Bemley Scholar Desmond Jones Seeks Computer Engineering Degree from Indiana Institute of Technology

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) seeks to fully fund our Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund. These college scholarships are making a difference in our efforts to advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry 'from the classroom to the boardroom'.

BETF is proud to announce that a Bemley Scholarship has been awarded to Desmond Jones in support of his continued education at the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, IN. Desmond is working towards a Computer Engineering degree. Desmond is the 'future face of technology' and he was kind enough to share his BDPA remembrances with us.

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Desmond Jones

The time that I spent with BDPA is irreplaceable and I cherish it with all my heart. The knowledge that I obtained from BDPA dramatically changed my life. I remember my first time attending a BDPA meeting on a Saturday morning in Chicago. I was nervous being around people that I didn't know, but at the same time I was excited by the opportunity presented to me.

My first year (2009) was shaky. I had to leave the Saturday training early sometimes to play baseball with my high school team. However, with hard work and great dedication I was able to go to both the Midwest regional and National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in North Carolina. Our team finished in 7th place at Nationals. I was disappointed with our results and decided to dedicate most of time towards studying so we would do better in the next year.

In December 2009, I was encouraged by (BDPA Chicago chapter president) Pamela Sexton to become the chapter's recording secretary. This position opened up new opportunities in my life as I was the first student to serve as a board member for BDPA Chicago chapter. I gained confidence and motivation from this new office and I believed that I could achieve anything with great dedication and focus.

At this time, I also began to explore different programming languages that added to my knowledge and increased my desire to learn more and more. Our team began preparation for the 2010 national HSCC championship. We met at different places in Chicago and developed a plan that would improve our results at the competition. It was a great year with anticipation and tension and a bitter rivalry with HSCC teams from other chapters.

I will always cherish the thrill and excitement as we traveled to Philadelphia for the 2010 HSCC championship. The guest speakers that year were great. Our team did superb. Our team didn't not take first place like we wanted, however, I am proud of our third place finish in 2010.

I currently attend the Indiana Institute of Technology with a goal of graduating in 2014 with my degree in computer engineering. I plan to begin working on my masters degree after graduation.

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BETF is very proud of Desmond.  He was recently named 'Member of the Year' by the NSBE chapter on his college chapter ... and he took over last month as the NSBE chapter president on his campus.

BETF plans to give out college scholarships later this year to another 25 students with the help of Creating IT Futures Foundation and others who value the STEM-related training that BDPA provides to these young people. We could use your help ... won't you consider making a secure online donation to support the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund?