BDPA College Student Overview

Earl Pace and David Wimberly founded BDPA in November 1975 as a local association. Within three years, the founders grew BDPA into a national organization with chapters in Philadelphia, Washington DC and Cleveland. Today, there are 46 chapters throughout the United States. One part of the BDPA legacy is our program for college students and college campuses. This is a program that enriches the opportunities for our students in a variety of post-secondary education institutions with a focus on low-and moderate-income communities.

31% of BDPA’s membership consists of college students. BDPA understands that its educational life cycle moves from the classroom to the boardroom. A major element of the educational life cycle resides with college students. Annual membership dues for college students are only $25 … a significant savings from the annual membership dues that adult professionals invest in BDPA membership.

BDPA established the college student program to teach advanced computer science and community responsibility to students from historically disadvantaged communities. There are four major components of our college student program that impact on the educational future of K-12 students:

1. College Scholarships
2. IT Showcase
3. Internships and Entry-Level Jobs in IT Industry
4. Mobile Application Showcase

Most of our 46 local BDPA chapters run programs that provide science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum and experiences for young people of color in community colleges, 4-year colleges and vocational schools. These training programs include a monthly program meeting hosted by each local chapter that provides remarkable information from industry professionals as well as unique networking opportunities that are not replicated anywhere else in the community.

BDPA seeks to have more students in college studying STEM-related disciplines. BDPA created the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) in 1992 for the purpose of giving college scholarships to deserving high school students. Over 200 college scholarships valued at over $469,900 have been handed out by BDPA and BETF. In addition, BDPA created two programs that feature college students - IT Showcase (2003) and Mobile Application Showcase (2014). BDPA began the process to bridge the ‘digital divide’ before the term was widely known. BDPA recognizes that to close the gap of computer and technology literacy, minority youth must participate and compete in today’s digital economy. Otherwise, our youth run the risk of being obsolete in America’s workforce.

The BDPA college student program is intellectually challenging and builds self-esteem through the mastery of applied computer science. We create a foundation for academic and career success. BDPA trains our youth to use technology as a vehicle to learn skills and concepts beyond the technology itself. In essence it bridges the gap between long-term educational approach of the classroom and short-term skills experience of the workplace.

It is worth noting that all of these BDPA programs have an added advantage in our efforts to cultivate exceptional talent – we go beyond just providing programming and STEM-based skills. BDPA also trains these young people in project management, time management, public speaking, team-building and presentation skills. In summary, they learn the fundamentals of being an IT professional and personal leadership in the workplace.

National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase

Mobile Application Showcase Winners & Sponsors

The National BDPA Mobile App Showcase, co-sponsored by McDonald's, State Farm Insurance and WWT, allows student application developers the opportunity to participate in a competition that allows them to an opportunity to test their talents against others and develop a working, functional mobile application, at no cost to themselves. The applications being showcased will represent three different application categories (i.e. business, personal productivity, and gaming). Each category will have stringent requirements to be met in advance to the showcase.

College and high school students have the opportunity to participate in this 2-day event in conjunction with the 2017 National BDPA Technology Conference held in Cincinnati, OH. The focus of this event includes development on Android and iOS smartphone operating systems.

Each student's projects will be judged in two major categories and four sub-categories. The competition and showcase are open to high school and college students. Their projects will be assessed by a panel of judges prior to the conference. Monetary awards sponsored by State Farm will be given to the top high school and college participants. The awards will be presented at the awards presentation during the 2017 National BDPA Technology Conference Banquet Ceremony. Each participant will be recognized with a Certificate of Participation for their effort.

National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase

BDPA Announces Two Mobile Application Scholarship Winners

Kareem DaSilva and Mayesha Awal win State Farm Scholarships

National BDPA announced their 2016 Student Mobile Application Showcase (MAS) Scholarship Award winners from educational institutions across the United States at their 38th Annual National Technology Conference and Career Fair on August 2016, at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

The National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase, co-sponsored by McDonald's, State Farm Insurance and World Wide Technology allowed college and high school student developers the opportunity to participate in a two (2) day competition that tested their Android & iOS smartphone operating systems. The applications showcase represented three different application categories (business, personal productivity, and gaming). Monetary awards sponsored by State Farm were given to the top high school and college participants. Each participant received certificates of participation for their effort.

Tonji Zimmerman

Tonya Zimmerman is the coordinator of the Mobile Application Showcase.

"Congratulations to our 2016 Mobile Application Showcase participants & winners! I hope that this program and all of our student-focused programs has and will continue to inspire our students to become multi-language, multi-platform technologists. We look forward to next year's showcase and the participants' innovative app ideas!” exclaimed Tonji Zimmerman, MAS Coordinator.

There were two students who won the college and high school division of the showcase.   Kareem DaSilva is the winner of the College Student division.

Kareem DaSilva, the college student winner replied, "Throughout my experiences at BDPA, the Mobile Application Showcase stretched me the most, it pushed me to think, try, and succeed the hardest. Coming in 2nd place in 2015 only fueled me to build a better and more capable application. It forced me out of my comfort zone which showed me how much more I can grow and become better."

Mayesha Awal was a salutatorian from the class of 586 students at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.   She just entered Georgetown University as a freshman seeking to major in Biochemistry and Computer Science.

High school winner Mayesha Awal said, "I have always loved computer and computer technology ever since I was young. When applications on mobile phones were new, I wanted to make my own mobile application and wondered how I would get started. When the opportunity to make a mobile app came across, I immediately jumped on the opportunity because I wanted to challenge myself to see what I was capable of doing. The process itself was a little stressful at times, but it really showed me what weaknesses and strengths I have regarding computer programming. Finding an original idea was also a difficult process as there are numerous applications on the app store. I finally decided to make a social networking app called Moda because my friends once told me that they were worried about job prospects in fashion and design. I decided to have users on Moda be able to post their designs and have designer companies be able to recruit designers based upon their talent and skills. I also gained an appreciation for app development because I realized that it takes a great deal of patience, organization, and dedication to design a mobile app. I want to further enhance my application by adding more functionalities to my app and release it in various app stores."

For more details on the BDPA corporate sponsorship program, contact the corporate sales support team at (301) 584-3135 ext. 108 or corpsales@bdpa.org. Additionally, please visit www.bdpa.org.

State Farm Expands Commitment to BDPA

State Farm, an American group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States, recently expanded its commitment as a Silver Level Sponsor to the 38th Annual BDPA Technology Conference & Career Fair, August 10-13 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, GA. State Farm agreed to sponsor the BDPA Mobile Application Showcase for high school and college students by providing scholarships for the winning entries. The number of students competing in the showcase is expected to more than double this year.

State Farm currently ranked No. 41 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies, insures more cars and homes than any other insurer and is a leading insurer of watercraft in the United States. The driving force of the Company is comprised of more than 72,000 employees and 18,000 agents. For the past 90+ years, State Farm agents have built and maintained lasting customer relationships. Its tradition of innovation and customer commitment help keep State Farm the industry leader.

Theonnie Shields

“State Farm is proud to be a sponsor of the 2016 BDPA Mobile showcase. As we continue to grow our State Farm Systems Department in the Atlanta area, we feel it’s important to be a part of this conference,” said State Farm systems manager Theonnie Shields.

Founded in 1975, BDPA is the premier organization for African American professionals in the technology industry. BDPA has 47 chapters across the United States and is the largest African American Information Technology Association in the country. BDPA continues to fulfill its mission and work to bridge the digital divide by providing career growth opportunities for its members.

“National BDPA is excited with the sponsorship renewal from State Farm,” says BDPA conference director Pamela Mathews. “We appreciate the scholarships to recognize our Mobile Application Showcase Winners during the upcoming national conference and your support overall. Thank you, State Farm, for your continued partnership.”

To become a BDPA partner like State Farm or to learn more about the National BDPA Technology Conference in Atlanta, as well as sponsorship opportunities, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email at corpsales@bdpa.org or301-584-3135 x108.

State Farm Supports BDPA Mobile Application Showcase

State Farm has a rich history of giving back to the community and this year was no exception when State Farm became a BDPA Silver Level Sponsor for the 37th Annual BDPA Technology Conference & Career Fair, August 18-22, 2015 at the Washington Hilton.  State Farm was founded in 1922 by retired farmer and insurance salesman George Mecherle. They now insure more cars and homes than any other insurer in the United States. A mutual company focused on its policyholders, State Farm is currently ranked number 41 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies (www.statefarm.com).

Recognized for over eight decades as a "good neighbor," State Farm agreed to support the BDPA Mobile Application Showcase by providing college scholarships for the winning entries. The number of students competing in the showcase this year as tripled since its inauguration in 2014.

Jason Gibson

Jason Gibson, BDPA Central Illinois Chapter President said, “I am inspired by State Farm's commitment to STEM and the BDPA mission.”

Founded in 1975, BDPA is the premier organization for African American professionals in the information technology industry. BDPA has 46 chapters across the United States and is the largest African American information technology association in the country. BDPA continues to fulfill its mission and work to bridge the digital divide by providing career growth opportunities for its members.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with State Farm in 2015. As we approach the celebration of our 40th year, we appreciate the willingness and support of State Farm as we seek to advance careers from the classroom to the boardroom,” responded Pamela Mathews, National BDPA President.

To become a BDPA partner or sponsor like State Farm or to learn more about the National BDPA Technology Conference, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email at corpsales@bdpa.org or (301) 584-3135 x108.

BDPA Seeks Students for Mobile Application Showcase

BDPA is excited to announce that the 2nd annual Mobile Application Showcase sponsored by State Farm is expanding as a national student program! Last year's pilot of this program was a great success with over $19,000 in college scholarships being handed out!

BDPA needs your support to spread the word about this great program. Do you know any high school or undergrad college students with programming experience who can work independently and interested in developing native iOS and Android mobile applications. This program is completely virtual! However, BDPA will provide weekly training sessions and mentors for students during the application development portion of the showcase.

• Overview of the showcase - http://www.bdpa.org/?page=MobileApplication
• Register to participate - http://www.bdpa.org/?page=MobileAppShowcase

If you have questions or wish to discuss further, please reach out to National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase coordinator, Tonji Zimmerman, by email (mobileapps@bdpa.org) or by phone (301.584-3135).

BDPA Cincinnati Launches 2015 High Technology STEM Initiative

BDPA Cincinnati chapter announces the opening of the 2015 Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program. The SITES program offers cutting edge STEM training to areas High School and College Students. 2015 is the 19th year for SITES program. The program will begin on January 10th at Cincinnati State Technical College. Students can preview the program content and complete the application for training sessions on the www.bdpa-camp.org web site. The SITES program contain a number of distinct offerings for students and opportunities to win college scholarships

Computer Camp – a disciplined 13-week program for students in 8th through 12th grades. The computer camp covers Visual Basic Applications, Mobile Phone Applications, Web Development, Programming Automation Controllers, Robotics, 3D Printing, Internet Of Things, Information Technology Theory and History, and Professional Development. This training provides students with IT theory and hands-on activities as well as exposure to leading technical professionals in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas.

High School Computer Competition (HSCC) -The BDPA National High School Computer Competition, was founded in 1986 by Dr. Jesse Bemley, of Washington, D.C. What started as a two-team event between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA. has grown to over 20 teams of various high school students from within the 46 chapters across the nation. It's designed to introduce our youth to the field of Information Technology, challenge their learnings, encourage them to seek higher levels of education, and groom many of them to become our next generation of IT professionals. HSCC is a 28-week program that prepares students to compete in a 3 step competition that demonstrates IT prowess. The competition consists of an oral component, a written component, and a very competitive programming component. Students are taught to master ASP.NET Programming, JavaScript Programming, Structured Query Language, MySQL Database and Microsoft Visual Studio in a succinct and efficient manner. Students will have the ability to develop a complete database driven application in seven hours after completing this training. Additionally, students are coached on working effectively in teams, team building, leadership, and academic discipline. The top winners of this competition are awarded scholarships at the National BDPA Conference in addition to any local chapter recognition or awards.

IT Showcase – The BDPA Information Technology Showcase allows student presenters from educational institutions across the United States, to present and demonstrate their research. The presentations represent advanced computing and technical topics presented by college and high school students to an audience of corporate representatives and IT professionals. IT professionals and educator mentor students and help them prepare for a national competition. Top students are awarded scholarships at the National BDPA Conference.

Mobile Application Showcase - The National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase allows student application developers the opportunity to participate in a competition that allows them to an opportunity to test their talents against others and develop a working, functional Mobile Application, at no cost to themselves. The applications being showcased will represent three different application categories (i.e. business, personal productivity, and gaming). Each category will have stringent requirements to be met in advance to the showcase. The top winners of this showcase are awarded scholarships at the National BDPA Conference.

BDPA Cincinnati had an exceptional training year in 2014 which culminated in students winning $15,625 in scholarships for their performance at the 2014 National BDPA Conference. The chapter is looking forward to an even greater training year in 2015 engaging more minority students and bringing even greater rewards back to Cincinnati.

BDPA iRadio Show: October 28, 2014 (Wayne Hicks, Tonji Zimmerman)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. FREE download from the iTunes Store is also available for our listeners!

Check Out Technology Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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The guest on the October 28th show:

Tonji Zimmerman - program manager, BDPA Mobile Application Showcase - Tonji Zimmerman is a senior technology consultant focused on e-learning solutions. For many years she served as the High School Computer Competition coordinator for BDPA Detroit chapter. She trained a number of high school students that earned both college scholarships and experiences that propelled them into colleges across the country. Tonji has taken on a new challenge for 2014-2015 ... she is the program manager for the National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase. This event allows both high school and college students an opportunity to develop a functional Mobile Application. The applications showcased will represent three different application categories (i.e. business, personal productivity, and gaming). The Showcase was piloted at the 2014 National BDPA Technology Conference with $19,000 in college scholarships being awarded by State Farm. Next year the goal is to have 40 students participating in the event. Tonji will have a lot to share with our iRadio Show audience!

Wayne Hicks - executive director, BDPA Education and Technology Foundation - Wayne provided an update on a number of initiatives taking place within the foundation.  He announced the names of the four students who won the 2014 Monsanto Scholarship for BDPA Students.  He also shared updates on successful grant proposals won by BETF from Creating IT Futures Foundation ($5,000) and GE Volunteers Foundation ($20,000).   BETF plans to participate in the #GivingTuesday fundraising campaign taking place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (December 2, 2014).   The idea is to follow-up on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as events to galvanize the start of the holiday shopping season.   Finally, Wayne shared information about the BDPA Chapter Building Workshop series that is taking place in the BDPA Google+ Community.  Wayne can be found on Twitter - @BDPA

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We hope you enjoy the insights and commentary on the show from each of these guests. Please take a moment to post a comment to let us know that you care!

BDPA Cincinnati Launches 2015 Technology Initiative for High School Students

BDPA Cincinnati chapter announces the opening of the 2015 Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program. The SITES program offers cutting edge technology training to areas High School and College Students. 2015 is the 19th year for SITES program in Cincinnati. The program will begin on January 10, 2015 at Cincinnati State Technical College. Students can preview the program content and complete the application for training sessions on the www.bdpa-camp.org web site.

The SITES program contains four (4) opportunities for students to win college scholarships:

Computer Camp - a disciplined 13 week program for students in 8th thru 12th grades. The computer camp covers Visual Basic Applications, Mobile Phone Applications, Web Development, Programming Automation Controllers, Robotics, 3D Printing, Internet Of Things, Information Technology Theory, Computer History, and Professional Development. This training provides students with IT theory and hands-on activities as well as exposure to leading technical professionals in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas.

High School Computer Competition (HSCC) - National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) was founded in 1986. It's designed to introduce our youth to the field of Information Technology, challenge their learnings, encourage them to seek higher levels of education, and groom many of them to become our next generation of IT professionals. HSCC is a 28-week program that prepares students to compete in a 3-part competition (oral, written and programming) that demonstrates IT prowess. Students are taught to master ASP.NET Programming, JavaScript Programming, Structured Query Language (SQL), MySQL Database and Microsoft Visual Studio in a succinct and efficient manner. Students are coached on working effectively in teams, team building, leadership, and academic discipline. The top performers in this competition are awarded college scholarships at the National BDPA Conference in addition to any local chapter recognition or awards.

IT Showcase - The BDPA Information Technology (IT) Showcase allows high school (and college) students to present and demonstrate their research. The presentations represent advanced computing and technical topics presented to an audience of African American PhDs. Top students are awarded college scholarships at the National BDPA Conference.

Mobile Application Showcase - The National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase allows students to test their talents developing a working Mobile Application that can run on an Android platform. The applications being showcased represent business, personal productivity or gaming. Each category will have stringent requirements to be met in advance to the showcase. The top winners of this showcase are awarded college scholarships at the National BDPA Conference.

BDPA Cincinnati students earned $16,525 in college scholarships during 2014. BDPA seeks new high school students in each of these programs in 2015. Contact the chapter by email (cincinnati@bdpa.org), phone (513.549-6991) or the web (www.bdpa-camp.org) for more details.

BDPA Mobile Application Showcase: Richard Watts III (Central Illinois)

BDPA Central Illinois member Richard Watts III (University High School) earned first place (and a $6,500 college scholarship from State Farm!) for his efforts during the 1st Annual BDPA Mobile Application Showcase.



BDPA used this initiative to expose its student members to mobile application development and showcase the students' expertise during the annual national technology conference. The students were provided with foundation training for mobile application development and mentoring throughout the pilot. The 2014 BDPA Mobile Application Showcase featured high school and college students that designed, developed and deployed a mobile application (business, personal productivity or game) to a mobile device for display at the national conference.

L-R: Craig Brown, Markita Payne, Michael Tyson, Richard Watts III, Tonji Zimmerman, Jason Gibson

The BDPA Mobile Application Showcase was sponsored by State Farm.

BDPA Mobile Application Showcase: Itobore Odje (Cincinnati)

BDPA Cincinnati member Itobore Odje (University of Cincinnati) earned second place (and a $5,500 college scholarship from State Farm!) for her efforts during the 1st Annual BDPA Mobile Application Showcase.



BDPA used this initiative to expose its student members to mobile application development and showcase the students' expertise during the annual national technology conference. The students were provided with foundation training for mobile application development and mentoring throughout the pilot. The 2014 BDPA Mobile Application Showcase featured high school and college students that designed, developed and deployed a mobile application (business, personal productivity or game) to a mobile device for display at the national conference.

L-R: Craig Brown, Markita Payne, Michael Tyson, Itobore Odje, Tonji Zimmerman, Jason Gibson

The BDPA Mobile Application Showcase was sponsored by State Farm.