Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President

BDPA Atlanta – The President’s Roundup – A Dialogue on Race

Derrick Brown

Race continues to be a point of conversation, confusion, condescension, convolution and equivocation. As our society and culture evolves so too does the conversation and concept of race. On Wednesday February 17, 2016 BDPA Atlanta continued its conversation on race with expert facilitator Tia Buckham-White of Notre International.

Why do I describe the issue of race in the fashion I just did? Because quite simply that is how race has changed over time. It has always been difficult, however as colors change, people change, ethnicity and cultures rise and combine we have begun to regard race with both simplicity and complexity in equal measure. Was he being racist? Was he not being racist? Did she really man to do that? Can you be a racist and Black? Was she subject to unconscious bias? And now we have Asians, Indians, Arabs, Africans, East Europeans, Gays, Trans, Muslims … you name it, we got it. The Diversity Wheel Turns and Rises!

Race and racism are no longer just about Black and white.

Now, just to be clear as I have done before and I will reiterate again, my perspective on race (and it is mine) is quite simple. There is only race with regard to sentience on this planet, and that is the human race. We come in all shades, shapes, and sizes. The more real differentiator is the ethnicity of our origin and the cultures that arise out of our societal structures.

That’s done.

Tia led us through a discussion of what we as African Americans have experienced in the corporate environment. She shared many of her personal experiences leading Circle Dialogues with executives at fortune 500 companies. A Circle Dialogue is a powerful tool used to generate deep personal conversation between people on difficult topics, often leveraging personal experiences and backgrounds.

One of the most powerfully illuminating stories she relayed to our membership was how in one dialogue a white female executive who many Black people thought might be racist for whatever reason revealed that she was practically raised by a Black family. Another vice president revealed how hurt he was because he could not allow his kids to visit his parents. His wife was white, his kids were white, but his parents were staunch racists and he absolutely refused to expose his children to such hate. Pause, and simply late that settle in for a moment.

Our conversation on Wednesday continued along these lines. We discussed tools that we might use in order to better manage the overt as well as subtle challenges we might encounter in the work environment. Often enough these challenges are exercises in perspective, and the clarity that can come from good dialogue that embraces positive conflict and a sincere effort to lean into discomfort can readily drive us towards a good outcome, dispelling racism and driving towards tolerance and acceptance.

BDPA Atlanta will continue these exercises with Tia Buckham-White and over the course of 2016 we will offer workshops that dig deeper into how we manage the angst, conflict and lack of opportunity that can arise from racism. This is the commitment BDPA is providing to you. A value proposition we are certain you can believe in. If you are not a member become a member today!

The Aspiring Critical Thinker,
D.S. Brown, President
BDPA Atlanta

Yash Shirsath Uses Bemley Scholarship at University of Pennsylvania

Yash Shirsath

Yash Shirsath is on of the rare students to earn a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for all five years of eligibility as a member of the BDPA Atlanta chapter. His scholarship earnings included winning the entire High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship in both 2012 and 2015.

Yash will use his Bemley Scholarship towards his education at the University of Pennsylvania.  Yash is a National Presidential Scholar and part of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology.  As part of this selective program, Yash will receive a bachelors degree in Economics from Wharton Business School and another bachelors degree in Computer and Information Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania. He is very interested in entrepreneurship and plans to innovate in the startup space.

When asked to share his memories of the HSCC journey, Yash wrote,

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"I have had the pleasure of being part of the HSCC program for five years. I came in as a timid rising 9th grader who knew nothing about the fantastical world of computing. HSCC not only gave me concrete and marketable but it also fostered a great passion within me.

2015 HSCC Champions

One of my favorite memories from HSCC that really encapsulates my experience in the program occurred right in the maelstrom of competition. We had just completed eight grueling hours of coding and we were pitching our product to a panel of judges. It had all come down to those few moments. Months of preparation and dedication. From myself. From my teammates. From my coaches.

I was in the middle of explaining the intricacies of the security features that we had encoded into the product, when it hit me. This wasn't just a competition. I could have just as easily been standing in a boardroom, talking to executives about our product. We had gained so many skills from this program that we blurred the line between student and professional. This knowledge has really propelled me throughout my career as a computer science student. When I look forward and envision all of the opportunities that lay ahead, I know that HSCC opened the door to so many of them."

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Yash is a remarkable young man. BDPA looks forward to following his career as he progresses through college and on into the boardroom within Corporate America or his own company! Please note that the Bemley Scholarship Fund is made up of individual donations from people like yourself. Please take a moment to recognize young people like Yash with a secure online donation!

2015 Oracle Scholarships for BDPA Students

National BDPA recognized six students for its annual Oracle Scholarship for BDPA Students. The six winners are:

1. LaRae Adams (BDPA Greater Birmingham) - Tuskegee University
2. Yaw Asante (BDPA Cincinnati)- Walnut Hills High School
3. Rariety Monford (BDPA Cincinnati) - North Carolina A&T State University
4. Lauren Ravenell (BDPA Indianapolis) - Ball State University
5. Preethiya Sekar (BDPA Southern Minnesota) - Carleton College
6. Malik Swanson (BDPA Chicago) - Chicago State University

Each of these young people earned a $3,000 college scholarship for their pursuit of a career in Engineering, Computer and Information Science, Computer Engineering or Mathematics.

Grant Declination * Bradley Foundation (BDPA Milwaukee)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation learned today that our $10,000 letter of inquiry submitted to the Lynne and Harry Bradley Foundation has been declined. Our LOI was submitted on behalf of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship program in Milwaukee.

The declination letter read as follows:

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Dear Mr. Hicks:

I regret to inform you that the prospective proposal you describe does not fall within the Foundation's mandate and its current programmatic interests.

Thank you once again for your interest.

Sincerely,
Daniel P. Schmidt
Vice President for Program

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Although we are disappointed by this response we will continue to seek out funding on behalf of our BDPA Milwaukee chapter. You can help by making a secure online donation in support of the young people being trained by this chapter.

Briana Abraham Uses Her Bemley Scholarship for Computer Science Degree at George Mason University

Briana Abraham

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to award a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship to BDPA Greater Columbia student member Briana Abraham.   This is the second scholarship provided to Briana in recent months.  Briana plans to use it to continue her studies at George Mason University. Briana seeks a computer science degree with a focus on cybersecurity. Her career goal is to become a reverse engineer. She worked the past two summers as a research intern at the University of South Carolina.

We asked her to share thoughts on her experience with BDPA.

"I joined BDPA during my junior year in high school, shortly after I became interested in Computer Science. BDPA gave me a space to hone my programming skills, while also allowing me to collaborate with peers who held similar interests, and who were passionate about software development. My time at BDPA has greatly increased my teamwork skills, presentation skills, networking skills, and of course my programming skills.

My most

2014 HSCC Team (Greater Columbia)

memorable moment in BDPA is during the 2014 National BDPA Technology Conference, when the awards were announced for the High School Computer Competition, and it was revealed that my team had placed second. That moment was filled with elation, joy and camaraderie. My teammates and I, were thrilled to see that the days spent together in preparation for the competition had paid off. We were shocked. The moment for me was particularly special, as prior to this venture, I had no experience with web development, and being able to contribute meaningfully to the team's success, was fulfilling."

This is the 30th anniversary of the High School Computer Competition.  We have given out hundreds of Bemley Scholarships over the years.   We are grateful to Best Buy Foundation and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum for providing major donations in support of the Bemley Scholarship Fund this year.   However, this is truly a scholarship fund that is supported by BDPA members and supporters.  I encourage you to make a secure online donation today!

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, January 2016)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership.  BDPA Cincinnati remains the #1 BDPA chapter in the nation for the tenth month in a row.   The chapter ... led by its new president,  Shawnda Peterson ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth.   It will be interesting to see if the chapter can continue growing towards the next milestone of having 300 members this year.

We are very happy to see that National BDPA VP-Membership Management Mildred Allen has been asked by the current administration to stay on in her leadership role.  Her efforts have allowed BDPA to continue to grow.   She realizes that we need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

Loraine Stewart-David

BDPA Detroit had a great month in January as they grew their chapter by over 18% in that single month.  As a result  the chapter moved up in the national rankings to become the 3rd-largest in the nation.  The chapter president, Loraine Stewart-David, takes over a chapter with a powerful legacy.  Her chapter recently announced four winners (Gerald Curtis, Austin Little, Nicole Middleton and Amber Young) of the Fiat Chrysler Automobile Scholarship administered by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation.  It is no accident that active efforts within a local BDPA chapter results in more members ... more members results in more membership dues ... which makes it easier to implement more consistent and effect programs and services. How are things going in your local chapter?

BDPA believes in the management maxim -- you get what you measure.  Let us assess the numbers in order to honor those local BDPA chapters who are demonstrating success in their efforts to recruit and retain members. Congratulations to BDPA Dallas chapter for moving into this month's Top 10 list!  Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Cincinnati - president, Shawnda Peterson
2. Chicago - president, Reggie Rush 
3. Detroit - president, Loraine Stewart-David (up 1 slot from last month)
4. Atlanta - president, Derrick Brown (down 1 slot)
   
5. Philadelphia - president, Cedric Edwards
   
6. New York - president, Tyrone McKinney
7. Indianapolis - president, Terry Morris (up 1 slot)
8. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter (down 1 slot)
9. Milwaukee - president, Carmen Giles
10.  Dallas - president, Chad White (up 2 slots)

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' currently stands at six.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia each have over 100 members. One of the common denominators for each of these chapters is that they place a high premium on the delivery of quality programs and services to their members. These chapters work hard to ensure that there is a strong return on the $100 investment that each member makes thru annual dues.

National president Mike Williams recently touted the value that organizational re-branding has made on BDPA.  What are your thoughts about the value of BDPA membership? What can your local chapter do to improve the value-proposition for you on a personal or professional level?

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.

Grant Declination: American Airlines (BDPA New York)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA New York chapter learned that American Airlines Community Relations office declined our $7,500 grant proposal. The declination letter read as follows:

Dear Mr. Hicks,

Thank you for your recent application requesting support for BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. Each year, American receives thousands of donation requests from worthy organizations and individuals. Due to the volume of requests, coupled by limited resources, we regret that we will be unable to provide a contribution as requested. Funding requests each year far exceed our philanthropic budget and many worthy causes are declined.

While we won't be able to support BDPA Education and Technology Foundation through our corporate giving programs, you may be eligible to receive a "Flights for 50" reward through our employee volunteer program, Do Crew. Flights for 50 rewards were created to support causes and organizations that are important to our employees. When American Airlines employees volunteer 50 hours, in a calendar year, with eligible nonprofit organizations, the benefit organizations will be eligible to apply for in-kind travel. Should BDPA Education and Technology Foundation have an American Airlines employee actively volunteering, please ask them about the Do Crew program and how they may designate your organization for an award.

American applauds your dedication to the community. Although we are not able to offer a donation through our Corporate Giving Program, please accept our best wishes for much success.

Sincerely,
American Airlines Community Relations

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We are disappointed by this result, however, BETF will continue to aggressively seek out funding to support the 2016 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in New York.   Are there any employees of American Airlines willing to work with us on the 'Flights for 50' program?

Finally, we do ask our readers to consider making a secure online donation in support of BDPA New York right now!

Message from National BDPA President

Mike Williams

Good morning BDPA members. As my first official post as your National President, I just wanted to tell you how excited I am about BDPA and what's to come in 2016 and beyond.

Over the weekend the National Board of Directors engaged in some very productive discussions about our strategy, our finances, brand rejuvenation, and our upcoming conference in Atlanta. We also welcomed our new regional leaders and board members (Ashton Clark, Hayward West, Curtis Jenkins and William Smith) and Andreana Dunbar as our new secretary.

As we discussed our conference, we all agreed that our conference theme should be about connecting. During our conferences we connect generations of professionals, professionals with employers, vendors with companies, and people with each other. Lastly, in this digital world we live in, everything is connected in one way or the other. So, we thought it was fitting that the theme of our conference for 2016 be 'BDPA CONNECT'.

We also talked about leading from the top. What that means is that at the national level we want to support and enable chapters at the local level by providing tools they can use for member orientation, sponsorship pitches, and general information about BDPA that can then be re-purposed and used at your discretion. Soon we will be forwarding a presentation and brochures that every chapter can use to enable you to achieve your chapter objectives.

We have a lot ahead in 2016. Our collective goal at every level should be "to do better and be better" than we were last year. That is not to say that last year was not a successful one; in fact, it was very successful by all accounts, however, we must continue to raise the bar and our own expectations of ourselves. My challenge for myself and to all of you is that we raise the bar and our expectations. Let's hold ourselves and each other accountable in 2016.

Fear is something you can overcome, doubt is just giving up before you even tried. Change can cause fear but fear never prevents you from stepping forward. Let's step forward.

We are already the champions, we just need to go pick up our trophy. Let's go!

#OneBDPA
Mike Williams, president
National BDPA

Bemley Scholar: Pandora Brown (Central State University)

Pandora Brown

Pandora Brown represented BDPA Columbus chapter as a member of the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team at the 2011 and 2012 championships. Her team surprised everyone by taking the bronze medal at the 2011 HSCC championship held in Chicago. She won a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for her BDPA performance that will be used during her sophomore year at Central State University where Pandora is majoring in criminal justice.

We asked Pandora to share her thoughts on her BDPA experience. She wrote,

"Joining BDPA had to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. When I joined I met new people, I got to travel, and I was also able to earn scholarship money. I would recommend BDPA to all students interested in stem. I feel as if it is a really good opportunity for students to network with Black business owners. Also I feel as if it creates a bigger window of opportunity for those who may need it."

Pandora plans to serve as an officer in the United States Air Force after graduation. She is a remarkable role model for other young women in the BDPA Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. We want to increase the amount of money in our Bemley Scholarship Fund and we encourage our readers to take a moment to help us by making a secure online donation right away!

Fiat Chrysler Automotive Scholar: Austin Little (Morehouse College)

Austin Little

The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Scholarship for BDPA Students is intended to provide financial assistance to a graduating high school senior or college pursuing a degree in Information Technology (IT) or an IT related discipline. FCA agreed to work with BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) to award four $2,500 scholarships in 2016. One of the scholarships is going to Austin Little, a junior at Morehouse College, majoring in Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering.

Throughout his college career, Austin has conducted research at Cornell University on efficient materials for Magneto-Restrictive Random Access Memory. In addition, he worked with Georgia Institute of Technology in computational fluid dynamics using numerical analysis techniques.

This scholarship is limited to BDPA students. Austin Little participated in the 2011 and 2012 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship representing the city of Detroit. His team took home the silver medal in 2012.

2012 HSCC Team (Austin on the far right)

We asked Austin about his thoughts on his BDPA experience.

He wrote, "There is no single memory that serves as my testimony to BDPA. This organization has helped me grow as a future IT professional as well as establish lifelong personal relationships with people interested in the IT industry that look just like me."

Austin will stay in Atlanta this summer at the Georgia Institute of Technology developing a machine learning algorithm to automatically alert a wheelchair bound person when she needs to readjust seating positions. Upon graduation Austin wants to work in the field of Big Data Analytics.

James Fields Will Use Bemley Scholarship to Attend Oklahoma Christian University

James Fields

James Fields was a member of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA St. Louis chapter during his four years of high school. His chapter took home the silver medal at the 2012 HSCC championship. He earned a $1,000 Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for his silver medal win. He will use that scholarship in support of his education at Oklahoma Christian University.

James wrote, "Going through high school, I knew design was always an interest for me. I took several graphic design and illustration classes, but there was something that I knew I was missing. I also longed for technical experience. I took several computer classes, starting with basic web page creation and entering the realm of programming, going all the way to AP and programming classes. Nearing the end of high school, I was employed for a time in a programming position, as well as several other nontechnical jobs. At Oklahoma Christian, I am currently studying animation, blending my technical experience and design aptitude. After college, I hope to get a job at a game company doing animation or character design."

We asked James to share his memories of the BDPA experience. He wrote,

BDPA St. Louis students & trainers at 2012 BDPA Conference

"The BDPA High School Computer Competition was a huge help to me both as a person and as a student of the technical sciences. I joined BDPA on recommendation by a close family friend. I did not have a lot of technical experience when I entered the program, but I left with a wealth of skills that are extremely relevant to the career I intend to end up pursuing. When I started BDPA, all I had was a desire to learn, no actual skills. When I left, I had learned not only technical skills that I would need, such as programming in a variety of languages conducive to web development, but also important interpersonal skills I would need. I can remember distinctly one year during a competition when I had an idea for our project that ultimately needed to be scrapped. I learned then that not all of my ideas will be a good fit for the project that I’m working on. BDPA taught me that sometimes, I need to sacrifice what I want for the good of the overall. BDPA gave me the ability to network in a professional environment, and helped me with my group problem solving skills, so that in the future, I will have a much easier time not just creating things, but being able to create things with other people, and how to deal with everyone in a group’s ideas and input and sort it all out."

We have asked James to consider applying for the 1st annual Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship. Now, we will ask you to help us grow the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund for future 'James Fields' out there! Heck, it's my birthday wish!

Bemley Scholar: Jacqueline Nobbe (Truman State University)

Jacqueline Nobbe

Jacqueline Nobbe participated in the BDPA computer camp hosted by our St. Louis chapter from 2010 thru 2013. She earned a place on the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team in 2011 and 2012. Her team earned the silver medal in 2012 and she plans to use the Bemley Scholarship that she earned to attend Truman State University. Currently, Jacqueline is majoring in computer science with a minor in cognitive science.

When asked about her BDPA experience, Jacqueline wrote,

"We will see what doors open up when the time comes. I hope to find a career that involves meeting inspired people and working on projects that will help make an positive impact on the world.

If it weren’t for my experiences with BDPA, chances are, I would not be a CS major, nor would I have the wonderful group of people around me that help me grow and stay inspired by the possibilities of computer science. I think what I appreciate most about my time with the HSCC was being surrounded with such wonderful mentors that were (and still are) so willing and excited to foster the same inspiration in us as students. My mentors in the program were inspired by computer science to pass that on, and it really showed during the weeks of training.

I currently work as a service representative at Truman State University’s IT Service Center, and will be working as an intern at Strategic Sales Systems this summer."

We encourage our readers to make a secure online donation to the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund so that we can continue to recognize young scholars like Jacqueline in the future!

FedEx Charitable Giving

Please be advised that FedEx accepts applications and proposals via its website only. To apply, please visit the website at http://giving.fedex.com, scroll down the page and click on the purple block of text that reads, "FedEx Charitable Contribution Guidelines". After this window opens, click under the block of text that reads, “Contribution Application”.

A new window will open and you will be required to enter your organization’s nonprofit tax identification number to begin the automated application process. All decisions are made within 4 to 6 weeks and you will be notified in writing. Due to the large volume of requests received, they are unable to review any proposals not submitted through our online application process.

The next step is yours. FedEx is a possible source of support for your organization. They look forward to reviewing your proposal when it is submitted online. If you have any questions or concerns with your online application, please contact Sarah Farrell at sarah.farrell2@fedex.com .

Wanda Everett BDPA Scholarship (Due: 4/1/16)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and Daugherty Business Solutions seek to support the career aspiration of BDPA students in the St. Louis area. We are proud to offer the 1st Annual Wanda Everett Scholarship for BDPA Students to any eligible BDPA St. Louis student member.

Wanda Everett Scholarship for BDPA Students (Due: 4/1/16) from Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio

The 2016 application is online.   We will provide a $2,500 one-time only scholarship for an eligible high school senior or college student pursuing a degree in Information Technology (IT) or IT-related discipline. All application materials must be RECEIVED by April 1, 2016 in order to be eligible.

The next step is yours! Do you know anyone who might be interested in this $2,500 college scholarship? The deadline is approaching so don't delay!

Feel free to contact us on DaughertyBusinessSolutions@betf.org if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Grant Declination: Interactive Intelligence Foundation (BDPA Cincinnati)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF)and BDPA Cincinnati learned that our $20,000 grant proposal has been declined. BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding support for all 47 local BDPA chapters ... including the one in Cincinnati.

The declination letter read as follows:

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We regret to inform you that we are not able to fund BDPA Education and Technology Foundation’s grant request for this funding cycle. We do, however, encourage you to re-apply for our next grant application cycle in November of 2017.

We very much appreciated the opportunity to consider your charitable organization in our most recent grant application process. This year, we received more than 150 grant applications which made our grant decision very hard as all were admirable organizations working for great causes. Interactive Intelligence Foundation is a small corporate foundation and only has a limited amount of money to distribute.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to understand and appreciate your organization; we encourage you to keep up your good work because all of our futures depend on breaking the cycle of disadvantage youth.

Regards,
The Interactive Foundation Board of Directors

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We invite the BDPA Cincinnati chapter leadership ... and in fact, we invite leaders from all 47 local chapters ... to contact the BETF executive director about our funding guidelines. Let's work hard to ensure that we have large participation in the national championships for High School Computer Competition, IT Showcase and Mobile Application Showcase.

Grant Proposal: Delta Air Lines Foundation (BDPA Seattle)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Seattle chapter (president, Ann Robinson) to submit a grant proposal to Delta Air Lines Foundation seeking ten (10) round-trip tickets. The tickets will allow BDPA Seattle students and chaperones to travel from the Pacific Northwest to Atlanta to participate in the various Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) programs that occur at the BDPA Technology Conference on August 10-13, 2016.

BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding to support the SITES initiative in Seattle ... including preparing students for the BDPA IT Showcase, BDPA Mobile Application Showcase and the High School Computer Competition. BETF is willing to do the same for any of the 47 local BDPA chapters. Reach out to BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

The Entrepreneurial Pledge

I am an entrepreneur. All of my income is derived from my ability to provide value to my clients. As I enter the new year it is my intention to follow the following four principles as laid out by Melvin Gravely in his book, 'Making It Your Business: The Personal Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur'.

With the following four principles as my guide, which hold me and only me accountable for the outcomes, I commit myself. Any and everything I want will take my personal commitment to make happen. If I do nothing different from what I do today, I should expect nothing different from what I have right now. With all that the world has to offer in front of me, I pledge:

1. I will start with what I have today. It is all I have! I know I will never have all I think I need. But, my ideas and dreams cannot wait another day. I must do what I can with what I have right now.
2. I will commit to the habit of continuous learning. Knowing the importance of learning practical information about myself and about my craft is my weapon against the dangers of a rapidly changing world.
3. I will choose to do something over doing nothing. Anyone can do nothing and most people do. It takes my action to make things better. Anything worth having is worth my doing something to get.
4. I will fight against the constant urge to give up. Understanding that the difference between those who have tried to do and those who have done often rests in the ability to keep trying.

This is my pledge to myself and to my aspirations. I take this pledge today, and I will live it every day because I can have what I want if I am willing to make the decision, set the direction and have the disciplined determination to see it through.

Dr. Michael Boykin Wins BDPA Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution

National BDPA annually selects and awards the BDPA Epsilon Award to recognize and celebrate key contributions and accomplishments of its members. Nominations are accepted across five categories and they are evaluated by a team of National BDPA members. One of the categories is Outstanding Technical Contribution. This honor is reserved for individuals who have pioneered new or leveraged existing technology to solve a critical business or technical problem.

BDPA is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Boykin has won the 2015 Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution. Dr. Michael Boykin is worthy of the Outstanding Technical Contribution award for repeatedly demonstrating the ability to position organizations to seize competitive advantage and enhance operational synergies through the modernization, integration and deployment of IT solutions. Evidence of Dr. Boykin’s contribution is reflected in his technical leadership of IT-enabled business transformation and mergers and acquisition. Recently, Boykin led the technical program for a $4B spin-off of a consumer goods company. As part of this effort, he developed the complete strategic technology plan and services to be used at company start up. The comprehensive modernization plan supported a 50% reduction in IT spend and facilitated the successful launch of the new company which saw nearly a 120% increase in stock price the first year.

Dr. Michael Boykin

As the Professional Services Director for Spyne, a Cisco-certified professional services firm, Boykin oversaw and led the technical infrastructure planning and execution for a major international pharmaceutical company. This effort helped Cisco obtain the Supplier of the Year award from the customer. As an enterprise architect with Alcoa, Dr. Boykin played pivotal architecture roles in the Common Infrastructure Initiative that paved the way for a modernized corporate ledger solution that enabled Alcoa to be one of the first companies on the Dow to report monthly performance figures to Wall Street.

Today, Dr. Boykin is a Distinguished Technologist and member of the HP Chief Technologist Office assigned to the Consumer Goods segment and is one of only a small number of minorities in this role. In this capacity, he engages with some of HP’s largest and most strategic accounts to establish forward-looking strategies, roadmaps and governance forums. He is the first African American, Alcoa Fellowship holder and Division-1A varsity football player to earn a Ph.D in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh.

The Epsilon Award nomination for Dr. Michael Boykin was submitted by Jambey Clinkscales, chair of the HP Black Employee Leadership Council.

BDPA Scholarship Birthday Wish (Wayne Hicks)

Former National BDPA president Wayne Hicks celebrates his 57th birthday on January 30, 2016. He is fairly certain that his friends won't be getting him a trip to Hawaii, so he decided to 'give up his birthday' to raise money for his favorite cause -- the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund.

He hopes to raise $5,700 for is 57th birthday. Will he make it? So far, here are the folks who think that he has a good idea:

• Wayne Hicks (Cincinnati) - $57
• Mike Williams (Atlanta) - $500
• Liz Hicks (Los Angeles) - $57
  

It is really easy to support his BDPA birthday wish ... just click here!