Braxton Smith Will Use Bemley Scholarship at North Carolina A&T State University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Braxton Smith will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Triangle High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $1,000 college scholarship at North Carolina A&T State University.

Braxton Smith * Bemley Scholar

Braxton had a 4.0 GPA in high school and his overarching goal is to study computer science and utilize the skills he learns to enter the information technology field.   Braxton was a member of Art Club, Anime Club, Music Club and Computer Club. He has been a bowler for the last 13 years and he joined Movement of Youth, a mentoring and volunteer program that exposes students to the ‘college experience’. He volunteered at several local groups, such as Project Seeds, Durham Urban Ministries and the Durham Rescue Mission. Braxton also assisted Omega Psi Phi Fraternity as a volunteer at several church outreach programs. He worked as a summer intern with CISCO configuring servers in conjunction with being an apprentice with the Shodor Foundation. Both positions allowed him to work with web design, code development and languages and mathematical calculations. To finish it all off, Braxton worked in the Genome Science Department at Duke University.

Braxton plans to study computer science at North Carolina A&T State University. Braxton believes in the personal statement from Colin Powell, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

We asked Braxton to share his personal testimonial on BDPA:

2017 BDPA Triangle (Braxton is on the right)

"I have been with the BDPA for a total of two years and in that time-frame I have had the honor and privilege of doing things people dream about. I got to attend two national conferences as the lead front end coder for the High School Computer Competition team. Since the first day I entered the BDPA, I have been truly taken from the classroom to the boardroom. Better than that, I found a second family at BDPA Triangle Chapter, one where the bonds between us members cannot be broken. My success that is to come is greatly due to this family I share here and I will not hesitate to come back and assist the Triangle Chapter with HSCC teaching or just for motivation. Additionally, I look forward to possibly partake in the college BDPA IT Showcase and BDPA Mobile Application  Showcase competitions. In conclusion, BDPA is an organization, group, and a family that I would recommend to any hungry, curious mind that searches for ways to truly disrupt the system."

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

BDPA Foundation Announces 2014 Eli Lilly Scholarship Winners

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), in coordination with Eli Lilly and Company, is pleased to announce the winner of the 8th annual Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students. The two winners this year are Pooja Chebolu, incoming freshman at University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) and Dylan  Gunn, junior at North Carolina A&T (Cincinnati, OH).


The purpose of the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students is to recognize outstanding minority students, with an interest in information technology, who make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, show exceptional leadership potential, and make an impact on their communities through service to others.

“We are committed to supporting programs that provide opportunities for young people to explore and enhance their careers in science and technology. Education is so vital in creating the professionals who will contribute to the discovery of innovative medicines of the future,” said Janice Chavers, Director, HR and Diversity Communications, Eli Lilly and Company.

Pooja is a long-term member of our BDPA Los Angeles chapter.  She competed for a number of years as part of the chapter's High School Computer Competition ... winning two Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarships.  This is her first time winning the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students!  Part of the application process is an essay that answers the question 'Why is Information Technology Important'.  Pooja's essay focused on the various facets of the web.  As she says, the "web connects more than machines, it connects people".  Click here for the full text of her winning essay.

"I am beyond thrilled to be named a recipient of the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students! BDPA has certainly enabled me to appreciate the sheer depth of IT through its programming courses, but in alleviating the financial burden of paying for college with its scholarship programs, this organization has forged unparalleled opportunities and truly inspired me to use computing to benefit contemporary society. I couldn't be more thankful!"

Dylan is a long-time member of our BDPA Cincinnati chapter. His essay focused on the impact of technology on the lives of his generation, Generation Y.  Click here for the full text of his winning essay.

"These past two years have been full of ups & downs, but a roller coaster wouldn't be fun if it were just a straight line going full speed. It's true what they say, the absence of evidence isn't the evidence of absence. I received a phone call that made me cry because I thought the evidence to receive such a scholarship wasn't there. They chose me for me, not a GPA alone. Talk about breaking chains!"

Previous Eli Lilly scholars were:

1. 2007, Daniel Puente (University of Texas)
2. 2007, Christian West (Northwestern University)
3. 2008, Khalia Braswell (North Carolina State University)
4. 2008, Lee Reed (University of Michigan)
5. 2009, Hung Vo (Georgia Institute of Technology)
6. 2009, Carrine Johnson (Palos Verdes Peninsula High School)
7. 2010, Leslie Vasquez (Pike High School)
8. 2010, Gerardo Dominguez (Chicago State University)
9. 2011, Jala Cruz (North Central High School)
10. 2011, Adwait Walimbe (John Marshall High School)
11. 2012, Allen Warner (Valdosta State University)
12. 2013, Risa Christopher (Indiana University)
13. 2013, Cameron Hughes (University of California, San Diego)

BDPA IT Showcase Winner * Tiffany McCormick (North Carolina A-T State University)

One of the best things that occurred during my time as an elected leader with National BDPA was getting Dr. Jesse Bemley to create and lead the BDPA IT Showcase. It began as a pilot program in 2003. Our goal was (a) to create a venue for HSCC alumni and college students to participate at the annual conference and (b) to encourage the recruitment of future African American Ph.D. candidates in the hard sciences.

The BDPA IT Showcase include presentations (both paper and poster) of advanced computing topics. The focus is leading edge technologies, hardware and software methodologies, research proofs of concepts encompassing intelligent, wearable computing, web technologies, high performance computing (HPC), computing curricula and computational science.

Tiffany McCormick won the 2008 BDPA IT Showcase gold medal in the college division. Tiffany is a senior pursuing her degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro NC. Oddly enough, she is not currently a BDPA member.

Tiffany volunteers with Girl Scouts, Habitat for Community, her church and the Greater Metropolitan Restoration Center. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers. Tiffany meditates, reads and spends time with her family. She strives to develop her abilities to their fullest in order to realize her purpose in life.

Tiffany is a gifted sister. The BDPA Foundation encourages you to check out the paper that helped her win first place at the 2008 BDPA IT Showcase. Her topic was ‘Synopsis of Power System Analysis’ and you can find her 11-page paper here.

My hope is that we can have at least one IT Showcase participant from each of our 50 chapters next year. For now, I encourage you to share some love with Tiffany for winning the 2008 BDPA IT Showcase!