Monday, October 31, 2011

BDPA Online Community: Groupsites


There have been many efforts to improve the marketing of BDPA over the years.  Some of us remember our first foray into cyberspace with the creation of our own BBS community known as 'BDPANet'.  Later we added online communities now known as 'YahooGroups'.   We've since ventured into a wide variety of other social networking communities including 'Twitter'.

One of those ventures is through a Black-owned and operated business, Groupsite, created by Clarence Wooten.  I think that BDPA Washington DC chapter president Perry Carter was the first person who pointed me to Groupsite (formerly known as 'CollectiveX').  I took on the challenge of creating the centralized BDPA Groupsite on December 24, 2007. It was part of my effort to leverage Web 2.0 tools in support of the fundraising efforts of BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF).

We reached a BDPA-Groupsite milestone in October 2009 when we reached 2,000 subscribers.   The growth has been slower since that time as the growth of other online networks and the national website have garnered additional attention.    I'm not sure what the future will be for the BDPA presence on the Groupsite platform ... but, the journey has been fun!

Here are some other BDPA-related Groupsites (with subscription numbers in parenthesis) that are up and running:
  1. BDPA (2570)
  2. BDPAToday (156)
  3. BDPA Baltimore (1)
  4. BDPA Chapter Presidents (22)
  5. BDPA Charlotte (57)
  6. BDPA Cincinnati (69)
  7. BDPA Cleveland (28)
  8. BDPA Columbus (21)
  9. BDPA IT Institute (12)
  10. BDPA Los Angeles (37)
  11. BDPA Middle Tennessee (2)
  12. BDPA New Jersey (11)
  13. BDPA Philadelphia (35)
  14. BDPA Richmond (16)
  15. BDPA Washington DC (184)
Let me know if you don't see one on this list that should be there. Also, let me know if you see any value in the continued existence of these Groupsites. What say u?

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Donors from Macy's Make Payroll Donations via Truist

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very appreciative of employees from Macy's who are making payroll deductions in support of BDPA programs via Truist. Currently these monthly payroll deductions are targeted to support the BETF Endowment Fund and Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund.

We send our thanks to Johnathan Watkins for his generosity.

We hope that other members of Macy's team will follow his lead and use payroll deductions to support BDPA programs, services and scholarships.

This Week in BDPA (Oct 30 - Nov 5)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry.

Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to us here, here or here!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

NEA Foundation Student Achievement Grants

The NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s).

Student Achievement grants provide $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students' habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with honors, advanced placement, or other challenging curricula are particularly encouraged.

Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, software, or scholars-in-residence. Although some funds may be used to support the professional development necessary to implement the project, the majority of grant funds must be spent on materials or educational experiences for students.

Restrictions: Grant funds may not be used for after-school, weekend or summer programs. This restriction pretty much eliminates BDPA participation. However, we're sharing this information for other nonprofits that may benefit.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Congratulations to BETF College Scholarship Winners (2011)


BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out almost $400,000 in college scholarships over the years.  Chris Johnson is chair of the BDPA Foundation Scholarship Committee. He shared an update with the Foundation's board of directors on recent scholarship funds sent to post-secondary educational institutions around the country on the behalf of deserving BDPA student members:
  • $3,000 to Matthew Clark, Detroit chapter (Lawrence Technological University)
  • $10,500 to Yaa Kwansa, Southern Minnesota chapter (Washington University of St. Louis)
  • $4,500 to Titus Thomas, Washington DC chapter (Bowie State University University)
  • $1,500 to Kenneth McCune, Chicago chapter (Southern Illinois University)
  • $500 to Nia Love, Atlanta chapter (Valdosta State University)
  • $3,000 to Lauren Pemberton, Southern Minnesota chapter (Rice University)
  • $500 to Trene Long-Reed, Atlanta chapter (University of West Georgia)
  • $1,500 to Courtney Elzy, Chicago chapter (Illinois State University)
  • $2,500 to Adwait Walimbe, Southern Minnesota chapter (University of Minnesota)
  • $2,500 to Jala Cruz, Indianapolis chapter (Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis)
  • $2,000 to Jerron Jamerson, Charlotte chapter (Winston-Salem State University)
Brothers and sisters ... we need your help! Please consider making a tax-deductible pledge to the Bemley Scholarship Fund. Just COMMENT on this post with the amount of your pledge. We'll take it from there.

Or ... you can make an online donation!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Bank of America Employees Make Payroll Donations Through United Way of Metro Dallas

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very happy to let you know that we've received our first donation from the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. The donation came as a result of a payroll pledge made by Derek MacCallum (Bank of America).

Our hope is that other Bank of America employees in the metro Dallas area (and beyond!) will join Derek by making payroll pledges of their own in the coming weeks and months.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

BDPA iRadio Show - October 25, 2011

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. Our Internet Radio Show has been up and running for over four months with over 60 guests. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. In any case, we encourage you to listen to the archive version of the show which aired on Tuesday, October 25, 2011.



Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio



The guests on the show included:
  1. Dr. Will Bundy - Professor, US Naval War College - Dr. Bundy is a Naval War College Professor and a retired Navy captain. He was the first African American to rise from the enlisted ranks to command a submarine and the third African American to command a submarine. He served on National BDPA Board of Directors as an ‘outside director’ for a number of years. He was the inspiration behind the BDPA IT Institute and the BDPA Epsilon Awards. He was also instrumental in bringing Fleet Boston to BDPA as our first-ever ‘Platinum Level Corporate Sponsor’ in 2002.
  2. Angela Bryant - Chapter President, BDPA Indianapolis - BDPA Indianapolis chapter is the 11th-largest chapter in the nation. They quietly have built a very effective organization that regularly competes in the National BDPA HSCC championship. The chapter has a strong program that attracts female students and members into leadership positions. Also, the chapter has a very strong partnership with Fortune 100 company Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly provides scholarships, funding and mentorship for Angela and her chapter. These are all ‘best practices’ that Angela can share with others via her interview on BDPA iRadio Show.
  3. Chris Jacocks - Chief Executive Officer, From Geek to Urban - Chris participated in the BDPA HSCC program as members of the national team trained by BDPA Middle Tennessee chapter in 2009 and 2010. Chris is now a graphics design major at The Art Institute. He attended the 2011 BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago as a summer intern with Deloitte. He is the CEO for his own clothing line … using the skills developed while in the HSCC program. Chris is the embodiment of our ‘classroom to boardroom’ message!

There were some great discussions between our guests and Franne McNeal on the show.   What aspect of the show did you enjoy the most?

Monday, October 24, 2011

Cloud Computing and Virtualization (BDPA Columbus)

BDPA is a global member focused organization that serves the professional well-being of its stakeholders.  This blog encourages all of our stakeholders in Central Ohio to make plans to participate in the upcoming program meeting hosted by our BDPA Columbus chapter. BDPA Columbus remains committed to excellence and providing a wide spectrum of resources to members, corporate sponsors, businesses, educational institutions and the community. The organization is a catalyst for professional growth and technical development for those in the IT industry.

JPMorgan Chase Hosts Information Exchange on Emerging Technologies - 
Cloud Computing and Virtualization
Presenter: Technology Director - Larry Glaze

 Monday, November 7, 2011  from  5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
 at
JPMorgan Chase
1111 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, OH 43240
North Entrance - Conference Room: 1D0031/1D1039

Presentation Overview
Discover basics on Cloud Computing and virtualization and how it is being leveraged in the Financial Industry. We will be discussing:

·Scope, direction and emerging trends
·Technologies and applications
·Education and credentials required
·Career & business opportunities
 
Register for this event now at :

There is an immediate need for IT professionals at Chase!  Recruiters will be in attendance. Bring resumes. Create a profile on chase.com

Sunday, October 23, 2011

This Week in BDPA (Oct 23-29)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry.

Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to us here, here or here!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :
We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

Calling all digital divas, web chix, and coder girls!

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is a coalition of more than 200 corporations, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofits working to increase women’s participation in IT. 

NCWIT seeks high-school-level young women to apply for the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing! The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women active and interested in computing and encourages them to pursue their passion for technology. 

Brandee Lyles
BDPA Columbus student member Brandee Lyles was a regional winner last year!   My hope is that all of our digital divas who participated in the recent 2011 National BDPA High School Computer Competition championship will take a moment to submit an application for this award.

Winners get cool prizes, gadgets, and scholarships, and can join a community of like-minded technical women. National award-winners are selected from across the country and Affiliate Award competitions are available in more than 30 regions nationwide.  All girls at all computing levels are encouraged to apply -- NCWIT wants to recognize aspirations, not just accomplishments!

National award-winners receive:

·      $500 in cash
·      A laptop computer
·      An engraved award (for both the student and her school)
·      An expenses-paid trip to the national Award ceremony (for the student and her parent/guardian)


Competition for the 2012 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is open to any U.S. high-school-level female (grades 9-12). Applications will be accepted beginning September 15, 2011, and must besubmitted online by October 31, 2011.

For information on hosting an affiliate event contact Ruthe Farmer, ruthe.farmer@colorado.edu.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

BDPA Entrepreneurial Fireside Chat: 'Lessons Learned in Growing Your Business'



BDPA Entrepreneurial Fireside Chat

Grant Proposal: HCA Foundation (BDPA Middle Tennessee)

BDPA Middle Tennessee chapter recently appointed Homer Britton to serve as its liaison with the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF). Homer is following the 7-step process that BETF and local chapters use in seeking grant funds to support BDPA programs. Earlier this week a grant proposal, approved by Homer, was sent to the HCA Foundation. In that grant proposal we requested funding support for the youth technology programs hosted by BDPA Middle Tennessee chapter in the greater Nashville area.

We look forward to sending out multiple grant proposals for all 45 BDPA chapters over the coming weeks and months. Wish us luck!

Bechtel Group Foundation

Bechtel Group Foundation was created in 1954 to respond to the needs of the communities around the world in which Bechtel has offices or major projects. In 2009, the Foundation made grants totaling $2.02 million to 216 non-profit organizations in 8 countries. All grants are initiated internally by Bechtel’s office and project managers.

One of the Foundation's programs is "Building Positive Community Relationships Grants". These grants support educational, civic and cultural, and social service programs in the communities that host major Bechtel offices and projects. These grants are typically under $5,000.

Major Bechtel offices are co-located with BDPA chapters in or near: Bay Area, Houston, Northern Virginia and Washington DC. Do any of these four chapters want to partner with the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) on a 'letter of inquiry' to Bechtel Group Foundation?

Friday, October 21, 2011

Grant Proposal: Regions Bank Community Foundation (BDPA Middle Tennessee)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Middle Tennessee to complete a grant proposal to the Regions Bank Community Foundation. The funding request is in support of the 2012 youth technology education programs that will be taking place in the greater Nashville, TN area. We understand that an answer may be forthcoming before the end of the calendar year.

Wish us luck!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
http://bit.ly/pb4Fbb
Deadline: November 1


If you've made a difference through volunteering over the past year, you could win $1,000 and a fabulous trip to Washington DC next May by applying for a Prudential Spirit of Community Award! Even more importantly, you could win recognition that might inspire other young people to follow your example. These prestigious awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial and NASSP, have honored nearly 100,000 middle and high school students at the local, state, and national level over the past 16 years solely for their volunteer work.

BDPA has hundreds of middle- and high-school students in its programs. I encourage you to share this information with those students or any others you know that are sharing their talents with others.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Members of Deloitte Team Make Payroll Pledges to BDPA via Truist

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very appreciative of Deloitte employees who are making payroll deductions in support of BDPA programs via Truist. Currently these monthly payroll deductions are targeted to support BDPA Middle Tennessee, BDPA Philadelphia and the BETF Endowment Fund.

We send our thanks to Jonica Cowan, Larry Quinlan and Hayward West for their generosity.

We hope that other members of the Deloitte team will follow their lead and use payroll deductions to support BDPA programs, services and scholarships.

Payroll Pledge: Bank of America United Way Campaign

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is grateful to Jacki Davis (Richmond) and Jeanette Wiggins (Rhode Island) for their payroll deduction pledge via the Bank of America United Way Campaign.

The donation received from Jacki will be restricted for support of the BDPA programs and services hosted by our BDPA Richmond chapter. The donation received from Jeanette will be restricted for support of the BDPA programs and services hosted by our BDPA Rhode Island chapter.

Our hope is that BDPA members and supporters will follow the example set by Jacki and Jeanette. We need more individual giving if we hope to grow our efforts to fund the youth education programs of BDPA around the nation.

Blacks In Technology Podcast #22: Sian Morson (Kollective Mobile)

We are very grateful to Greg Greenlee for his consistent efforts to provide us with greater insights into the technological genius of our time ... especially those of African descent. Greg does this with regular pod-casts that are published on the Blacks In Technology (BIT) website. A recent BIT podcast featured Sian Morson (CEO/Founder, Kollective Mobile)




Sian Morson is a digital veteran and mobile evangelist who has been working in the interactive and digital fields since 1999. A project manager by trade, Sian moved through the ranks at some of the top advertising agencies in the world including Tribal DDB, Draft/FCB and McCann Erickson. She has managed the development of web properties and bleeding edge campaigns for international brands such as Philips, Coca-Cola and Aviva. She made the transition to mobile in early 2006 and hasn’t looked back. Sian formed Kollective Mobile, a mobile development agency, in 2010 and is a strong advocate for the early adoption of mobile across all platforms.

Sian has lectured, and written about mobile and its influence on such disparate sectors as art, small business, and the African American community. She is a regular contributor to Politic365 where she covers mobile and technology.

An internationally exhibited video-artist, Sian’s work centers on the topics of sex, race, and of course, technology. She holds a BFA in Film & Television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and an MA in Electronic Arts from Middlesex University in London.

Most recently, Sian has hosted a panel on Art & Technology at the Festival of New Black Imagination’s inaugural event. Sian is consults regularly with start-ups on their mobile strategy and is available for speaking engagements.

Wordless Wednesday: HSCC Warriors Head to Computer Competition Battle

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Careers in Technology (BDPA Chicago)

 
 
Come on out to our October Program Meeting!
 
 
Submit your nominations for the
 
BDPA Chicago Chapter 2012-2013 Administration
 
Attend a workshop regarding
 
Careers in Technology and much, much more
 
Presenter:
Milt Haynes
National BDPA CIO & Founder of Blacks Gone Geek
 
What does it take to build a successful career in the IT Industry?
 
This workshop addresses the key skills that are needed and how to obtain them. This seminar also shows how to tap into talent communities using social networking tools and techniques to find lucrative and rewarding career opportunities. This is a must attend workshop for anyone interested in pursuing a long-term career in IT.
 
Milt has been a BDPA member for over 20 years and has served as BDPA Chicago Chapter President and National BDPA President. Milt currently serves as the CIO for National BDPA. As CIO, Milt is responsible for the technology infrastructure and for linking technology to internal strategy. Milt has received over 25 awards and honors at the local chapter and National level including the most prestigious National BDPA Outstanding Chapter President Award, Outstanding Contributor Award, Member of the Year Award, President's Award, Service Award and the Spirit Award.

Click here for more info:
 
October 21, 2011
 
Hyatt Center
71 S. Wacker Drive, 6th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
6:30pm
 
Back to Basics with Focus!
 
Visit the chapter's website:  www.bdpa-chicago.org

Monday, October 17, 2011

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Detroit ($739)

Tonji Zimmerman
We received a phone call earlier this week from BDPA Detroit chapter's High School Computer Competition (HSCC) coordinator Tonji Zimmerman. She wanted to know if the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) could provide some financial support to get her to the annual HSCC coordinator's meeting being held in Las Vegas next month. This annual meeting is important because it is the opportunity for the organization to review the past year's performance as well as consider ideas that could improve the HSCC program in 2012. It is important to have BDPA Detroit in that meeting because of the success of that chapter's HSCC program over the past 26 years ... including its silver-medal performance in the 2011 national HSCC championship held earlier this year in Chicago. 

Anyhow, we were able to walk Tonji through the funding process that any chapter can use to seek financial support from BETF. Tonji worked with her chapter leadership and a formal request for $739 in funding was sent to BETF for consideration. 

BETF is proud to announce that the full $739 request has been approved. We are excited that we could provide this financial support to BDPA Detroit chapter!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

This Week in BDPA (Oct 16-22)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry.

Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to us here, here or here!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :
We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

The 'Blogging While Brown' Journey Continues Into Its Fifth Year

Blogging While Brown is a movement that is entering its fifth year. I am proud to be one of the bloggers in the nation who attended the first BWB conference held in Atlanta.   However, I've not been able to attend any of the subsequent conferences ... including the breakout one held in Los Angeles last year.

2010 BWB Visits White House in DC
All that is going to change in 2012.   I plan to be in attendance on June 1-2, 2012 when the Blogging While Brown conference convenes in Philadelphia.  Registration is now open and I encourage all villagers to take a look at their calendars to see if they can make it.

BWB has grown to become the premier social media conference dedicated to education, collaboration and innovation among bloggers of color. A new wrinkle in the Blogging While Brown journey is creation of a membership program.  The annual membership fee is only $50. Benefits include:
  • 20% off Blogging While Brown 2012 Conference Registration
  • 15% Discount on BWB Virtual U Courses
  • The opportunity to become a BWB Virtual U Instructor
  • Earn money by participating in our Affiliate Program
  • Access to BWB Discount Mall
  • Free or discounted admission to BWB Local Events
  • Be featured on the BWB Blog & Newsletter
  • Have your blog listed on BWB Blog Roll
  • Discounted Blogger Sponsorship Opportunities
BWB memberships are for novice as well as seasoned bloggers. BWB brings together Black social media experts, speakers and independent content creators to educate, inspire and expand their influence in social media and technology. This is your chance to network year-round with other bloggers of color.

Will you become a BWB member?
What is your favorite BWB story

Friday, October 14, 2011

BDPA Cincinnati Corporate Advisory Council

Patrick Nelson (P&G), Tina Welch (CSC), Wayne Stein (HP) and Kevin Murray (Cincinnati Bell)
The BDPA Cincinnati Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) was established in April 1994 and is comprised of corporate representatives who have joined in support and sponsorship of BDPA Cincinnati programs and activities. The CAC serves as an advisory board to the chapter's Board of Directors and hosts the annual Education & Scholarship Banquet as well as the annual Awards Luncheon. The CAC is responsible for determining its own membership each year.

The current BDPA Cincinnati CAC membership consists of:
  • Patrick Nelson, CAC Chair, Procter & Gamble
  • Patricia Melford, Global Novations
  • Kevin Murray, Cincinnati Bell
  • Scott Sanders, CSC Consulting
  • Wayne Stein, Hewlett-Packard
Feel free to reply to the blog post if you would like to learn more about the CAC concept or see the CAC Cincinnati chapter's charter or recent meeting notes.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

HSCC Testimonial: Christian West (BDPA Philadelphia, 2008)

BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Hayward West has many reasons to love BDPA. One of those reasons is that his son, Christian West, was a participant in the 2008 National BDPA HSCC Championship. Christian is now a journalism student at Northwestern University who is also interning with NFL Pro Weekly. 

Christian was kind enough to share his thoughts about BDPA with us recently:

"My time working with the BDPA Philadelphia chapter and their high school computer competition (HSCC) program was one of the best learning experiences in my life. I was exposed to different levels of technology that I had never been exposed to. I can honestly say that the experience with HSCC was instrumental in my ability to get into college and have a high level of success there.

In addition to the learning experience, I got a chance to travel to Atlanta for the national BDPA conference and compete in the national HSCC championship. Not only was the competition a great experience but I had a chance to network with successful role models who have continued to help me in my endeavors since.

Lastly, the great part of the experience was the camaraderie the HSCC group shared, becoming a fun group of people that made having to get up early on Saturday morning worthwhile. I’m very grateful for my experience in HSCC and recommend it for anyone trying to improve themselves."

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is working to provide college scholarships for our HSCC participants. Our vision is that these young people are able to earn full 4-year scholarships in the future. For now, we need your help. Please consider making a donation to the BDPA Philadelphia HSCC Scholarship Fund to help young 'uns like Christian West! Doable?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Cyber Threats Beyond the PC (BDPA New York)

Cyber Security Awareness Month

BDPA New York in partnership with UBS presents

Cyber Threats Beyond the PC Panel Discussion


Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011,
6pm-8pm
UBS, 299 Park Avenue, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10171
FREE - BDPA Members, $10.00 Non-Members  

Panel discussion explores the growth & broader use of the internet for inter-connectivity beyond our personal computers & the potential security risks
  • Mobile handheld devices have become common place in our daily business & personal lives. 
  • The average home has at least 5 connected devices
  • Machines-to-machine communications goes digital leveraging the internet for  cost effective management & control
Are there inherits risk?  Is our nation more vulnerable?  With IT's years of experience, what can we bring to the table to solve the security problems?

Panelists
 
Minerva Tantoco
UBS Executive Director & Chief Architect for Wealth Management Americas

Glenn Siriano
KPMG, principal in the Information Technology Advisory Services (ITAS) practice

Moira Jack
Sixnet LLC, Regional Sales Manager, Machine-to-Machine Automation & communication solutions

Carol Anthony
Director, Enterprise Security, Metropolitan Transportation Authority


To register, please visit 

Recruiters will be in attendance 

Supercharging Your System Training Program (BDPA Charlotte)

We encourage our Charlotte-based readers to update their calendars so that they can attend the upcoming program meeting hosted by our BDPA Charlotte chapter.

BDPA Charlotte's Popular Executive Leadership Mentoring Series:
Vision, Virtue & Value
Supercharging Your System Training Program
Where Systems Meet Process
Presented By Tim Lewis
  

Date:   Thursday, October 13, 2011
Time:  6:00 PM to 8:30 PM  (Food will be provided)

Location:
Metrotek Learning
8848 Red Oak Boulevard, Suite H 
Charlotte, NC 28217

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

BDPA iRadio Show - October 11, 2011

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. Our Internet Radio Show has been up and running for almost four months with over 60 guests. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. In any case, here is the archive version of the show from Tuesday, October 11, 2011.


Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio



The guests on the show included:
  1. Jeff Stovall - Chief Information Officer, City of Charlotte - Mr. Stovall was recently named one of the 'Top 50 African Americans in Technology'. He is one of the highest ranking African American CIOs working in government. We look forward to learning about his journey toward the CIO position. He will share his advice on what IT professionals that are serious about their career advancement need to know in they want to reach the C-level corporate suite.
  2. Lee Reed - 2006 National HSCC Champion, BDPA Chicago - Lee is one of the most remarkable young men in BDPA history. Lee Reed is a remarkable young man. He was a 5-time participant in the national HSCC championship … his team won the championship in 2006. He earned the Bank of America Scholarship for BDPA Students, Jesse Bemley Scholarship and the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students ... each administered by BETF. He used his scholarships to attend the University of Michigan. It will be great to listen to his thoughts on how his experiences with BDPA influenced his college and career choices.
  3. Craig Brown - Incoming Vice President, National BDPA - Dr. Craig Brown was elected to be National BDPA Vice President for the next two years. He will work with incoming national president Monique Berry and the incoming regional officers to take BDPA to the next level. Dr. Brown has a 24 year career serving as an expert systems and database architect within leading technologies like Oracle, Oracle-PeopleSoft, SAP, IBM and Microsoft. His experiences are more particular to the Enterprise Resource Planning, Decision Support and Relational Database Management Systems technologies. He earned over 20 certifications within these technological areas and currently provides implementation and integration expertise along with a variety of other technological disciplines. He holds a BS in Computer Science as well as a Master's in Business and a Doctorate in Management Information Systems. Dr. Brown should be able to share with our iRadio Show audience his vision for the future of BDPA.

There were some great discussions between our guests and Franne McNeal on the show tonight.   What aspect of the show did you enjoy the most?

Video Interview - 'Diversity in Tech' (Chamillionaire and BlackFounders.com)

Soulclap to Adria Richards for challenging African Americans and other people of color to get engaged in the technology industry. She took some time at TechCrunch Disrupt 2011 to discuss obstacles and opportunities of participating in networking and educational events.

There are many ways to increase diversity in the technology space. Check out her video interview.



Monday, October 10, 2011

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Southern Minnesota ($2,250)

BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter president Charlie Perkins recently submitted a funding request to the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) for the chapter's "2012 youth technology training held each Saturday". BETF approved a $2,250 grant disbursement in support of the training program in Rochester, MN. The funding was provided entirely by the American Honda Foundation.

BETF would love to be supportive of all 45 chapters as they seek funding for youth education programs. Just reach out to us in accordance with the 7-step process shown on our website.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

HSCC Testimonial: Jordan West (BDPA Philadelphia, 2007-2008)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has awarded $344,200 in scholarship funding over the past decade. The shame of it is that there are hundreds of high school kids that have worked hard in BDPA programs without earning a college scholarship from us. BETF has a vision of giving out full 4-year college scholarships to every student in our program. After all, there are wonderful youngsters like Jordan West who work hard in our Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program who deserve all the rewards of participation that we can possibly pull together.

Jordan was a member of the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Philadelphia for the 2007 (Washington DC) and 2008 (Atlanta) national HSCC championships. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on BDPA with us:

"My time in the high school computer competition (HSCC) program for BDPA Philadelphia did a lot in helping to shape the person I am today. The program not only taught me skills in working in technology; but also in connecting with other people my age with like minded interests, meeting with older businessmen who could help me on my career path, and allowing me to travel to different places across America.

My first year in the program was difficult as I didn’t have a great understanding of exactly what I would be doing before I began. Also, I felt as though the other kids in the group were older, more experienced, and better with the information than I was. However, this increased my desire to want to go to the meetings to make sure that I kept up with the other students.

My second year in as a part of the HSCC team was easier that the first, but still difficult. I wasn’t nervous anymore but the difficulty of the material and the amount of time we spent learning it was greatly increased. That made it harder for me to keep up my dedication to the classes but it was worth it in the end as I still remember most of the things I learned in those meetings.

The BDPA HSCC programs also gave me countless opportunities to network with others. The national conferences were a great platform to meet with people across the country and attend different workshops to learn how to interview, build a résumé, and other important job skills. It also gave me the opportunity to see parts of the country that I may not have gone to."

I hope that Jordan's story will encourage you to support the BDPA Philadelphia HSCC Scholarship Fund. Every donation makes a difference in the lives of a young person like Jordan!

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Job Search 101 - Back to Basics (BDPA Philadelphia)

This blog encourages our readers in the greater Philadelphia area to mark their calendar for a great career development workshop to be held on Saturday, October 22.  Senior staffing consultant Sally McNamara will be providing a 3-hour workshop entitled, 'Job Search 101 - Back to Basics'. 

Sally is a corporate executive recruiter with 20 years of experience recruiting in financial services, pharmaceuticals and technology companies.  Additionally, she has invaluable experience working as a Career Consultant with one of the country’s largest outplacement firms.  Sally will review the 90 second elevator speech, resume writing, job search strategies, interviewing skills, LinkedIn and coach you to remove obstacles to move you forward.

DATE:   Saturday, October 22, 2011
TIME:    9:00am - 12:00pm ET

LOCATIONDeVry University Center City Campus

18th & JFK Blvd,  Room 1101
Philadelphia, PA 19103

This will be a working session.  Please bring your resume, job description, network list, target companies list and anything you currently use in your job search.

One of the featured segments of the workshop will be mock interview with immediate feedback on what works and what needs improvement.

You will reap the benefits of this Job Search workshop if you come prepared and ready to participate.  The ultimate reward is your next, more satisfying job or career moveFeel free to contact Sally McNamara if you have questions or wish to discuss this workshop in more detail.  You can reach her by phone (215.465-2441) or e-mail.

Please pass this invitation along to any other people who might benefit from this powerful seminar.

Proceeds from this event benefit the BDPA Philadelphia Chapter's Students Information Technology and Educational Scholarship Program.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Six Sigma and Project Management (BDPA New Jersey)

BDPA New Jersey chapter offers a very important program meeting for its stakeholders next week. The topic will be 'Six Sigma and Project Management'. The presenter, Beverly Place, is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt from Quest Diagnostics. Beverly has been a presenter at a number of the recent national BDPA technology conferences. She will focus on the comparisons, similarities and tools of Six Sigma and project management methodologies. This should be an excellent discussion for anyone looking to improve their skill sets in a very competitive information technology industry.

Here are the logistics for the meeting:

DATE: Thursday, October 13, 2011 Will be rescheduled for later date!
TIME: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
LOCATION: - Prudential Financial (Newark, NJ)

Feel free to invite a friend. There will be refreshments available for all attendees. All you need to do is RSVP for the event!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Annual Recruiters Roundtable (BDPA Philadelphia)


BDPA Philadelphia chapter is hosting its Annual Recruiters Roundtable on October 19, 2011.   This is a forum that will facilitate gaining knowledge of current and future trends for information technology (IT) and IT related fields. This forum presents a wonderful opportunity to network with hiring managers across multiple industries. 

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, "58,300 IT jobs have been added in the last 12 months" while other industries are seeing job losses.
We encourage our BETF-Blog readers in the greater Philadelphia area to participate in this lively and candid discussion on the steps you should take to get the job and to stay competitive. 

Date:  Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Time:  6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (ET)

Location:
CIGNA Insurance Building, Liberty Two
1601 Chestnut Street, 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19192
The following companies have been invited to participate: Abington Hospital, CIGNA, City of Philadelphia, FBI, JPMorgan Chase, McKesson, Merck & Company, Qwest Diagnostic, RealMedia24/7, SaberSource and Sunguard.

Resumes will be accepted during this event.  You can also upload your resume with BDPA.
Please contact the chapter's VP-Education Sally McNamara if you have questions or wish to discuss further.   Click here to RSVP for this event!