Vincent Shorter Encourages You to Support #BDPAFuture

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud of our effort to raise funds for National BDPA. We encourage you to follow the lead of Terry Morris by using our BDPA Future account. We're proud that Vincent Shorter supported BETF's efforts with his video:



I encourage BDPA supporters to make a secure online donation to the #BDPAFuture Crowdrise effort. We seek to raise $250,000 by the end of March and we need your help. Doable?

BDPA Lands Silver Level Sponsorship From Monsanto

BDPA is honored to receive a Silver Level Sponsorship of its 39th Annual National Technology Conference and Career Fair from Monsanto, an American multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation. The BDPA Technology Conference is this week, July 26-29, 2017 at the Duke Energy Convention Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mike Williams

Mike A. Williams, National BDPA President reports, “Monsanto continues to be one of our generous and most consistent supporters. We are thankful for their sponsorship throughout the years and look forward to partnering with them for yet another year."

Monsanto Ranks as a 2016 Top 20 Employer in Science Magazine and is named as one of the ‘Greenest Companies’ in Newsweek’s 2016 Green Rankings. Monsanto also has a Diversity Program and is committed to their ‘Empowering Women in Agriculture through Higher Education’ program.

Vincent Shorter

Vincent Shorter, Monsanto Supply Chain IT Lead said, "Personally, I am proud and honored to be working with my Monsanto colleagues to help develop and inspire the next generation of diverse IT talent. Additionally, we are very engaged in developing our internal talent through leadership opportunities working with BDPA. In keeping with BDPA's motto - 'we are advancing careers from the classroom to the boardroom'."

BDPA is the largest African American Information Technology association in the U.S., and the largest national non-profit organization continually involved in training students underrepresented in STEM education across the country. For almost 40 years, BDPA has fulfilled its mission by bridging the digital divide and providing career growth opportunities for its members.

Malcom Mathis

BDPA’s St. Louis Chapter President Malcom Mathis commented, "Monsanto continues to show a commitment to BDPA. We are grateful for their partnership with our high school training program and their support of employee development through involvement with BDPA."

For more details about the BDPA Technology Conference or 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.

Monsanto Moves Up to Silver Level Sponsor of BDPA

“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 2014 National Conference,” said Dr. Craig Brown, National BDPA president. “It is only possible to provide the support our members receive through relationships and sponsorships through organizations like Monsanto. It is my pleasure to announce this sponsorship and the BDPA family thanks Monsanto for their support,” he added. 

The 36th annual National BDPA Technology Conference is set for August 5-9, 2014.  BDPA is the premier organization for African American professionals in the information technology industry. For almost 40 years, BDPA has fulfilled its mission by bridging the digital divide by providing career growth opportunities for its members.

“Today, we are the largest African American Information Technology association in the U.S., and the largest national non-profit organization continually involved in training students underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineer, and Mathematics education across the country,” Dr. Brown added.

Founded in 1901, Monsanto believers in sustainable agriculture, human rights and corporate giving and are focused 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. Named as one of the ‘100 Best Corporate Citizens’ by CR Magazine, Monsanto announced plans for a $400 million expansion of Chesterfield Valley Research Center, including addition of 675 jobs over the next three years. Monsanto received the ‘Gulf Guardian Award’ from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program for the company’s Mississippi River Watershed Partnership.

Vincent Shorter, Monsanto director said, “At Monsanto, we continue to value the relationship with BDPA. We have evolved our commitment by offering $10,000 in scholarships. Whether it’s the High School Computer Competition, working with local chapter officers to increase memberships, or supporting local events like the annual “Learn to Play Golf” event, we at Monsanto value our relationship with BDPA. We look forward to a growing relationship in which we have people walking the halls at Monsanto as a result of our relationship with BDPA.”

“Monsanto has been a momentous sponsor of the BDPA St. Louis chapter for many years. It is an honor that the organization expanded their sponsorship at the national level so more BDPA members have the opportunity to benefit from this wonderful corporation,” said Dwana Franklin-Davis, BDPA St. Louis president.

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

Related articles

• Monsanto Scholarship for BDPA Students (Deadline: 7/15/2014)

Monsanto Increases Its Investment in BDPA as a Bronze Level Sponsor

Vincent Shorter

Great news to report today! Monsanto renewed its Bronze Level corporate sponsorship this week. The company is a long-time BDPA sponsor ... and they have done some truly breakthrough work in support of the BDPA St Louis chapter High School Computer Competition (HSCC) training over the past few years ... resulting in a silver medal for that team at the 2012 National BDPA HSCC championships.

"It is my honor to work with the Monsanto family and continue to grow and cultivate BDPA and Monsanto partnership," said National BDPA vice president Dr. Craig Brown. "I look forward to transforming our partnership into a tradition when Monsanto employees and the members of its surrounding communities can continue to benefit from BDPA local chapter activities and the BDPA National Conference, year in and year out."

Monsanto will have an active presence at the 35th annual BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC on August 14-17, 2013, including a booth at the career fair and a table at the Awards Gala. The company also plans to leverage the BDPA Job Board to increase the number of qualified IT professionals of color for career opportunities at Monsanto.

Best of all, the company agreed to fund four (4) college scholarships for young people in St. Louis and around the nation. BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) plans to announce the brand-new Monsanto Scholarship for BDPA Students within the next week or so.



Somebody use the COMMENTS feature to share some love with our friends at Monsanto ... especially the 'corporate champion' within the company - Vincent Shorter! Vincent named it in the video ... and now Monsanto is claiming it as well!

'Leadership is a Privilege' (BDPA St. Louis)

by Guest Blogger: Dwana Franklin (BDPA St. Louis)

BDPA St. Louis hosted its April 2013 program meeting at the Monsanto headquarters office. The chapter presented a panel discussion on “Leadership is a Privilege” facilitated by Vincent Shorter (director, Monsanto). The panelist included Fred Burdell (chief information officer, Emerson Industrial Automation), Teron Bowman (IT Manager, Lord & Taylor) and Fabiana Solari (middleware services lead, Monsanto). There were 30 people in attendance for this very successful networking and educational seminar.

The session introduce some of the benefits of leadership - including driving growth and change in your organization; developing others; challenging teams to go beyond their personal and group boundaries; and helping others to realize pride in accomplishment. Vincent led with views and different perspectives of leadership and then enthusiastically moderated the panel of diverse IT professionals. The discussion was interactive and insightful between the attendees and panelists.

At the end of the session time was allotted for networking, and everyone left the meeting with a minimum of one new contact to add to their network.

Some of the comments shared on the meeting evaluations included:

"It was truly a privilege to participate as a panel member for this event. I appreciated the opportunity and also enjoyed networking and learning from others in the IT community."

"It was a pleasure participating in the event last night. I really enjoyed the professional atmosphere and dialogue with the facilitator, my panel members, and the BDPA members."

"The networking at the end was awesome as well. The room was buzzing with all the chatter!!! It was a beautiful thing."

"I thought it was a very engaging, empowering, and enlightening session! Thank you for being wonderful hosts, enthusiastic panelists, and more importantly, great representatives of professionalism...substance...and style!"

Monsanto Executive Vincent Shorter Answers Question, 'Why BDPA?'

Monsanto is a long-standing corporate sponsor of BDPA programs, scholarships and services on national and local (St. Louis) level. Here is company executive Vincent Shorter explaining the value-proposition that Monsanto made when they decided to invest in BDPA:


The investment is making a difference as evidenced by the increased growth of BDPA St. Louis chapter membership as well as the improved performance of the chapter's High School Computer Competition team in recent national championships! We encourage other corporate executives to reach out to BDPA to learn more about our corporate sponsorship program.