorems and calculations you need a little recreation, which is just what NSBE offered.

“We were just trying to provide some relaxation and fun before finals week,” said Triston Whitescarver, president of NSBE and a junior majoring in Computer Engineering. Whitescarver recently accepted a co-op position with Bridgestone’s IT Infrastructure team in McMinnville, Tennessee.

Holly Stretz, NSBE faculty advisor and interim chair of Chemical Engineering, and Harry Ingle, director of Diversity, Recruitment and Student Success were recipients of the friendly pie launch.

“Anything I can do to help our students make friends with other students and build community, is fine with me – even getting hit with a pie,” said Ingle. “Triston and all the NSBE team have worked hard this year to grow their organization and make it accessible to anyone who wants to join them. They are exceptional students.”

NSBE is the largest student-run organization in the U.S. Its mission is to increase the number of minority engineers who excel academically and succeed professionally, and to be a positive influence in their communities. The local chapter at Tennessee Tech was established in 1983, and was recently recognized by the college with an Outstanding Student Group Eminence award. The award honored the group for modeling leadership and participating in acts of service to the college and the community. NSME members at Tech are involved in providing tutoring for other students, helping with resume writing, helping their peers develop good study skills, creating social activities for its members, and creating a welcoming campus for students of color and all students at Tech.