BDPA IT Institute Offers PMP Exam Prep Course thru Auburn University

Now is a good time to begin to consider your career plans for the coming year. Have you been procrastinating about taking the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam? If so, then perhaps it is time to make that move!

The Winter 2011 enrollment period is now open for the BDPA IT Institute. The course, scheduled Feb-May, is a comprehensive preparation for the PMP Exam taught by Gregory Brown (PMP, MCSE, MCSA, ITIL). Gregory is an adjunct professor with Auburn University. Auburn University provides the academic discipline for this online course.

It is important to note that the course has been updated to align with the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide and awards all 35 PDUs required to sit for the PMP Certification Exam.

Key benefits of PMP Certification include:

1. Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations or employers
2. Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
3. Publication opportunities in field
4. Respect and prestige of being "certified"
5. Leadership, management and project management skill development

If you have questions or wish to discuss further, please contact Edwin Sapp, BDPA IT Institute director at (800) 727-2372.

BDPA IT Institute: PMP Exam Preparation Enrollment

The Fall 2010 enrollment period is still open for the BDPA IT Institute. The course scheduled for the Fall term (September 6th through December 10th) is the PMP Exam Prep taught by Gregory Brown, PMP. The course has been updated to align with the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide and awards all 35 PDUs required to sit for the PMP Certification Exam.

Key Benefits of Certification:

• Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers
• Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
• Respect and prestige of being "certified"
• Publication opportunities in field
• Leadership, management and project management skill development

Now is the time to take control of your future in the IT industry.  Apply now for Fall 2010 courses! For more information, you can contact the BDPA IT Institute leadership by phone (800.727-2372) or email.

BDPA IT Institute Fall Enrollment Opens

The Fall 2010 enrollment period is still open for the BDPA IT Institute. The course scheduled for the Fall term (September 6th through December 10th) is the PMP Exam Prep taught by Gregory Brown, PMP.  The course has been updated to align with the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide and awards all *35 PDUs* required to sit for the PMP Certification Exam

Key Benefits of Certification:

• Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers
• Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
• Respect and prestige of being "certified"
• Publication opportunities in field
• Leadership, management and project management skill development

Now is the time to take control of your future in the IT industry. Apply now for Fall 2010 courses! For more information, you can contact the BDPA IT Institute leadership by phone (800.727-2372) or email.

Did You Know? - BDPA IT Institute

Did you know that 47 students have participated in the PMP Exam Prep course offered by the BDPA IT Institute?

Fifteen of those students have been employees of Merck & Company.

BDPA IT Institute also offers certifications for professionals in the IT industry that confirm your skillset as an IT associate, IT professional or IT master. This certification could make the difference for you in today's tough economic environment.

PMP Exam Prep Course Awards 35 PDUs

It is crucial that all Information Technology (IT) professionals stay on top of their game. One important skill-set that many of us need to enhance in today's challenging market is project management.

As such, methinks that you need to know that the Spring 2009 enrollment period is still open for the BDPA IT Institute. The Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep course is scheduled for May 11th through August 14th and will be taught by Gregory Brown, PMP. The course has been updated to align with the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide and now awards all 35 PDUs required to sit for the PMP Certification Exam.

The PMP Exam Prep course is a cost-effective and convenient option for busy professionals. Enrollment in the course includes access to our online course environment administered through Auburn University’s Blackboard system, weekly conference calls with the instructor and fellow students, and inclusion in the BDPA IT Institute’s PMP Exam Prep Alumni group on CollectiveX for continued support after you complete the course.

Taking control of your destiny is just a step away! Apply Now at http://www.auburn.edu/bdpa

For more information, please contact us at mailto:institute@bdpa.org.

This Week in BDPA (Jan 4-10)

Our foundation hopes that you find value in the work that we are doing. If not, please feel free to share your thoughts on ways we can improve. In the meantime, we hope that you will seek out the BDPA chapter in your area. Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the BDPA CollectiveX Calendar and elsewhere:

• Jan 6: National BDPA - Webinar, 'Advancing Your Career with the BDPA IT Institute'
• Jan 8: New Jersey - Program Meeting, 'Increasing Your Marketability'

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the BDPA CollectiveX 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.

Please make tax-deductible online donation to the BDPA Foundation to start your new year. Do it now!

BDPA IT Institute: PMP Exam Prep Course (Winter 2009)

Are you thinking about becoming certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP)? If so, you should consider registering for the PMP Exam Prep course hosted by the BDPA IT Institute.

The Winter 2009 PMP Exam Prep course, taught by Gregory Brown, begins January 19th. PMP Exam Prep Course covers all of the project management knowledge areas and includes exercises, practice questions and practice exams to help students determine their preparedness for the exam. The emphasis of the course is on passing the PMP certification examination using the latest edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as the reference. Other texts may be assigned based on the experience level of the students enrolled in the course.

For more information, please contact us at institute@bdpa.org.

BDPA IT Institute Fall Enrollment Opens

The Fall 2008 enrollment period is still open for the BDPA IT Institute. The courses scheduled for the Fall term, beginning September 8th through December 13th, are the IT Professional Certification taught by Will Bundy, Ph.D. and the PMP Exam Prep taught by Gregory Brown, PMP.

Key Benefits of Certification:

• Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers
• Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
• Respect and prestige of being "certified"
• Publication opportunities in field
• Leadership, management and project management skill development

Now is the time to take control of your future in the IT industry. Apply now for Fall 2008 courses! For more information, you can contact the BDPA IT Institute leadership by phone (800.727-2372) or email.

Click here for the BDPA IT Institute brochure.

Grant Recipient: National BDPA ($2,975)

The BDPA Foundation approved $2,975 grant funding to National BDPA's member services business area. The funds will be used in two areas:

1. BDPA International IT Corps - BDPA seeks to add a new program to the Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) program that would call for summer swaps of HSCC students in American with technology-aware students in Africa. Phase I of the project calls for Norman Mays to attend Sullivan Conference in Tanzania to identify educational institutions for BDPA to partner with on this project. BDPA Foundation provided $2,000 in funding to support this project.
   
2. BDPA IT Institute - We are providing $975 in hardship scholarship funding to support tuition for three students in the Spring 2008 session of BDPA IT Institute. These students will begin their distance learning certification process on May 12, 2008.

Please consider making tax-deductible donation to the BDPA Foundation so that we might continue to fund these programs in the future. We need the funds in order to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the 'classroom to the boardroom'. What are you waiting for? Make a small donation right now!

Spring Enrollment Open for BDPA IT Institute

The Spring 2008 enrollment period is still open for the BDPA IT Institute. The courses scheduled for the Spring term (May 12 thru August 15) are the IT Associate Certification taught by Will Bundy, Ph.D. and the PMP Exam Prep taught by Matthew Kioko, PMP.

These two course are part of the comprehensive certification programs offered by the BDPA IT Institute. You can become a certified 'IT Associate', 'IT Professional' or 'IT Master', or prepare for taking the PMP Exam.

Key Benefits of BDPA IT Institute Certification?

1. Respect and prestige of being 'certified'
2. Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
3. Publication opportunities in the information technology industry
4. Leadership, management and project management skill development
5. Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers

Apply now for Spring 2008 courses. Taking control of your destiny is just a step away! Please reach out to the Institute Director by email or phone (800.727-2372).

BDPA Reflections: Dr. Will Bundy

I have been a member of BDPA for almost 20 years. I've served on the National BDPA Board of Directors for most of that time. Recently, I asked some of the current and former leaders within BDPA to reflect on their experience.

Dr. Will Bundy is the first to accept my offer. I met Dr. Bundy in 2002 at the national conference held in Orlando, FL. He is a proven warrior having served our nation as a submariner in the US Navy. Dr. Bundy opened my vision of BDPA corporate relations when he negotiated on behalf of FleetBoston Financial the first Platinum-level corporate sponsorship in BDPA's history.

Here are BDPA reflections from Dr. Will Bundy, who concludes four years of service as a National BDPA Outside Director at the end of this month.

"Since becoming associated with BDPA as an executive at FleetBoston Financial and continuing as a member of the National Executive Committee, I believe BDPA has continued to evolve into the premier professional organization for African American Information Technology professionals in the United States.

As the FleetBoston Financial leader responsible for affiliating with BDPA, it seemed the prospects for embracing the organization would be limited. There was apathy toward affiliating with BDPA among members of the FleetBoston Financial Operations and Technology management team along with a general lack of appreciation for the advantages of a professional development organization that would promote advancement of African American associates. Over time, the number of FleetBoston BDPA members grew along with the establishment or revitalization of chapters in Albany, New York; New Jersey; Rhode Island and Boston. BDPA members in these FleetBoston Financial-based chapters embraced the idea of networking, mentorship and professional development offered by BDPA.

It was my hope that BDPA would evolve into a truly effective networking and professional development organization that would assist its members in overcoming either outright bias or undercurrents of race-based bias in their work environments through effective networking, mentoring and leadership development. Those ambitions for BDPA have been advanced over the last four years with concepts that I had a hand in promoting. These concepts included the BDPA IT Institute, BDPA Epsilon Corporate and Individual Awards, and a regional representation approach that would improve national BDPA governance.

The BDPA Institute was conceived as a substitute for technologist-to-executive bridge programs that are offered to majority corporate associates on a fairly routine basis. The number of African Americans selected for fast-track advancement programs in corporate America is dismal. It was hoped that the BDPA Institute would serve to provide executive development education to BDPA members who wanted to advance to the boardroom. The concept called for offering certification in progressive leadership and executive development levels that would be recognized by corporate managers and leaders. The institute has begun to produce graduates at the Associate, Professional and Master IT levels with aspirations of developing a pool of BDPA members who are ready for advancement to leadership positions.

Epsilon Award winners have been showcased at the last three BDPA national conferences. Working with past national president IBM, Lockheed Martin and Allstate Insurance with a number of companies benefiting from recognition as companies that actively support development of Black IT professionals.

Epsilon Awards for Individuals designed to recognize both professional and career development were established after I realized that BDPA did not promote its members in a public way. We knew we had members who had made significant positive impact, but there was no formal program to recognize our brightest and rising stars. The Epsilon Individual Awards program continues to grow and should become the crowning event during the annual national conference. While we applaud the nascent capabilities of the high school competition winners it is vitally important that BDPA should extol the accomplishments of its leading professionals.

It has been my hope to see the national organization gain a level of stability, continuity, and successor development in its leadership. A model that seemed best for BDPA is the regional representation model where leaders from national regions become part of a national governing board for BDPA. Committees with elected chairs would handle key events and oversee member business areas with a national executive director and small staff empowered to manage the day-to-day business of the association. It seemed better to form a more collaborative and representative governance organization that would be inclusive rather than rely on over-burdened member vice presidents akin to a part-time corporate model. That effort is under consideration and I hope that it moves forward.

Finally, it has always been my hope that BDPA would grow and become a professional association capable of assisting its members with career advancement and one that would capture the support of senior leaders in major IT-based organizations. Organizations like NNOA with the Sea Services of the Armed Forces, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Black MBA Association set the standard that I had hoped BDPA would ultimately emulate. I believe BDPA is on its way to advancing the cause and development of Black IT professionals in their march from the classroom-to-the-boardroom."

William F. Bundy, Ph.D
Bristol, RI, December 2007

Dr. Bundy earned his place in the BDPA Hall of Fame many years ago. Please POST A COMMENT to express your thoughts on Will's reflections ... and at a minimum, take a moment to thank the brother for his volunteer service to our organization at such a high level for such a long time.

BETF-Blog Readers, what say u?

BDPA IT Institute Opens Up Winter 2008 Enrollment

The Winter 2008 enrollment period is now open for the BDPA IT Institute. The courses planned for the Winter term (Jan through Apr 25) are the IT Professional Certification taught by Will Bundy, Ph.D. and the PMP Exam Prep taught by Matthew Kioko, PMP. Additional courses may be offered based on demand.

I encourage BETF-Blog Readers to check out the exciting and rewarding certification programs offered by the BDPA IT Institute. There are four options that you can choose at very competitive rates:

1. IT Associate
2. IT Professional
3. IT Master
4. PMP Exam Preparation

It is simple to see the key benefits of Certification:

• Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers
• Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
• Respect and prestige of being "certified"
• Publication opportunities in field
• Leadership, management and project management skill development

Cedrick Moore, former president of our BDPA chapter in Birmingham, AL recently completed certification as an IT Master. He wrote,

"The BDPA IT Institute Master Certification provided me with the tools that I needed to venture out into the workforce. With discussions about topics such as Six Sigma, Project Management, and Capability Maturity Model (CMM), I was able to research some of the latest technology best practices and methodologies. Having this information allowed me to secure a position with one of the leading technology companies in the world, Hewlett-Packard."

Anyhow, BETF-Blog Readers are encouraged to apply now for the Winter 2008 courses. For more information you can reach out to the BDPA IT Institute director by email (institute@bdpa.org) or phone (800.727-2372).

Cedrick Moore Shares His Thoughts on BDPA

BDPA Education & Technology Foundation seeks funding each year for the BDPA IT Institute. One of the recent graduates from the IT Master Certificate program within the BDPA IT Institute is Cedrick Moore. Cedrick was kind enough to share his thoughts on the Institute as well as his thoughts on the benefits he received over the past years as both a BDPA member and BDPA leader. Cedrick wrote,

BDPA Institute - The BDPA IT Institute Master Certification provided me with the tools that I needed to venture out into the workforce. With discussions about topics such as Six Sigma, Project Management, and Capability Maturity Model (CMM), I was able to research some of the latest technology best practices and methodologies. Having this information allowed me to secure a position with one of the leading technology companies in the world, Hewlett-Packard.

BDPA Member - Being a member of BDPA has completely changed my career. While working for one of the largest Telecommunications companies in the U.S., I found that I needed a way to make myself standout. I wanted to be able to better articulate my ideas. I also wanted to be able to discuss my ideas freely with others in a similar role yet outside of my organization. The answer for me was BDPA. BDPA allowed me to not only share ideas and best practices with other members, it allowed me to obtain the technical skills and training via the BDPA National Conference. In terms of career moves, BDPA is directly responsible for my last two jobs (Senior System Analyst and currently, Senior Consultant with HP).

BDPA Leadership - Being in a leadership role within BDPA has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me. As the Founder and President of the Birmingham Chapter, I was able to meet chapter presidents from across the country. Many BDPA chapter presidents work for Fortune 500 companies while others own there own businesses. The experience provided invaluable networking opportunities. During the BDPA National Conference, you have a chance to converse with corporate CIOs and Senior Vice Presidents from across the country during corporate networking events. Locally, it has added tremendous value to my professional resume. The leadership skills that I learned have carried forward into every job that I have had ever since. If you can lead 50 plus volunteer members, you can definitely lead a team on the job. It was the perfect training.

Much love to Bro. Moore for sharing his testimonial! Have you considered becoming a BDPA member, leader or IT Institute student?

IT Certifications - What's Hot? (Columbus, OH)

Certification is a proven way to benefit IT professionals through increased competence, opportunity and compensation. BDPA provides certification for IT associates, IT professionals and IT masters through our BDPA IT Institute. There are in-demand certifications for networking, internetworking, application development and information security. There are so many choices that it is often difficult to decide what to do.

BDPA Columbus chapter wants you to understand what IT certifications are hot and what IT certifications are now obsolete. They bring together an award-winning panel that includes Twyla Southhall (PMP), Christian Rodriguez (CCIE) and Scott Savage (CISSP) to talk candidly about IT certifications. Regardless of your personal discipline within the technology industry ... you will find information that you can use from this presentation.

Here are the logistics for the September 2007 program meeting being held in Columbus, OH:

Location: JPMorgan Chase Building, 1111 Polaris Parkway, Room 1B-3086
City, ST: Columbus, OH
When: Thursday, September 27 @ 6:00 pm

Refreshments will be provided and there will be IT recruiters in attendance. You are encouraged to bring business cards, resumes and a friend. The program meeting is open to the public. It is free of charge. You can RSVP for this meeting by sending email to BDPA Columbus chapter.

Do any BETF-Blog readers have IT certifications that they find valuable in their career advancement?

Enroll in BDPA IT Institute Today!

BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) actively seeks funding to support the BDPA IT Institute. We strongly believe that the BDPA IT Institute will become a world-class leadership and management online certification program for technology professionals of African descent everywhere.

The BDPA IT Institute supports BDPA members and potential members by promoting career development and leadership competencies through direct online course offerings in leadership and management. The intent of the program is to facilitate career progression and advancement for members. This includes a progression from the associate level certification to the master’s level which transitions individuals into entry-level management and increasing leadership roles. The Institute has formed executive and academic partnerships to support these initiatives.

BETF-Blog subscribers are reminded that the Fall enrollment period is closing soon for the BDPA IT Institute. The courses planned for the Fall term (September 10 thru December 14) are the IT Master Certification taught by Will Bundy, Ph.D. and the PMP Exam Prep taught by Matthew Kioko, PMP. The enrollment for Fall 2007 closes at midnight 9/4 for the PMP Prep and the IT Master courses. Please click here to register for the Fall term.

Brothers & sisters, these are some exciting and rewarding certification programs offered by your organization. You can become a certified 'IT Associate', 'IT Professional', or 'IT Master' or prepare for taking the PMP Exam, all at very competitive rates. The PMP Prep course offers PDUs in addition to the CEUs offered for all the courses.

Taking control of your destiny is just a step away! BETF is working with the BDPA Institute to provide 'hardship scholarships' when necessary for the upcoming Fall 2007 term. Reach out to Dr. Ralph Kindred, BDPA IT Institute Director by phone (800.727-2372) or email (institute@bdpa.org) if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

I would be interested in your comments on the BDPA IT Institute. Is it something that you (or your employer) would consider in the future?

Why BDPA in Cincinnati?

I was the guest speaker for BDPA Cincinnati chapter last night at their monthly program meeting. The meeting was hosted by Resolvit Resources (offices in Cincinnati, Raleigh and Washington DC). Our topic was a simple one --> 'Why BDPA in Cincinnati?'

We discussed a wide range of topics during the presentation including:

• BDPA History (national & Ohio)


• 30-Second Elevator Speech about BDPA - We are a non-profit organization that advances the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry from the classroom to the boardroom.


• Vision, Mission Statement & Strategic Objectives


• Challenge: What Will You Do To Change the Future? - If you are unhappy about the situation with African Americans in our industry ... what do you plan to do about it?


• Classroom to the Boardroom - We used a visual depiction of stairsteps to show what we mean when we say 'classroom to the boardroom'. Interestingly enough, this section of the program had the most learnings for many in the room. Often chapter members are not aware of the college internships, BDPA IT Institute or Executive Protege Program. We were able to review the entire evolution of BDPA programs that go from K-12 thru executive level.


• How Can BDPA Benefit You? - Networking, internships, scholarships, job opportunities, community service, world class training, leadership training, professional recognition, discounts on BDPA functions, BDPA IT Institute and networking (did I mention that one already?)

The next part of the program meeting focused on the obligation of the BDPA members in the room. We asked them what they should do to support BDPA in Cincinnati, OH. Eight (8) answers were given:

1. Recruit and inform students & IT professionals to BDPA Cincinnati.
2. Contact BDPA HQ office (800.727-2372) to receive hardcopy of BDPA marketing or collateral materials.
3. Work with Ohio Connection chapters in Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton & Toledo to create meaningful relationships and information sharing.
4. Network regularly with other Cincinnati-based organizations.
5. Create a project plan that can guide you in 2008 growth of BDPA Cincinnati chapter.
6. Publicize a 13-month revolving program meeting schedule.
7. Provide monthly status report in the form of 'news & notes' to your chapter membership.
8. Access the Internet regularly.

We ended the meeting with a robust session of questions and answers. The chapter members look forward to site selection decision on the 30th annual BDPA Technology Conference. The consensus in this meeting was that the leadership should quickly decide on Atlanta, GA as the location for next year's annual conference.

The other outcome of the meeting was generous donation of $135 to the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation! I was guest speaker for BDPA Columbus chapter earlier this year. It appears that I will be traveling to Los Angeles (October) and New York (November) later this year. I would love to speak with your chapter members as well. Just let me know if there is interest.