Epsilon Award for Career Achievement: Dr. Tayo Ibikunle (JPMorgan Chase)

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 Career Achievement. This honor is reserved for highly experienced professionals who have significant career accomplishments or contributions throughout their career.

BDPA is pleased to announce that Dr. Tayo Ibikunle has won the 2013 Epsilon Award for Career Achievement. He is a highly respected technologist with over 18 years of technology based experience with JPMorgan Chase (JPMC). Tayo Ibikunle has also held diverse senior positions, across many key businesses – including Investment Banking, Middle Markets, Retail, Corporate Sector, Credit Card business, Mortgage Banking and most recently in Consumer & Community Banking. As Chief Technology Officer of the Chase Financial Services Customer Center of Excellence, Tayo was responsible for delivering information technology (IT) solutions to enable an integrated customer experience across customer channels and touch-points. He also assumed IT leadership responsibilities for the Middle Market business segment, which managed the firm’s relationships for over 12,000 corporate clients. Among other key roles, Tayo has held positions of Co-Chief IT Architect and Chief Technical Architect.

Prior to joining JPMC, Tayo was Senior Strategic Manager at Sybase Engineering in California. Before taking the role of Senior Strategic Manager, Tayo was a Principal Consultant working with several Wall Street and telecommunication Firms to build large scale, distributed trading and processing engines for their businesses. At Thorn EMI Central Research Laboratories in the United Kingdom, Tayo was a Principal Research Engineer and worked on key pattern recognition and image processing technologies

Dr. Ibikunle has both an MS and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College, University of London, as well as a BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University Of Ife, Nigeria. He is also a member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

Tayo is a dedicated advocate for diversity within the workplace and serves as a mentor to many. Tayo took on the role of Executive Sponsor of JPMC’s engagement with BDPA – a major career and leadership network for Black IT professionals - in 2006. It is under his leadership that the JPMC BDPA Leadership Forum was established. This forum consists of representatives from various JPMC IT facilities across the United States where we have engaged with a local BDPA chapter. He is also on the Global Steering Committee for BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development) and a member of the Firm-wide Technology Diversity Council. Tayo serves as a director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation since his appointment in 2008.

The award nomination was submitted by BDPA Northern Delaware chapter president Karen Smith.

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!

BDPA Partners with US Navy to Create More Officers and Gentle(wo)men

The US Navy agreed to participate in the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference as part of its Diversity and Student Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) outreach programs. The Navy Recruiting Command is taking the lead for this event with a focus on workshops for students, parents and industry which foster year round engagement with BDPA for youth interested in STEM careers. Also, the Navy Recruiting Command will coordinate the presentation of their booth at the BDPA Career Fair on August 16-17, 2013 in Washington DC.

There is a rich history between BDPA and the US Navy. In 2010, Admiral Gary Roughead, then Chief Naval Officer, invited BDPA co-founder Earl Pace to the Pentagon to discuss expanded partnership between Navy and BDPA. Adm. Roughead felt Navy should expand its outreach engagements with BDPA over the next few years as BDPA is the only cyber-focused affinity group identified by the Navy.  This increased partnership now includes expanded year-round STEM-Intelligence/Cyber engagements with local BDPA chapters.

Earlier this year, Raven Stevenson, one of the alumni members of the BDPA High School Computer Competition program graduated from Duke University as a Navy Ensign becoming the organization's first student member to do so. Raven attended Duke University on a full Navy ROTC scholarship (valued at $180,000) that she earned at the 2009 BDPA Technology Conference.  Raven tells the story best herself in this video!

Another BDPA HSCC alumni student, Joseph Huggins, Jr. is on the journey as well. He agreed to join the US Navy in 2010.

BDPA looks forward to supporting the efforts of the Navy to identify additional information technology talent ... both seasoned professionals and young people ... during our upcoming conference. Kudos to BDPA account manager Perry Carter and National Office administrator Lesley Menor for working with the Navy to see this sponsorship renewal through to its conclusion.

Harold Simmons Foundation

The Harold Simmons Foundation, established in 1988, is based in Dallas Texas and is funded primarily by Contran Corporation, a company controlled by Harold Clark Simmons.

The Harold Simmons Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life of all members of our community. The foundation support programs that promote human dignity, a safe and enriching environment, and comprehensive support systems for individuals, children, and families.

Grants are made by the Harold Simmons Foundation with the goal of improving lives and enriching the community.  They focus their support on Dallas area nonprofit organizations. Areas of interest include: education; health care, social welfare, including human rights; civic improvement; and culture & the arts. They make grants for operating expenses, capital needs or special projects, generally in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 for first time applicants. In 2012, the Foundation distributed approximately 18.5 million dollars.

Grant proposals are only accepted by mail. If you have questions or need more information about the proposal process, please fill out this contact us form. To be considered for a grant, please send the completed proposal with attachments to:

Lisa Simmons, President
Harold Simmons Foundation
Three Lincoln Centre
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1700
Dallas, Texas 75240-2697

This seems like a funding source primarily of interest to our BDPA Dallas chapter. BETF is willing to work with them if they are interested in submitting a grant proposal for the 2014 SITES program.

Oracle Scholarship for BDPA Students (Deadline: July 17, 2013)

Oracle knows talented individuals drive success, and they are willing to encourage positive workforce development through organizations such as BDPA. As such, Oracle made decision to offer the 5th Annual Oracle Scholarship for BDPA Students again this year. The scholarship application period goes through July 17, 2013. The winning scholars will be announced at the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference.

These scholarships are available to high school students (grade 11-12), community college students and undergraduate college students. The student must be studying in STEM-related curriculum. The student must be a BDPA member in good standing on or before the July 17 deadline. BDPA student membership is $25 annually.

Past Oracle scholars were helped by this funding as well as the BDPA programs and services made available to them at the local chapter level. Do you know a high school or college student (or their parents!) who could benefit from this information? If so, please share this message with them right away. Don't procrastinate ... the application is ready and available for immediate download.

Oracle Scholarships for BDPA Students (2013) from Wayne Hicks

Dominion Foundation

Charitable giving and leadership of campaigns to benefit non-profit organizations are an integral part of Dominion's social responsibility. Principally through the Dominion Foundation, the company contributes more than $20 million annually to charities in the states where it operates or the locations where it has significant facilities or business interests.

Grants are made in several categories, and they support a variety of programs, such as educational grants.

The company also encourages individual employee and retiree giving by providing matching funds for educational and cultural institutions and many charitable organizations. Matching funds must be requested by Dominion employees and retirees through the Dominion Foundation. Dominion matches employee and retiree donations to qualified charities dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000 per donor annually.

To recognize volunteerism, Dominion provides a once-a-year two-for-one volunteer match for those who serve on the board of a qualified charity or have volunteered 50 hours on the organization's behalf during the previous 12 months.

Geographic Focus: Company operations in: Albany, NY; Cayuga, NY; Herkimer, NY; Livingsto, NY; Madison, NY; Onondaga, NY; Steuben, NY; Tompkins, NY; Ashtabula, OH; Belmont, OH; Cuyahoga, OH; Geauga, OH; Lake, OH; Mahoning, OH; Monroe, OH; Portage, OH; Stark, OH; Summit, OH; Tuscarawas, OH; Washington, OH; Wayne, OH; Allegheny, PA; Armstrong, PA; Beaver, PA; Blair, PA; Butler, PA; Cambria, PA; Clarion, PA; Clearfield, PA; Clinton, PA: Elk, PA; Fayette, PA; Indiana, PA; Lawrence, PA; Mercer, PA; Potter, PA; Tioga, PA; Washington, PA; Westmoreland, PA

Award Amounts -- Because the Dominion Foundation supports a wide range of charitable programs, most grants are in the $1,000 to $15,000 range. Higher amounts may be awarded when a program is an exceptional fit with corporate business or giving priorities, or when there is significant employee involvement in the effort.

Grant Review Process --- Applications are accepted year-round, and there is no deadline for submitting requests. Organizations requesting support renewal, however, should submit applications no later than Sept. 1 of each year. Requests are not automatically renewed. Funding requests are reviewed and approved by regional committees. The review process may take from two to six months, depending upon the size of the grant, since larger grants must be approved by the Foundation Board.

Grant proposals should be sent to:


D. L. Clark Building
501 Martindale Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3197
Telephone: (412) 690-1364

Dominion receives funding requests far in excess of its Foundation or corporate contribution budgets; accordingly, it must often decline support for otherwise worthy proposals. Such a response does not reflect in any way on the agency involved or on its services.

Does any BDPA chapter in New York, Ohio or Pennsylvania want to explore funding from Dominion Foundation? Does any BDPA chapter have Dominion employees in their membership roles thru which we can seek matching gifts or volunteer grants or employee involvement?

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) operates on a first-come; first-served basis when we partner with BDPA chapters. Visit the Dominion Foundation website to ensure that your chapter's program is compatible with this funding source. If you want to move forward then you can email or call me to express interest sending a grant proposal to this funding source.

University of Phoenix Offers Full-Tuition Scholarships for College of Information Systems and Technology

BDPA and University of Phoenix (UOPX) have made a commitment to work together over the coming weeks and months. As such, we are very happy to let you know about the (ISC)2 Scholarships being made available by UOPX.

Join a new generation of IT security leaders. Build a brighter future today by applying for one of five (5) full-tuition scholarships toward an undergraduate or master’s degree at University of Phoenix. Designed to accommodate working learners, University of Phoenix degree programs allow you to continue your career while pursuing your education – and offer a chance to enter or advance in the Information Security Industry.

The application deadline is July 23, 2013.

• Applicants must be interested in pursuing a career in information systems and security industry
• The scholarship must be used for a degree program in the College of Information Systems and Technology
• Applicants cannot be currently enrolled at University of Phoenix and must pass a security background check

Join a new generation of IT security leaders:

Visit phoenix.edu/ISC2Scholar
for more details, including complete
eligibility and application information.

This Week in BDPA (June 23-29, 2013)

BDPA offers strong programs in 46 cities around the nation. Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Jun 23: BDPA Chicago - Workshop, 'Learn More About Virtualization, Linux, Security and Cisco'
• Jun 25: BDPA Foundation - Webinar, 'BDPA iRadio Show' 
• Jun 26: BDPA Indianapolis - Seminar, 'IT Service Integration'
• Jun 26: National BDPA - Conference Call, 'VP-Membership Management Business Area Meeting'

Please let us know of other BDPA events 

that we may have missed! 

You can always find BDPA programs, services or networking activity online at places such as:

• BDPA Facebook Group
• BDPA Foundation Facebook Page
• BDPA Foundation Twitter Account
• BDPA LinkedIn Network Group

BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to our Causes, our HSCC Scholarship Funds or Your Causes! We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events.

BDPA Sponsors Come in All Sizes - PCC Technology Group Proves That Point

Jerry Long

BDPA is rightfully proud of the fact that our list of over 90 corporate sponsors contains some of the largest and most well-known corporations in the world. However, I'm reminded of Matthew 25:40 as I share with you the good news that our most recent corporate sponsor - PCC Technology Group - is a business owned by Jerry Long.  Jerry is the past president and founder of our BDPA Hartford chapter.

PCC Technology Group agreed to purchase six (6) college student memberships (hopefully HSCC alumni) in the state of Connecticut.  The company also made a generous donation in support of the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund.

We would love to continue supporting those BDPA small business owners and entrepreneurs who support our programs, scholarships and services. Contact me here or via email (corpsales@bdpa.org) if you want to talk about this some more.

Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

GE Works with BDPA Again in 2013

BDPA is proud to announce that General Electric (GE) is coming back for the second year in a row to our annual Career Fair. We encourage BDPA job-seekers, members and supporters to learn how GE works!

The BDPA Career Fair in Washington DC on August 16-17, 2013 is your opportunity to join GE to discover a career opportunity of incredible diversity – across disciplines and around the globe. No other company invests in the development, training and advancement of its employees the way the folks at GE do. Why? Because GE believe that it is their innovative thinking that is their strength. And that strength is what enables GE to make a positive impact on tomorrow, today.



BDPA continues to tell everyone that we exist to advance the careers of people of color in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. The fact that GE has renewed its commitment to our annual career fair is a positive example of that mission being put into action. If you are unable to attend the career fair in person ... then you should immediately check out the online BDPA Job Board!

EPA Wants to Recruit Diverse IT Talent via BDPA Career Fair

Every day is Earth Day at EPA! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants BDPA job-seekers to join them join in protecting the environment! The diverse workforce at EPA connects to more than just a career. They share a common passion to promote a cleaner, healthier environment. BDPA is very proud that EPA agreed to staff a booth at the 2013 BDPA Career Fair that takes place in Washington DC as part of the 35th annual BDPA Technology Conference.

EPA is consistently ranked as one of the top federal agencies in which to work, with great benefits and work flexibilities. We know that many of you want to discover how exciting safeguarding our natural resources and protecting human health can be. Make plans to attend the BDPA Career Fair so that you can find yourself at EPA.

Contest: 2014 BDPA Technology Conference Theme

BDPA is hosting the 2014 Annual Technology Conference & Career Expo in Indianapolis, IN and we need YOU to help us! We need a conference theme. The conference theme sets the overall tone for the conference and draws in technology professionals from local, national and global corners. A theme should catch our attention and make us want to head to the conference.

Here are themes from the past 35 BDPA conferences:

History: BDPA Conference Themes from Wayne Hicks

We're offering a $100 gift card prize for a winning theme!

Please enter your submission on the BDPA member portal for your chance to win. The members will vote and select the winning theme. The winning theme and writer will be announced at the conference later this year in Washington DC.

Deadline for submission is July 15, 2013

Fundraising Tip: Make Specific and Direct Asks for Money

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends a good deal of time talking with people about BDPA programs and services. We think that the worthiness of these programs is so self-evident that the money should be flowing in from donors to help us expand them. Of course, we've learned over time that we're just having a 'pleasant conversation' if we don't close the deal. I think that the following fundraising tip may be a helpful reminder to all of us that work with nonprofits that are doing good works.

Make Specific and Direct Asks for Money:

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People give because they are asked—if you don't ask, the answer will always be no. It can be tough to look someone in the eyes and ask for money, but somewhere in your pitch, some variation of the words "I'd like to invite you to invest $100 in our work" need to find their place, ideally followed by as long a pause as it takes to get an answer.

For fundraisers, you can't make the mistake of not asking because you feel greedy or you think they will know what you want. Ask with pride for the cause you are so committed to raising money for, and be honored to be the potential bridge for that donor from need to impact, donation to solution. Be sure to ask for a specific amount (something that's a stretch, but not unrealistic), and be clear about exactly what you will spend the money on and the impact it will generate. Tell the story of someone you've served who enjoyed the impact of these types of donations.

Start today by calling a lapsed donor and asking for a small renewal gift, even if it's $25! Practice this type of direct and specific ask on your board members, coworkers, family, and friends, and in no time you will be a master fundraiser.

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If you're still reading this blog post ....then this is my "ask" of you.   Please click here and donate a small gift ... even it it's $10 ... to support our Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund.   Here is a sample of the young people who's lives you will impact with your donation.

This tip is inspired by Darian Heyman's new book, 'Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals'.

Does this tip seem like one that you might use for your local chapter or nonprofit? If not, do you have a fundraising tip that you would like to share with us?

OURstory: Charity Adams Earley (1918-2002)

The folks at the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT) recently issued a provocative slideshow called 'The Facts'. It talks about the challenges faced by women in the IT industry.

If it is tough for women in 2013 ... how much tougher must it have been for a Black woman back in the 1940s?

That is the thought that came to me as I saw the honors given to Charity Adams Earley in the America I AM exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center back in 2010.

It turns out that Earley held a degree in math and physics while attending Wilberforce University and the Ohio State University. She taught and attended graduate school before joining the Army. She did not let racism hinder her superior work. In fact, our BDPA Dayton chapter often celebrates their annual banquet at the auditorium in Sinclair Community College named after her.

At a time when a segregated military provided few opportunities for Blacks, Charity Adams was one of only two to hold a wartime rank in the WACs as high as major. A subsequent promotion made her a lieutenant colonel briefly before she left military service in 1946.

The Army first permitted Black members of the WACs to serve overseas in the winter of 1945, when it created the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black unit, and assigned some 850 African American women to it. The unit, based in Birmingham, England, and later in Rouen, France, and Paris, routed mail to millions of members of the armed forces in Europe.

The assignment of Major Adams as the battalion commander seemed a natural choice. Having grown up in Columbia, S.C. -- her father a minister in the A.M.E. Church, her mother a teacher -- she joined the WACs in 1942. She was among 39 Black women in the corps's first training class, at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and became one of its first Black officers. She then held administrative and command positions at Fort Des Moines for two and a half years.

The members of the 6888th postal unit were the first Black women many Britons in Birmingham had ever seen, and they shattered stereotypes.

"These WACs are very different from the colored women portrayed on the films, where they are usually either domestics or the outspoken old-retainer type or sloe-eyed sirens given to gaudiness of costume and eccentricity in dress," The Birmingham Sunday Mercury said. "The WACs have dignity and proper reserve."

After her military service, she received a master's degree in vocational psychology from Ohio State, then became a dean at Tennessee A&I College and Georgia State College. The Smithsonian Institution has included her in its listing of the historically most important Black women.

In 1996, Mrs. Earley was honored at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum for her wartime service. Before leaving Dayton for the ceremony in Washington, she said: "When I talk to students, they say, 'How did it feel to know you were making history?' But you don't know you're making history when it's happening. I just wanted to do my job."

We need to know OURstory for inspiration and direction. I hope that this blog post has been an eye-opener for you ... and for our daughters!

BDPA Regional Technology Summit at Bowie State University (June 15, 2013)

BDPA Washington DC hosts its Annual Regional Technology Summit, Open House, High School Computer Competition (HSCC) and IT Showcase (ITSC) at Bowie State University on Father's Day Weekend, Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 8:30am to 3:30pm in the computer science building on the campus of Bowie State University. The Technology Summit is co-sponsored by Best Buy, Bowie State University, CSC, FireEye, Hewlett Packard, and the United States Navy.

RADM Will Metts

Rear Admiral Will Metts (National Security Agency) will deliver the keynote address. The theme for the regional summit is 'Career Opportunities and Disruptive Technologies'.

There are no registration fees this year at the Regional Technology Summit.  There will be special announcements and door prizes from BDPA Washington DC via Google, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, and Oracle. Interested BDPA Chapters should bring at least two HSCC participants and one IT Showcase participant in order to help our students fully embrace and leverage key practice rounds, HSCC strategies, or ITSC tactics needed to win scholarships during National competitions held later this year.

Pre-Register online at http://2013ncrbdpa.eventbrite.com/. Space is limited. Parking on campus is free.

For more information, please contact: Dr. Jesse Bemley (IT Showcase Coordinator, 202.468-1497), Lou Shack (HSCC Coordinator, 301.379-2014), Sharrarne Morton (Communications Committee Chair, 240.463-6915), Dr. Daryl Stone (Education & Technology Coordinator, 301.860-3973) or Perry Carter (BDPA Washington DC chapter president, 703.627-8257.

BDPA iRadio Show: June 11, 2013 (Jala Cruz, Kendall Norris, Pamela Sexton)

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!

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The guests on the June 11th show:

Jala Cruz - Publisher, Signature J Magazine - Jala Cruz is a truly remarkable young woman. She was a member of the 2008-2011 HSCC teams trained by BDPA Indianapolis. Jala earned the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students in 2011 based on her interest in both technology-based education and community service. To top it off she is the founder and owner of her own magazine - Signature J Teen Magazine - which focuses on the youth market highlighting entertainment, fashion, health, art and entrepreneurship. Jala has featured individuals such as Keke Palmer, Taylor Swift, Cody Simpson and Miguel just to name a few. Beyond that, Jala has a powerful message to share with both young and more experienced people in BDPA-nation. We look forward to sharing Jala’s journey with our BDPA iRadio Show audience. Her twitter handle is @SJTeen.

Kendall Norris - Chapter President, BDPA Middle Tennessee - Kendall joined Deloitte Services, Information Technology Services’ (ITS) Program Management Office as the U.S. Leader accountable for the successful delivery of information technology projects in support of Deloitte’s core businesses (Audit, Consulting, Financial Advisory and Tax services) and the Chief Technology Office. As the leader of the Project Management Center of Excellence, he leads teams of project management professionals in the U.S. and India, and adds value to the organization by continually improving service delivery on U.S. and global enterprise applications development and infrastructure programs.

Kendall is a member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF). Kendall enters into his 2nd year as the president of BDPA Middle Tennessee Chapter. BDPA is fortunate to have a man with executive leadership experience. We look forward to hearing what he and his chapter leadership team envision in 2013 for BDPA stakeholders in the greater Nashville area. The National BDPA twitter handle is @NationalBDPA.

Pamela Sexton - Director, National BDPA Technology Conference - Pamela Sexton is the 2013 National BDPA Technology conference director. She is pulling together the largest gathering of African American IT professionals in the nation on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington DC. There will be thousands of participants, hundreds of corporations, dozens of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, a wonderful golf tournament, a 2-day career fair and so much more.

Pamela shared the current updates on the conference with our BDPA iRadio Show listeners. The conference twitter handle is @bdpa_conference

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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!

ADM Foundation

ADM Foundation provides support in several forms, from direct contributions and grants, to matching gifts, to employee volunteerism. ADM contributed nearly $10 million on an annual basis to various civic and charitable causes in their operating communities worldwide, including groups working to eradicate hunger and improve education. They also worked to cultivate the next generation of farmers through National FFA Organization scholarships and their sponsorship of farm-safety programs for children.

At the local level, ADM Foundation continues to support educational initiatives for children and young adults and other programs that build vibrant communities. ADM employees, meanwhile, will direct a substantial portion of their social investment and volunteer activity through their Colleague Giving Council, which will also coordinate their in-kind food donations and community volunteer program.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is willing to partner with any local chapter interested in submitting a grant proposal to ADM. Check out their website and determine if there are ADM operations in your geographic area, as it appears that is an important part of their criteria.

BETF operates on a first-come; first-served basis ... so don't procrastinate!

This Week in BDPA (Jun 9-15, 2013)

BDPA offers strong programs in 45 cities around the nation. Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Jun 9: BDPA Chicago - Workshop, 'Learn More About Virtualization, Linux, Security and Cisco'
• Jun 11: BDPA Foundation - Webinar, 'BDPA iRadio Show' 
• Jun 12: BDPA New Jersey - Webinar, 'Analytics Powered by MicroStrategy'
• Jun 15: BDPA Washington DC - Regional Technology Summit, HSCC and IT Showcase, 'Career Opportunities & Disruptive Technologies'
• Jun 15: BDPA Chicago - Computer Camp, 'High School Computer Competition Team Training'

Please let us know of other BDPA events 

that we may have missed! 

You can always find BDPA programs, services or networking activity online at places such as:

• BDPA Facebook Group
• BDPA Foundation Facebook Page
• BDPA Foundation Twitter Account
• BDPA LinkedIn Network Group

BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to our Causes, our HSCC Scholarship Funds or Your Causes! We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Richmond ($3,000)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) approved a $3,000 grant disbursement to BDPA Richmond chapter. The request for funding was submitted by chapter president Christopher Parker.

Christopher wrote,

"We are requesting our restricted funds ($2,500 from McKesson matching gifts and $500 from McKesson board grant. We will use the funding to support $2,000 in college scholarships in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014; $300 for elementary LEGO and other chapter operations such as program meetings."

This grant disbursement flows smoothly with the BETF vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed minority community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large. BETF hopes to work with BDPA Richmond chapter on funding for its 2014 SITES program.

Quite frankly, BETF wants to work with all 46 local BDPA chapters and any interested BDPA member or supporter to explore increased funding opportunities through payroll deductions or joint grant proposals.

Merck Renews BDPA Corporate Sponsorship

Merck has been a BDPA corporate sponsor for over a decade. The company renewed its sponsorship again in 2013. Merck is a global health care leader providing a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, consumer health products, and animal health products and services. Merck recognizes and rewards the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, and diversity of it's 94,000 dedicated professionals.

The company focused its sponsorship in 2013 in a couple of areas. First, Merck purchased access to the BDPA Job Board. ITDiversityCareers is a job resource that connects IT professionals and employers. BDPA encourages its diverse representation of information technology professionals to visit the BDPA Job Board in order to see career opportunities from Merck.

Second, the company made a generous donation in support of the Dr Jesse Bemley Scholarship. Our hope is that other corporations and individuals will consider doing the same!

Trinity Health Agrees to Recruit Diverse IT Talent at 2013 BDPA Career Fair

BDPA proudly announces that Trinity Health will actively recruit BDPA members and supporters with a booth at the 2013 BDPA Tech Expo and Career Fair on August 16-17 in Washington DC.

Trinity Health is the 10th largest health system in the nation and the fourth largest Catholic health care system in the country, by total number of hospitals and total bed count, respectively. Based in Livonia, Mich., Trinity Health operates 47 acute-care hospitals, 432 outpatient facilities, 32 long-term care facilities, and numerous home health offices and hospice programs in 10 states. Employing about 56,000 full-time staff, Trinity Health reports about $9.0 billion in unrestricted revenue.

As a not-for-profit health system, Trinity Health reinvests its profits back into the community through programs to serve those who are poor and uninsured, manage chronic conditions like diabetes, health education and promotion initiatives, and outreach for the elderly. In fiscal 2012, this included more than $616 million in such community benefits.

For more information about Trinity Health, visit www.trinity-health.org, follow @TrinityHealthMI on Twitter, or become a fan of the Trinity Health Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trinityhealth.

The momentum continues to grow for this year's conference ... will you be there?

BDPA iRadio Show: June 4, 2013 (John Hoffler, Eloise Young)

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!

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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The guests on the June 4th show:

Eloise Young - Chief Information Officer, Philadelphia Gas Works - Eloise Young is a remarkable role model for BDPA members in her role as the chief information officer for a major utility company - Philadelphia Gas Works. BDPA first met Eloise at the 2010 BDPA Technology Conference when she shared insights on a panel of IT executives. Later, she agreed to support BDPA by joining the BDPA Philadelphia chapter's Corporate Advisory Council. We look forward to hearing what Eloise has to say about both the IT industry and BDPA! Her twitter handle is @en_young.

John Hoffler - UNIX Engineering Manager, BB&T Bank - John Hoffler has a remarkable BDPA legacy. He is one of only five people in almost 40 years of BDPA history to serve as president of two difference BDPA chapters (Greenville and St. Louis). His two children have both competed in the national BDPA High School Computer Competition championships. However, John wants to share his insights from Corporate America with our BDPA iRadio Show audience. He wants to provide some advice to graduating college students who are going after their first job in a STEM-related field. His tips are based on first-hand experiences from interviewing candidates for junior engineering positions. His local chapter's twitter handle is @bdpacharlotte.

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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!

The Boeing Company Plans to Recruit Diverse IT Talent at BDPA Career Fair

BDPA is pleased to announce that The Boeing Company will be returning again to the annual BDPA Career Fair on Aug 16-17 in Washington DC. We are pleased that Boeing sees the value of recruiting diverse IT talent via BDPA!

Bemley Scholar Desmond Jones Seeks Computer Engineering Degree from Indiana Institute of Technology

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) seeks to fully fund our Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund. These college scholarships are making a difference in our efforts to advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry 'from the classroom to the boardroom'.

BETF is proud to announce that a Bemley Scholarship has been awarded to Desmond Jones in support of his continued education at the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, IN. Desmond is working towards a Computer Engineering degree. Desmond is the 'future face of technology' and he was kind enough to share his BDPA remembrances with us.

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Desmond Jones

The time that I spent with BDPA is irreplaceable and I cherish it with all my heart. The knowledge that I obtained from BDPA dramatically changed my life. I remember my first time attending a BDPA meeting on a Saturday morning in Chicago. I was nervous being around people that I didn't know, but at the same time I was excited by the opportunity presented to me.

My first year (2009) was shaky. I had to leave the Saturday training early sometimes to play baseball with my high school team. However, with hard work and great dedication I was able to go to both the Midwest regional and National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in North Carolina. Our team finished in 7th place at Nationals. I was disappointed with our results and decided to dedicate most of time towards studying so we would do better in the next year.

In December 2009, I was encouraged by (BDPA Chicago chapter president) Pamela Sexton to become the chapter's recording secretary. This position opened up new opportunities in my life as I was the first student to serve as a board member for BDPA Chicago chapter. I gained confidence and motivation from this new office and I believed that I could achieve anything with great dedication and focus.

At this time, I also began to explore different programming languages that added to my knowledge and increased my desire to learn more and more. Our team began preparation for the 2010 national HSCC championship. We met at different places in Chicago and developed a plan that would improve our results at the competition. It was a great year with anticipation and tension and a bitter rivalry with HSCC teams from other chapters.

I will always cherish the thrill and excitement as we traveled to Philadelphia for the 2010 HSCC championship. The guest speakers that year were great. Our team did superb. Our team didn't not take first place like we wanted, however, I am proud of our third place finish in 2010.

I currently attend the Indiana Institute of Technology with a goal of graduating in 2014 with my degree in computer engineering. I plan to begin working on my masters degree after graduation.

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BETF is very proud of Desmond.  He was recently named 'Member of the Year' by the NSBE chapter on his college chapter ... and he took over last month as the NSBE chapter president on his campus.

BETF plans to give out college scholarships later this year to another 25 students with the help of Creating IT Futures Foundation and others who value the STEM-related training that BDPA provides to these young people. We could use your help ... won't you consider making a secure online donation to support the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund?