Grant Proposal: New York Life Foundation (National BDPA)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) submitted a grant proposal on behalf of National BDPA to the New York Life Foundation. The funding would be used to nurture the education of young people through our Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program hosted by the following local BDPA chapters: Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Greater Tampa Bay, Houston, Los Angeles, North Jersey, Philadelphia, Richmond, Twin Cities and Washington DC.

New York Life Foundation supports programs that include educational enhancement and mentoring children. Preference is given to requests that provide an opportunity for volunteer involvement on the part of New York Life agents, employees and retirees.

We are hopeful that New York Life Foundation will smile favorably on our grant request. Wish us luck!

Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students, Deadline: July 1, 2011

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is proud to open up the application period for any graduating high school student or current college student interested in the 2011 Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students!

The purpose of the Lilly/BDPA Scholarship 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.

Lilly/BDPA Scholars will be awarded a one-time $2,500 scholarship that may be used to pursue an information technology focused degree at an accredited four-year college or university of their choice. The Lilly/BDPA Scholarship may be used to supplement benefits from the college or university a student plans to attend and fellowships from other foundations or organizations. Students may use the scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other college-related expenses.

Scholarship winners will be selected based on the application, essay, and letters of recommendation.

To be eligible for Lilly/BDPA Scholarship, each applicant must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Be a graduating high school senior or current college student in good standing at the time of their application.
• Be a member of BDPA
• Demonstrate academic achievement (minimum GPA of 3.0)
• Exhibit leadership ability through academic or civic involvement and participate in community service activities

Complete application packet must include the following:

1. Application Form
2. Current transcript
3. 500-word essay on “Why Information Technology is Important”
4. Two letters of recommendation

Click here to download application!

Scholarships will be awarded only to students who fully meet the scholarship requirements. All application materials must be RECEIVED on or before July 1, 2011 in order to be eligible. Incomplete, e-mailed or faxed applications will not be considered!

We will announce the Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners during the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago, IL.   We are very proud of our past Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners:

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, Jerry Dominguez (Chicago State University)
8. 2010, Leslie Fuqua (Pike High School)

Do you know any high school or college kids looking to study in a technology-based field during college? Can they use a $2,500 scholarship? If so, you need to share this information with them right away!

Any questions?

Grant Proposal: FIS (BDPA Dallas)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA Dallas chapter worked together to submit a grant proposal to the FIS Charitable Contributions Committee. Our proposal seeks funding for the chapter's Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program and for a web banner on the national BDPA website.

One of the positive forces in our favor is employee involvement. FIS values employee involvement in worthy causes such as BDPA. Johnny Wilson works for FIS ... and he serves as the VP-Member Services for BDPA Dallas chapter!

We hope to learn the fate of our grant proposal in the near future. Wish us luck!

BDPA Member-Get-A-Member Drive - Grand Prize is an Apple iPad

BDPA recently launched its new 2011 Member-Get-A-Member Recruitment Drive with an Apple iPad as the grand prize! Current members are the ideal ambassadors to communicate the advantages of joining BDPA to prospective members,and those who participate by telling friends and colleagues about BDPA may be eligible for valuable gifts and special recognition. BDPA's Online Member-Get-A-Member program is interactive, easy to use,and rewards members for helping to recruit new members. The drive ends December 31, 2011.

Welcome to the 2011 BDPA Member-Get-A-Member Drive-- your opportunity to share the value of a BDPA membership with your friends and colleagues, and receive free gifts in the process!
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS:

1. Tell your friends, peers, and co-workers about BDPA. Simply go to the Refer A Friend link on your BDPA personal profile page, enter your referral's email address and send them a special email invitation to join.
   
2. You will receive an entry to win a free gift when your first referral joins, as well as an additional entry for each additional referral that joins.
PRIZES:
• Conference Registration
• Apple iPod
• Xbox
• Sony PlayStation
• Wii
3. Shortly after the completion of the current Member-Get-A-Member Drive on December 31, 2011, the top qualifying members will be notified that they will also receive special Grand Prize.

2011 Best Companies for Blacks in Technology

National BDPA and WorkplaceDiversity.com announced Allstate Insurance, American Airlines, BlueCross BlueShield of IL, NM, OK, & TX , Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Northrop Grumman, State Farm Insurance, Wal-Mart Stores, WellPoint and Wells Fargo as the winners of the 2011 Best Companies for Blacks in Technology Award.

“These companies deserve special recognition for promoting a significant number of African Americans into their IT management ranks and for their outstanding community outreach and minority vendor programs,” said National BDPA President, Yvette Graham.

The Best Companies for Blacks in Technology will receive the much coveted Epsilon Award. Epsilon Awards are presented annually to the top companies in the nation that promote a workplace and environment that supports the advancement of Blacks in the information technology industry. Epsilon Awards will be presented later this year at the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference to be held in Chicago, IL on August 3-6, at the luxurious Hilton Chicago Hotel.

BDPA, a national organization, is the premier organization for African Americans in Information Technology (IT). Founded in 1975, BDPA is celebrating a 30-year commitment to closing the digital divide.

"We are very pleased to recognize the outstanding contributions that these companies have made for Blacks in Technology," said National BDPA President-Elect, Monique Berry. “In this economy, many African Americans in technology are concerned about opportunities for both employment and advancement. It is important to recognize those exceptional companies that have provided African Americans with challenging and fulfilling career opportunities in Information Technology.”

“BDPA is the voice of African Americans in IT,” said Dan Honig, Chief Operating Officer of WorkplaceDiversity.com. “WorkplaceDiversity.com is honored to be working with BDPA because it is committed to closing the digital divide and helping African American IT professionals advance.” Added Honig, “We are very pleased to recognize these companies that are truly practicing workplace diversity in their IT and Supplier Diversity departments.”

BDPA Corporate Sponsors and Supporters were asked to complete a comprehensive survey that was used to rate their performance in the areas of Tenure, Promotions and Terminations, Career Path Programs, Minority Vendor Programs, and Community Outreach.

Congratulations to these eleven corporations!  I hope that they will each find ways to work with BDPA Education and Technology Foundation over the coming weeks and months ... (HINT, HINT, HINT!)


What is your thought of these winners?   Have you had any experiences that you care to share?

3rd Annual Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative Conference (June 29, 2011)

I'm convinced that the future success of BDPA is tied to its ability to provide unique information technology (IT) exposure and experiences for our members. Many of those programs are delivered by BDPA volunteers at a local or national level. However, there are also great IT experiences that can be garnered by forming strategic alliances with other groups.

We encourage the leaders from the six BDPA chapters in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio to support the Third Annual Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative Conference presented by the Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and the Northern Kentucky STEM Collaborative

The theme for the 1-day conference is “STEM OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS IN KENTUCKY: Making the Connection Between Education and Industry”. The Conference works to ensure girls in grades K-12 are aware of potential careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). and encourage them to pursue careers in those fields. BDPA can add value to this event by ensuring that young girls of African descent are also aware of these education and career opportunities.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Nancy Holliday, General Manager at Microsoft. There will also be many representatives from local industry at this conference to talk with local educators, parents, and students about their job and career path.

We encourage anyone who is an Educator, STEM professional, Student or Parent to attend! The registration cost is only $25. You can learn more about this conference here.

Apple Shows Its iRacist Underbelly to the Black Community

Soulclap to Your Black World for letting us know about the racist behavior of a white manager at a major Apple store in New York. It turns out that two Black men, Nile Charles and Brian Johnston went to the Apple store to purchase some headphones. The transaction should have been quick and simple.

Not so fast...

The manager of the store is an old white guy. The manager allowed his racial prejudices to run wild in his mind ... and he felt comfortable enough within the Apple culture to let his mouth run wild. He approached the two African American customers and let them know that if they were not buying anything or speaking with a Mac specialist then they would need to leave the store.

“And before you say I’m racially discriminating against you, let me stop you. I am discriminating against you.”

The two young men may not recall the Rodney King incident from back in the day ... but, they had the gumption to begin recording the racist nonsense being spewed by this Apple store manager on their cellphones. Their recording shows another Apple employee joining the discussion,

“Now you have to go. If you want to know why, it’s because I said so. CONSIDER ME GOD. You have to go.”

The two young men left the store ... and went directly to their lawyer. They have brought a lawsuit against Apple. The lawsuit is working its way through the New York judiciary. In the meantime, the folks at Apple may want to become acquainted with BDPA so that they can become exposed to Black people in some context outside of the courtroom!

Dell to Give $5 Million for UT Social Innovation Competition

Dell Inc. is putting their money where their mouth is. The company gave $5 million to the University of Texas to expand a competition that encourages college students worldwide to come up with creative solutions to social problems.

The company already is the title sponsor for the Dell Social Innovation Competition. The competition is operated by UT's RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, which is part of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

The competition focuses on how technology can address problems such as poverty, health issues and the environment. This year, there were nearly 1,500 applications from 85 countries.

In addition to the money — Dell's largest cash donation to UT — Dell executives have mentored students in the program.

"The expansion of the program that Dell's gift allows will really take this program to scale, reaching an estimated 20,000 students over the next five years, encouraging them not to just make their communities and the world a better place, but with business plans to take those dreams and turn it into reality," said Robert Hutchings, dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Donations like this one from Dell Inc. make me sorry that BDPA no longer has an active chapter in Austin, Texas. Of course, it also make me want to look again at submitting a grant proposal to the Dell Foundation!

Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities

Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities creates unique educational experiences and enrichment opportunities for under-served children. Smith Charities seek a reality where children have the resources necessary to realize their potential.

This charity seeks to ensure that truly no child is left behind, equitable access to resources is the first step. Using proceeds from high-impact events featuring first-class entertainment, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities (PESC) creates experiences and distributes grants to high-quality non-profits providing historically underserved children with arts, education, health and wellness programming. In addition to financial support, PESC endeavors to help its grantees run more efficiently by connecting them with complementary community based organizations and the corporate community.

Contact Information:
Dr. Lara Ashmore, Executive Director
Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities
P O Box 803316
Dallas, TX 75380
Email: lara@patandemmittsmithcharities.org
Phone: (972) 533-3905 x6523

STEM Education Needs a Makeover

Faye Anderson lays out a compelling argument for the makeover that needs to take place in science, technology education and math (STEM) education if America hopes to win the future. I encourage you to check out her blog post.

Do you agree with her analysis? What STEM education changes would you like to see made in BDPA at local or national level?

Fundraiser: Kroger Plus Community Awards

We are pleased to report that BDPA is approved for the Kroger Community Awards Program. This means that BDPA can make money every time that you shop at Kroger or buy gas at a Kroger gas station. Are you a Kroger customer? If so, we hope you will take a moment to help BDPA.

All you need to do is register your Kroger Plus Card so that BDPA receives credit for the money you spend at Kroger. If you are a Kroger shopper and don't have Kroger Plus Card, you can pick one up at the customer service desk of any Kroger store.

Follow these steps:

1. Be sure to have your Kroger Plus Card handy when registering with Kroger.
2. Go to http://www.krogercommunityrewards.com/
3. Click on Sign In/Register
4. If you are a brand new online customer (which almost everyone is), you must click SIGN UP TODAY in the new customer box.
5. Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on your favorite store, and entering your e-mail address, creating a password and agreeing to terms and conditions.
6. You will then get a message to check your email Inbox. Click on the link within the body of that email to have your browser go to the next signup webpage in the process.
7. Click on My Account and use your email address and password and proceed to the next step.
8. Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus Card number. It is the long number under the Bar Code on the back of of the Kroger Plus Card.
9. Update or confirm your information.
10. Enter BDPA's Non Profit Organization (NPO) number: 85104, or BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. Select organization from list and click on confirm.
11. To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see BDPA's name on the right side of your information page.
12. If you use your phone number at the register (instead of a card), you can call (877) 576-7587 to get your Kroger Plus Card number.
13. When you shop, please swipe your registered Kroger Plus Card or use the phone number that is related to your registered Kroger Plus Card for your purchases to count for credit.

REMEMBER, purchases will not count for BDPA until after you register your card. Thank you for going through this important process so that we can continue to benefit from this generous Kroger Community Rewards Program!

What say u? Will you register your Kroger Plus Card for this fundraiser?

Mobility Showdown: Android vs. iPhone (BDPA Los Angeles)

BDPA Los Angeles chapter had a great professional development meeting earlier this month. The presenter, John Malonson, engaged the audience in a discussion designed to inform anyone that has a smart phone, tablet, or is in the market for one.

John was kind enough to share his presentation with us for posterity.





What did you learn from this 'Mobility Showdown' presentation?

The BDPA Insider - May 29, 2011

 

 
The BDPA Insider - May 29, 2011

What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!

In this issue:  

1. Announcing 2011 BDPA Individual Epsilon Award Winners
2. Announcing 2011 Best Companies for Blacks in Technology Award Winners
3. Black Family Technology Awareness Week (New York)
4. National BDPA Conference Career Fair Registration Now Open
5. National BDPA Conference Registration Now Open
6. President Profile: Michael Tyson (BDPA Baltimore)
7. Take Five: Steve Gutter (BDPA Cincinnati)
8. The Ugly Truth About Jobs

Please let us know which of these stories is your favorite this week?!

U.S. Cellular Charitable Giving

U.S. Cellular is committed to building strong relationships with its customers, communities and associates. For nearly two decades, the company has helped improve the quality of life for its customers by providing monetary donations and free wireless phones and service to programs in areas where U.S. Cellular has a solid business presence. Through the "U.S. Cellular Connecting With Our Communities Program", the company will expand its role as a socially responsible corporate citizen by targeting, selecting and supporting organizations and programs that enhance community life.

While U.S. Cellular recognizes that there are many worthwhile causes and organizations to support, the company is focusing its limited monetary contributions on those projects or programs that have significant relevance within its operating communities and that relate to the following strategic areas of concern:

• Civic and Community
• Education
• Health and Human Service
• Environment
• Arts and Culture

Organizations that meet the program’s requirements and fall within U.S. Cellular’s five targeted areas of funding that wish to apply for a charitable contribution must submit an application, proposal and support documentation to:


U.S. Cellular
Public Affairs & Communications Department
C/O: U.S. Cellular's Connecting With Our Communities Program
8410 West Bryn Mawr, Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60631

I hope that is helpful for your fundraising efforts.

AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign

BETF proudly received pledged payments through the AT&T Employee Giving Campaign made by Gibran McDuffie. Our foundation is proud to be part of the annual giving program for AT&T. The donation made by Gibran will be used to support BDPA Chicago programs and services.

Our hope is that other BDPA members will consider making payroll deductions during annual giving campaigns put on by United Way, Combined Federal Campaign or the company itself. Others may simply want to make a one-time donation directly to BETF in support of the youth education programs taking place all over the country.

Please share some 'BDPA-Love' with Gibran in the COMMENTS section below!

Staples Foundation

Staples provides charitable donations to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations engaged in educational and youth–focused projects and events.

Your chapter needs to visit your local Staples store and speak with the general manager about how they can support your community organization. All requests are evaluated by your local Staples store and decisions are made at the discretion of store management.

1. In-Kind Product Donation - Staples stores are able to donate eligible product to help your organization’s administrative needs. Your local store manager can answer any questions about product availability and eligibility. You can also request in–kind support from Staples Home Office by filling out an online donation request. Please note, Staples will only consider online requests and will not accept or review unsolicited faxed or mailed requests.
2. We Care Gift Cards - Staples stores are able to support nonprofit organizations making a positive difference in the local community through We Care gift cards. These gift cards enable nonprofit organizations to obtain supplies from Staples needed to make a community event or program a success!

Please let me know if your chapter would like to explore local giving option from Staples Foundation. Is there a Staples store in your chapter city that you want to approach?

Black Family Technology Awareness Week (New York)

BDPA New York chapter is truly reaching out to the community in their effort to provide access to technology education for everyone. This was never more evident than earlier this year when the chapter had the most powerful BDPA program in the nation during Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW).

Here is a video review of the chapter's BFTAW program:





I encourage all chapters to make the commitment now for the 2012 BFTAW program. It should be something we engage in within all 45 local BDPA chapters. For now, we congratulate BDPA New York chapter president Renetta English and the chapter BFTAW chairperson Damon Holmes for what they accomplished this year! Well done!

AfterSchool.gov

Afterschool.gov is a remarkable web portal that provides information on federal resources that support children and youth during out-of-school hours. This web portal includes grants, best practices, and a clearinghouse.

I encourage all BDPA chapters and other nonprofit organizations with after-school youth education to check out this unique web portal.

Grant Award: Raytheon Charitable Foundation ($5,000)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that we've won a $5,000 grant award from Raytheon Charitable Foundation in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program implemented by BDPA Los Angeles chapter.

BETF worked closely with BDPA Los Angeles chapter president John Malonson on this grant proposal. John works for Raytheon and the company appreciated his involvement as a leader with BDPA. The chapter will use the funding to support the training of over 20 high school students every Saturday on programming and web development.

BDPA Los Angeles chapter continues to work with BETF on grant proposal to other funding sources ... including our efforts to raise college scholarship money for LA chapter high school students.

Please share some BDPA-Love for the folks at Raytheon for their commitment to community service and to ensuring that our young people have the science, math and technology tools to be successful in the coming century!

Grant Award: Discovering Your Potential (20 Laptop Computers)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to announce the successful effort to obtain in-kind donation of 20 laptop computers (value: $8,000) from Discovering Your Potential to the BDPA St. Louis chapter.

Toni Love

"Yes, we did receive the computers. We are using them for our High School Computer Competition (HSCC) students. Right now we have borrowed software for the operating systems from Monsanto. We hope to get donation of software licenses from Microsoft to donate us the software," said BDPA St. Louis chapter president Toni Love.

The mission of Discovering Your Potential is to serve as a resource for educators and parents who seek to improve academic skills for at risk children by offering an after school program focused on math and reading.

This is great news for BDPA St. Louis chapter. The chapter is also working hard to raise college scholarship funding for their HSCC students.