Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, February 2018)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership. We continue to have a chapter who leads the nation in BDPA members.... BDPA Cincinnati. The chapter ... led by its president, Frank Hill ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth. The chapter is significantly larger than the second largest chapter as they continue moving towards the next milestone of having 200 members this year.

We would also like to congratulate BDPA Bay Area (led by Gina Tomlinson) and BDPA Greater Tampa Bay Chapter (led by Andrea Johnson) for becoming an 'active' chapter by having more than the minimum level of membership. Gina and Andrea both realize that we need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

Frank Hill

BDPA believes in the management maxim -- you get what you measure.  Let us assess the numbers in order to honor those local BDPA chapters who are demonstrating success in their efforts to recruit and retain members.  Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Cincinnati - president, Frank Hill
2. Detroit - president, Loraine Stewart-David
3. St. Louis - president, Marvis Hollis
4. Indianapolis - president, Delano Robinson
5. Chicago - president, John Coleman
6. Atlanta - president, Victor Montgomery
7. Southern Minnesota - president, Ebenezer Kyei-Baffour
8.  Philadelphia - president, Cedric Edwards
9. New Jersey - president, Anthony Dupree
   
10. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' has grown to three.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati,Detroit and St. Louis each have over 100 members. One of the common denominators for each of these chapters is that they place a high premium on the delivery of quality programs and services to their  members. These chapters work hard to ensure that there is a strong return on the $100 investment that each member makes thru annual dues.

What are your thoughts about the value of BDPA membership? What can your local chapter do to improve the value-proposition for you on a personal or professional level?

Rest In Peace: Malcom Mathis (BDPA St. Louis Chapter President)

We are deeply saddened to inform our BDPA membership that BDPA St Louis Chapter President, Malcom Mathis II, and his 22 month old son, Malcom Mathis III, passed away in a tragic incident. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Susan and a devoted father to his children. Malcolm was a generous and caring friend and colleague and the personification of Servant Leadership. His absence will be felt greatly.

Malcom served as BDPA St Louis Chapter President from 2016 - 2018, where he embodied BDPA beliefs and purpose, “to serve and elevate others and prepare students and young professionals today for leadership tomorrow”. Malcom also served as a member of the BDPA St. Louis Corporate Advisory Council. He generously gave his time and talents in many capacities in his community, including on the School Board for the Jennings School District.

For those who were fortunate to know Malcom well, you couldn’t help but admire how deeply he cared for his community and the people he worked with. He spent more than 6 years at the Monsanto Corporation most recently as a business architect and an active leader in the African Americans in Monsanto Network (AAIM). He was always a strong advocate for diversity in Monsanto.

A benefit account has been established at Commercial Bank for The Mathis Family. Make checks payable to The Mathis Family Benefit. This account has been verified by the Maryland Heights Police Department. This account was established to help raise funds for funeral expenses.


Contributions can be mailed to:
      Commercial Bank
      Attn: The Mathis Family Benefit
      2330 West Port Plaza Drive
      Maryland Heights, MO 63146

Grant Proposal: Express Scripts Foundation (BDPA St. Louis)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked closely with the officers of the BDPA St. Louis chapter to submit a grant proposal to the Express Scripts Foundation seeking $10,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. We hope to have an answer by March 2018.

Diversity is an important enabler of the inclusive company culture at Express Scripts, and they gain strength from the amazing tapestry of employee perspectives and experiences. Diversity goes beyond surface human characteristics – fundamentally, we’re all diverse in our backgrounds, beliefs and interests, and in how we think, work and live. Because Express Scripts embrace diversity and inclusion, their employees can be honest and open about who they are, and can bring their “whole self” to work.

Express Scripts is proud to have been named a leader among Fortune 25 companies with a workforce that is 69% female and 39% minority. Over 45% of it's leaders (director level or higher) are female and our commitment to diversity has been publicly recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (100% on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index) and by DiversityInc (listed as top 25 noteworthy company for 2016).

BETF is willing to work with any of the 46 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.  

Grant Declination: Ameren Services (BDPA St. Louis)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA St. Louis chapter had our grant proposal declined by Ameren Services. We had sought $5,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.

Ameren Service corporate contributions and community initiatives director wrote,

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Thank you for recently submitting a contribution request to Ameren. We appreciate hearing about the many dedicated people who are trying to help other people in the community.

But, like all companies, Ameren must set limits on the funds it contributes to not-for-profit organizations, even for the most worthwhile projects. Much as we would like to, we cannot support every good, solid not-for-profit organization in our service area. Nor can we respond positively to every request for financial support.

I’m sorry we cannot fulfill your request for a contribution, but wish you great success with your fundraising efforts.

Sincerely,
Brian K. Leonard Sr.
Director, Corporate Contributions and
Community Initiatives

---

BETF is willing to work with any of the 47 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, October 2017)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership. We have a chapter who leads the nation in BDPA members.... BDPA Cincinnati.   The chapter ... led by its president, Shawnda Peterson ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth.  The chapter recently hosted the 39th BDPA Technology Conference in downtown Cincinnati and it was a remarkable event and everyone appeared to have a great time!

Ebenezer Kyei-Baffour

The largest movement came from BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter who moved up to 8th place as a result of their success at the 2017 National BDPA High School Computer Competition.  Ebenezer Kyei-Baffour is the president of the chapter and they are doing well. His efforts have allowed BDPA to continue to grow.   He realizes that we need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

BDPA believes in the management maxim -- you get what you measure.  Let us assess the numbers in order to honor those local BDPA chapters who are demonstrating success in their efforts to recruit and retain members.  Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Cincinnati - president, Shawnda Peterson
2. Detroit - president, Loraine Stewart-David
3. Chicago - president, Reggie Rush 
4. St. Louis - president, Malcom Mathis
5. Indianapolis - president, Delano Robinson
6. Philadelphia - president, Cedric Edwards
7. Atlanta - president, Victor Montgomery
8. Southern Minnesota - president, Ebenezer Kyei-Baffour
9. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter
10. New Jersey - president, Goldie Bonney
    

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' currently stands at two.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati and Detroit each have over 100 members. One of the common denominators for each of these chapters is that they place a high premium on the delivery of quality programs and services to their members. These chapters work hard to ensure that there is a strong return on the $100 investment that each member makes thru annual dues.

National president Mike Williams recently touted the value that organizational re-branding has made on BDPA.  What are your thoughts about the value of BDPA membership? What can your local chapter do to improve the value-proposition for you on a personal or professional level?

Grant Proposal: Ameren Services (St. Louis)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked closely with the officers of the BDPA St. Louis chapter to submit a grant proposal to Ameren Services seeking $5,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  We submitted our donation request to the Ameren Corporate Contributions & Community Initiatives department. We hope to have an answer within the next few weeks.

BETF is willing to work with any of the 47 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, July 2017)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership. We have a chapter who leads the nation in BDPA members.... BDPA Cincinnati.   The chapter ... led by its president, Shawnda Peterson ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth.  The chapter recently hosted the 39th BDPA Technology Conference in downtown Cincinnati and it was a remarkable event and everyone appeared to have a great time! 

Judaea Lane

The largest movement came from BDPA St. Louis chapter who moved up to 4th place as a result of the agreement they came to with Daugherty Business Solutions.   Malcom Mathis is the president of the chapter and they are doing well.  We continue to operate under the leadership of acting National BDPA VP-Membership Management Judaea Lane.   Her team now includes Chad White (Dallas).  Her efforts have allowed BDPA to continue to grow.   She realizes that we need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

BDPA believes in the management maxim -- you get what you measure.  Let us assess the numbers in order to honor those local BDPA chapters who are demonstrating success in their efforts to recruit and retain members.  Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Cincinnati - president, Shawnda Peterson
2. Detroit - president, Loraine Stewart-David
3. Chicago - president, Reggie Rush 
4. St. Louis - president, Malcom Mathis
5. Atlanta - president, Victor Montgomery
   
6. Indianapolis - president, Delano Robinson
7. Philadelphia - president, Cedric Edwards
8. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter
9. New Jersey - president, Goldie Bonney
   
10. Triangle - president, Carl Hill 

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' currently stands at two.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati and Detroit each have over 100 members. One of the common denominators for each of these chapters is that they place a high premium on the delivery of quality programs and services to their members. These chapters work hard to ensure that there is a strong return on the $100 investment that each member makes thru annual dues.

National president Mike Williams recently touted the value that organizational re-branding has made on BDPA.  What are your thoughts about the value of BDPA membership? What can your local chapter do to improve the value-proposition for you on a personal or professional level?

Long Story Short: Malcom Mathis II (BDPA St. Louis)

Mr. Malcom B. Mathis II works at Monsanto, a fortune 500 Agricultural Technology company, as an IT Business Architect for North America Supply Chain IT. Malcom has worked at Monsanto since 2011 and has taken on increasing responsibility each year. His work has taken him to numerous places in North America like Illinois, California and Iowa as well as Hawaii, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Malcom is an active contributor to the St. Louis community. He currently serves as President of the executive board of BDPA St. Louis chapter, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in Information Technology. He volunteers in the Science and Agriculture Education Outreach program at Monsanto, chairs the Monsanto-BDPA scholarship committee and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Malcom Mathis (BDPA St. Louis Prez)

Malcom received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He went on to receive a Master’s in Analytical Chemistry from Kent State University in Ohio.

This blog wanted to get a more personal look into the personality of this rising BDPA leader. We asked Malcom to give brief answers to some odd questions. We hope you enjoy this new feature that we simply call, 'Long Story Short...'

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1. Simple things that make you happiest? - I get a flutter in my heart when my children playfully interact with each other.
 
2. Who You'd Like to Meet? - I would like to meet someone from the distant past and someone from the distant future (preferably of my lineage). It would be great to discuss how far we have come and where we are going.
 
3. Favorite Way to de-stress after a long week? - Play a round of golf. There is nothing like getting out and enjoying nature while playing golf; however, if I’m not hitting the ball well, it can add to the stress.
 
4. How you kill time in airports? - I try to time my arrival so I won’t have to wait long to board the plane. However, I will bring a book to read or spark up conversation with a random person. Many times I end up talking on the phone with my wife.

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Malcom is an outstanding leader for his chapter! He is doing all the right things to grow his chapter and I hope that other chapter leaders around the country look up to Malcom for support.

Ashley Shorter Uses Wanda Everett Scholarship at Florida A&M University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Daugherty Business Solutions awarded a $2,500 college Wanda Everett scholarship to Ashley Shorter.  Ashley is a member of the BDPA St. Louis chapter who will use the scholarship to pursue her computer science degree.

Ashley Shorter

Ashley Shorter is a second year computer science student attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. My career goals include becoming a software developer to increase the diversity pipeline at major technology companies. While she is in school, Ashley works in the ITS Department as a Web Developer, and she is currently a Web Development Engineer Intern at Express Scripts.

We asked Ashley to share her thoughts on BDPA:

"I began my involvement with BDPA during my junior year of high school in the High School Computer Competition in the St. Louis Chapter. Since then, my personal network and knowledge of the IT industry has expanded immensely. What I learned during HSCC enabled me to get a job at my university as a Web Developer as well as a summer internship on the Web Optimization team. I continue my involvement with BDPA by competing in the Mobile Application Competition this year, and I will continue my participation with BDPA for many years to come."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Wanda Everett Scholarship for BDPA Students. We look forward to supporting Ashley's career as she seeks to advance her career in the technology industry!

Jordan Brown Will Use Monsanto Scholarship at University of Missouri

Jordan Brown

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Monsanto awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to three (3) students.  One of those students is Jordan Brown from St. Louis, MO who will use the scholarship to support his study of graphic design at the University of Missouri.

We asked Jordan to share his thoughts on BDPA.

"Receiving the Monsanto/BDPA Scholarship has lessened my financial burden thus allowing me to focus on my academic pursuit in addition to balancing financial goals and academic acuity. Although my current major is Graphic Design, In the near future, I see myself with a career in the coexisting fields of Architecture and Information Technology. Currently a student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, my overall career goal is to master and educate others on the process of critical thinking and problem solving through operational systems and other conceptions in both the Information Technology and architectural fields."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Monsanto Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Jordan's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Monsanto Scholarships for BDPA Students - Deadline: 6/15/2017

Monsanto Company is proud to partner with Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) to provide $10,000 in annual scholarships to students with an interest in pursuing or continuing a 4 year academic program related to Information Technology (IT). The Monsanto Scholarships for BDPA Students will provide four $2,500 scholarships to graduating high school or college students to assist with their studies.

The scholarships will be offered at both the national and local level:

• Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded through the National BDPA organization
• Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded through the St. Louis BDPA chapter with an emphasis on High School Computer Competition (HSCC) past or present team members

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Be a member of BDPA
• Be a graduating high school senior or college student in good academic standing and must have at least 1 year of study left in their 4 year college program
• Demonstrate academic achievement (minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale)
• Complete the Monsanto BDPA Scholarship application packet
• Must not be related to any employee actively working in Monsanto

Complete Monsanto BDPA Scholarship Application packet must include:

• Complete Scholarship Application Form
• Resume
• Letter of Recommendation
• Current transcript
• Essay on "How can Information Technology be used to transform Urban Agriculture?" (500 words max)

Submit your application here

All application materials must be RECEIVED on or before June 15, 2017 in order to be eligible.  Incomplete applications will not be considered!

2nd Annual Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship (Deadline: 5/16/17)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and Daugherty Business Solutions seek to support the career aspiration of BDPA students in the St. Louis area. We are proud to offer the 2nd Annual Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship to any eligible BDPA St. Louis student member.

The 2017 application is online. We will provide a $2,500 one-time only scholarship for an outstanding student in the St. Louis metropolitan area that has an interest in pursuing or continuing a 2-year or 4-year academic program related to Information Technology at the undergraduate or graduate level. All application materials must be RECEIVED by May 16, 2017 in order to be eligible.

Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship 

The next step is yours! Do you know anyone who might be interested in this $2,500 college scholarship? The deadline is approaching so don't delay!

Feel free to contact us on DaughertyBusinessSolutions@betf.org if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

BDPA St. Louis hosts Learn to Golf and 9-Hole Scramble Event

BDPA St. Louis is hosting a Learn to Golf and 9 Hole Scramble Event on May 20, 2017. Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the game of golf or take lessons to learn the proper techniques? Then don’t miss this full-filled event which will have you enjoying the game of golf.

Learn to Golf and 9 Hole Scramble Event

You will receive tips from some accomplished players and even get an opportunity to practice what you’ve learned while playing in a 9-Hole scramble. For the Scramble, we’ll break up into teams and play the best ball. The game moves quickly and everybody plays. And the best part is that having a set of golf clubs is not required.

Registration: 8:30 AM
Lessons start: 9:00 AM
9 Hole Scramble: 11:00 AM
Tower Tee Golf; 6727 Heege Road;  St Louis, MO 63123

All proceeds go toward supporting BDPA St. Louis students for the 2017 High School Computer Competition!

Tahj Gayfield Uses His Second Monsanto Scholarship at Truman State University

Tahj Gayfield * Truman State University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Monsanto awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to four (4) students. One of those students is Tahj Gayfield of Truman State University. This is the second year in a row that Tahj won this scholarship.

As a student at Truman State University, Tahj has helped make the campus more culturally inclusive by being actively involved with the Multicultural Affairs Center (MAC). He led the MAC’s efforts in organizing and planning the opening and closing ceremonies for the Martin Luther King Collegiate Challenge. In addition, he was actively involved in coordinating the Social Justice Leadership Summit by recruiting volunteers, finding speakers and panelists and planning fundraising events.

Tahj’s employment history consists of an Application Development Internship in Des Moines, IA at Principal Financial Group. There he applied agile methodologies to develop the back-end of various web applications. In addition, he works as a Student Advisor and Hall Desk Manager at Truman State University. While maintaining a 4.0 GPA in his Computer Science coursework, Tahj dedicates time to Track and Field. As a first-year student-athlete, he earned top 3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Tahj is a member of our BDPA St. Louis chapter. When asked to share his thoughts on being a Monsanto scholar, Tahj wrote,

"I participated in the BDPA High School Computer Competition team my junior year. It was great being able to meet and work with students who had a similar interest in computer technology. Being able to study, learn, and have fun was perfect. However, the most memorable event, I had was our six hour competition practice. It sounded a lot worse than it was. We were able to practice for the competition and correct our mistakes. In addition, we really got to know each other well, based on the fact that we were stuck in a room with each other for six hours. However, it was a blast because I had the opportunity to bond with the rest of my team members.

When I was younger, I used to play with the cardboard paper towel rolls. I used them in many different ways, and one of them was a “telescope.” They didn’t allow for better vision, but a narrowed outlook on certain aspects. However, when you put down the roll, you could see everything around you. That’s what BDPA did for me. Prior to joining, my knowledge of computer technology was limited to the programming language, Java. At the time I thought that was enough, mainly because most people I knew didn’t know how to program computers. BDPA opened my eyes to a world of technology that I never knew existed, and I thank them for that because now I want to keep studying and researching to learn about this new world.

Friends and other students know me as a highly involved student who always offers help to others and one who takes every situation as a learning opportunity. In the future, I want to work as a Software Engineer and pursue my Masters in Business Administration."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student on board as a member and as a winner of the Monsanto Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Tahj's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

James Fields Will Use Bemley Scholarship to Attend Oklahoma Christian University

James Fields

James Fields was a member of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA St. Louis chapter during his four years of high school. His chapter took home the silver medal at the 2012 HSCC championship. He earned a $1,000 Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for his silver medal win. He will use that scholarship in support of his education at Oklahoma Christian University.

James wrote, "Going through high school, I knew design was always an interest for me. I took several graphic design and illustration classes, but there was something that I knew I was missing. I also longed for technical experience. I took several computer classes, starting with basic web page creation and entering the realm of programming, going all the way to AP and programming classes. Nearing the end of high school, I was employed for a time in a programming position, as well as several other nontechnical jobs. At Oklahoma Christian, I am currently studying animation, blending my technical experience and design aptitude. After college, I hope to get a job at a game company doing animation or character design."

We asked James to share his memories of the BDPA experience. He wrote,

BDPA St. Louis students & trainers at 2012 BDPA Conference

"The BDPA High School Computer Competition was a huge help to me both as a person and as a student of the technical sciences. I joined BDPA on recommendation by a close family friend. I did not have a lot of technical experience when I entered the program, but I left with a wealth of skills that are extremely relevant to the career I intend to end up pursuing. When I started BDPA, all I had was a desire to learn, no actual skills. When I left, I had learned not only technical skills that I would need, such as programming in a variety of languages conducive to web development, but also important interpersonal skills I would need. I can remember distinctly one year during a competition when I had an idea for our project that ultimately needed to be scrapped. I learned then that not all of my ideas will be a good fit for the project that I’m working on. BDPA taught me that sometimes, I need to sacrifice what I want for the good of the overall. BDPA gave me the ability to network in a professional environment, and helped me with my group problem solving skills, so that in the future, I will have a much easier time not just creating things, but being able to create things with other people, and how to deal with everyone in a group’s ideas and input and sort it all out."

We have asked James to consider applying for the 1st annual Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship. Now, we will ask you to help us grow the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund for future 'James Fields' out there! Heck, it's my birthday wish!

Bemley Scholar: Jacqueline Nobbe (Truman State University)

Jacqueline Nobbe

Jacqueline Nobbe participated in the BDPA computer camp hosted by our St. Louis chapter from 2010 thru 2013. She earned a place on the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team in 2011 and 2012. Her team earned the silver medal in 2012 and she plans to use the Bemley Scholarship that she earned to attend Truman State University. Currently, Jacqueline is majoring in computer science with a minor in cognitive science.

When asked about her BDPA experience, Jacqueline wrote,

"We will see what doors open up when the time comes. I hope to find a career that involves meeting inspired people and working on projects that will help make an positive impact on the world.

If it weren’t for my experiences with BDPA, chances are, I would not be a CS major, nor would I have the wonderful group of people around me that help me grow and stay inspired by the possibilities of computer science. I think what I appreciate most about my time with the HSCC was being surrounded with such wonderful mentors that were (and still are) so willing and excited to foster the same inspiration in us as students. My mentors in the program were inspired by computer science to pass that on, and it really showed during the weeks of training.

I currently work as a service representative at Truman State University’s IT Service Center, and will be working as an intern at Strategic Sales Systems this summer."

We encourage our readers to make a secure online donation to the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund so that we can continue to recognize young scholars like Jacqueline in the future!

Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship (Due: 4/1/16)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and Daugherty Business Solutions seek to support the career aspiration of BDPA students in the St. Louis area. We are proud to offer the 1st Annual Wanda Everett Scholarship for BDPA Students to any eligible BDPA St. Louis student member.

Wanda Everett Scholarship for BDPA Students (Due: 4/1/16) from Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio

The 2016 application is online.   We will provide a $2,500 one-time only scholarship for an eligible high school senior or college student pursuing a degree in Information Technology (IT) or IT-related discipline. All application materials must be RECEIVED by April 1, 2016 in order to be eligible.

The next step is yours! Do you know anyone who might be interested in this $2,500 college scholarship? The deadline is approaching so don't delay!

Feel free to contact us on DaughertyBusinessSolutions@betf.org if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Maya Holeman Uses Monsanto Scholarship to Study Computer Science at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Maya Holeman

Monsanto is a powerful BDPA sponsor. They awarded four college scholarships at the 2015 National BDPA Technology Conference held earlier this year in Washington DC. One of the winning scholars is Maya Holeman, a student member of our BDPA St. Louis chapter.

Maya Holeman is an incoming freshman at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.  She is studying Software Engineering and Computer Science because she wants to learn new coding languages.  She wants to create new and different applications with the knowledge she learns in college.

"I am looking forward to the 2015 National BDPA Conference in Washington D.C. because of how much fun my teammates and I had at the 2014 conference in Indianapolis," said Maya.  "I am very thankful for joining the BDPA program during my junior year of high school because it helped me decide what major I wanted to pursue at college."

Maya attended the youth technology camp at the 2014 BDPA Technology Conference in Indianapolis, IN.  She learned about Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology during the career fair hosted by BDPA.   She represented her chapter and city as a member of the 2015 High School Computer Competition team trained by BDPA St. Louis chapter.

2015 BDPA St. Louis HSCC Team

Maya wrote, "I had very little introduction to writing up code before joining the program. Learning HTML, CSS, and PHP was a fun and educational experience with the help of our instructors in the BDPA St. Louis chapter. Most of my favorite memories are from our Tuesday night classes and when our summer project slowly came together and became a better website each week. With the knowledge this program gave me, I decided I wanted to do something like this as my career, so I decided to study Computer Science and Software Engineering."

Maya is a remarkable example of the BDPA mantra -- 'from the classroom to the boardroom'!   We are glad that she is using this college scholarship to further her career in the IT industry.   Our hope is that we will see her back at the National BDPA Technology Conference being held next year in Atlanta!

Monsanto Provides Silver Level Sponsorship for BDPA Programs and Scholarships

BDPA recently announced Monsanto, as a Silver Sponsor supporting the 37th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair, "Evolution of IT--Embracing the Digital Future," August 19-22, 2015 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

Pamela Mathews

“On behalf of the National Board of Directors and the National Executive Committee, it is my honor and privilege to welcome Monsanto as a Silver Level Sponsor for the 2015 National Conference,” Pamela Mathews, National BDPA President. “It is only possible to provide the support our members receive through relationships and sponsorships from organizations like Monsanto. The BDPA family thanks Monsanto for their support."

Monsanto is recognized globally as a sustainable agriculture company who support farmers all around the world. Monsanto focus on empowering farmers—large and small—to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. Ranked 43rd on 2015 Top 50 Companies for Diversity; Monsanto’s CEO Hugh Grant was named one of the highest rated CEOs by Glassdoor.

“For over 10 years now, Monsanto has been honored to be part of such an amazing organization. We value our relationship with BDPA and our sponsorship has allowed many high school students to be trained and compete in the High School Computer Competition, even placing 2nd in 2012,” said Vincent Shorter, Monsanto senior director. In addition he added, “We have awarded over $12,000 in scholarships to date and work closely with our local chapter on several initiatives. Monsanto employees and our community have benefited greatly from this longstanding relationship and I’m proud to be a member of both.”

Today, BDPA is the largest African American information technology association in America. For 40 years, BDPA has enabled the upward mobility of African Americans and other minorities in the Information Technology and STEM fields. Because of BDPA’s focus on students and professional members alike, we continue to support and lead the upward success of our members “from the classroom to the boardroom”.

Jerry Walker

Jerry Walker, BDPA St. Louis president said, "We are proud that Monsanto demonstrates its commitment to BDPA’s mission both nationally and at home in St. Louis. One way that Monsanto has supported BDPA in St. Louis is by providing financial support, human resources, and facilities for our local High School Computer Competition team. Monsanto’s gift of time, talent, and treasure is very much appreciated.”

To become a BDPA partner or sponsor like Monsanto or to learn more about the National BDPA Technology Conference and sponsorship opportunities, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email (corpsales@bdpa.org) or phone (301.584-3135 x108).