BDPA Legacy: Curtis Jenkins

Soulclap to EMTM for sharing this story with us. If the result of an Executive Master's in Technology Management (EMTM) education is a transformed career, what comes next? For EMTM alumni, the next phase of the journey is outward to their communities — specifically, to young people in need of their own opportunities. Curtis Jenkins ('01) turned his skills and experience gained in EMTM to create a personal legacy of giving and empowerment.

Curtis Jenkins, EMTM '01, an IT project manager at Rohm and Haas in Philadelphia, PA, devotes an exceeding amount of energy creating opportunities in the sciences for under-served children.

Jenkins first got involved with the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), an organization that works to bridge the digital divide for minorities, in 2002. "At the time I was in transition, searching for employment and networking. I attended an awards function in which high school kids were receiving scholarships. When I saw the looks on their faces I knew I wanted to be at the forefront of an organization that helped kids get scholarships."

After some years of service to the organization, Jenkins became president of the Philadelphia chapter in 2006. He says he found Dwight Jaggard's leadership course extremely useful when it came time to assume an executive position.

At BDPA he has helped students and professionals with BDPA's mission of the "classroom to the boardroom," and has worked with corporate sponsors to provide IT training and training members to gain International Computer Driving License (ICDL) certification. He has also been able to live out his dream of offering student prizes, scholarships and public exposure.

"EMTM allowed me to build relationships with people who worked in corporations, and many of them ended up helping support some of our programs."

For Jenkins, who was born and raised in North Philadelphia with economic hardship, the opportunity to help young students is invaluable. "This work is a passion of mine. I always wanted to be a bridge and help others in my neighborhood."

As he neared the completion of his presidential term in the fall of 2007, Jenkins was honored to learn that the Philadelphia Chapter won the organization's Chapter of the Year award.

Another shining moment came recently, when he arranged for his own company to donate 95 computers to Wireless Philadelphia, which provided the computers to welfare-to-work adult students participating in a nursing certification program. "People were actually crying when they received the computers," he says. "Any opportunity we can give — even if out of 50 students you end up with three who go on to break the proverbial glass ceiling — it's a success."

BETF-Blog Readers, care to share some love with Curtis here in the comments section?