Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Chi Tutorsz Supports BDPA

We are pleased to report that Chi Tutorsz is the newest corporate supporter of BDPA. Chi Tutorsz offers tutoring in English/Language Arts, Science, Math, ACT/SAT/ISAT and GED Prep. Students can choose online tutoring in the comfort and safety of their own homes through laptops that are provided by the company. Students that complete all hours of the online program earn the right to keep the laptop after the conclusion of our program.

The well-qualified and bilingual tutors at Chi Tutorsz also offer additional support for students through the phone and Internet, and are available to students seven (7) days a week, making sure progress is constantly tracked and monitored.

Chi Tutorsz will be taking their story national with a full-page ad in the conference guide that will be provided to all attendees at the 36th annual BDPA Technology Conference in Indianapolis on August 5-9, 2014. We encourage our BDPA stakeholders to reach out to Chi Tutorsz to learn more about their online tutoring programs!
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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

President Profile: Derrick Brown (BDPA Atlanta)

BDPA Atlanta was founded in June 1981. It is a chapter with a powerful legacy in the BDPA family. Two former chapter presidents (Teresa Williams and Felicia Jones) were later elected as officers in the BDPA South Region. The current BDPA Atlanta chapter president -- Derrick Brown -- is taking the chapter to even higher levels under his leadership.

Derrick Brown, President
BDPA Atlanta Chapter

Address:
PO Box 726
Duluth, GA 30096

Derrick was initially elected to the BDPA Atlanta chapter board of directors in 2011.  He became president of the chapter in August 2013 and worked with his leadership team to lay out a vision and plan for 2014 programs, scholarships and services.


Derrick's Favorite Quote: "The path to wisdom is brightly illuminated by the light of perspective."



Derrick Sherroid Brown is a manager with Macy’s Systems & Technology responsible for the envisioning, planning, budgeting, development, and implementation of highly complex systems applications. His level of responsibility requires dynamic management of diverse, disparate technical and business oriented teams; strong communication and coordination with customers, partners, upper-management, as well as peers, direct reports, and parallel development teams, both onshore and offshore. He is a powerful team player, exemplary leader, superior communicator, and in-depth critical thinker. He focuses these considerable skills on the task of making his team and organization successful.


Derrick's Motto: "Lifting as we climb."


Derrick Sherroid Brown is also D.S. Brown. He is an author, a true lover of the written word. For him, writing is a passion. Like so many others in the wide world he is striving to give the stories in his mind a voice. He is seeking to continuously evolve his writing skill. To this end, he wakes up well before dawn, first to exercise his body, then to exercise his mind. He sets himself before his keyboard, and reaches for mental dexterity, complexity, and passion. He crafts involved, convoluted, but very entertaining drama, action, or romance, whatever comes to mind. This is his fiction. Then, he may switch, and concentrate on facts, common issues that are relevant to the common person. He will write zealously about that which he feels is of vital importance to everyone, not just the privileged few. All he would ask of you, his partner in this writing adventure is this … take a moment to discover his work. It is his sincerest desire that you find favor with what he writes. Enjoy his words. If you don't, then take a moment to tell him why.

Derrick shared some of his insights about BDPA on recent episodes of both the BDPA iRadio Show and Technology Expresso CafeDerrick truly enjoyed his experiences at the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference held in Washington DC.  I hope that his words inspire others to make plans to attend the next BDPA conference!


Please use the POST COMMENT link below to share some BDPA-Love with the president our BDPA Atlanta chapter!
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Monday, April 28, 2014

New York Life Foundation


The New York Life Foundation is a funding source that may be of interest to your nonprofit organization.


Areas of Interest
Proposals must fall within the Foundation’s Nurturing the Children focus, which includes educational enhancement, mentoring children, creating safe places to learn and grow and childhood bereavement. Preference is given to requests that provide an opportunity for volunteer involvement on the part of New York Life agents, employees and retirees.

Eligibility
Grants are made only to private, nonprofit organizations, which have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and which are not private foundations. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or government agencies.

Geographic Restrictions:
The Foundation funds local projects in New York City and Westchester County, New York. The Foundation also considers multi-site projects implemented by national organizations. These projects must serve two or more of the following locations: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Clinton, NJ, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Edison, NJ, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Kansas City, KS, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Parsippany, NJ, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, OR, Richmond, VA, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Tucson, Washington, DC, Waukegan, IL, and Westwood, MA.

Review and Evaluation
All requests are screened, researched and evaluated by the Foundation’s staff to determine general eligibility, conformity to grant guidelines and relationship to current Foundation programs and priorities.

If, after the initial screening, the Foundation is interested in a proposal, they will contact the applicant for additional information, further discussion, and a site visit. The Foundation’s Board of Directors makes the final decisions on funding requests.

If a grant is made, the grantee must keep the Foundation informed and updated on its activities throughout the grant cycle by providing progress reports. Reporting requirements will be outlined in the Foundation’s award letter.

Application Procedure
Proposals from organizations are accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis during the calendar year. All requests must be submitted online.

Click Here to Apply
For additional information contact the Foundation.
Phone: (212) 576-7341
E-mail: nylfoundation@newyorklife.com

Sunday, April 27, 2014

This Week in BDPA (April 27 - May 3, 2014)

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:
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 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.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

BDPA Welcomes Hilton Worldwide as a Bronze Sponsor

BDPA, a non-profit association focused on increasing the number of minorities in computer science and information technology careers, announced that Hilton Worldwide is a Bronze level sponsor of the 36th National BDPA Technology Conference being held at the J.W. Marriott in Indianapolis, IN on August 5-9, 2014.

The ongoing commitment of Hilton Worldwide to BDPA will help under-served youth pursue their undergraduate dreams. This is the fourth year that Hilton Worldwide has contributed to the BDPA mission. A leading global hospitality company, Hilton Worldwide spans the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels.
Dr. Craig Brown
On behalf of the National BDPA leadership team and its stakeholders, it is my honor and privilege to welcome Hilton Worldwide as a Bronze level sponsor and thank them for their contribution,” says Dr. Craig Brown, National BDPA president. “It is with the support of sponsors like Hilton Worldwide that allows National BDPA to continue towards our mission to impact lives through STEM.
With members and chapters located throughout the United States, BDPA brings a unique perspective on how to engage youth in computer science, information technology, undergraduate and post-secondary education.

For more information on BDPA and sponsorship opportunities, contact Wayne Hicks, Director, BDPA Corporate Sales Department, corpsales@bdpa.org, (301) 584-3135 ext 108.
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Friday, April 25, 2014

Accenture Joins BDPA Career Fair

BDPA is pleased to announce that Accenture will be recruiting information technology talent at the BDPA Career Fair in Indianapolis on August 8-9, 2014. This will be the third year in a row that Accenture finds itself at our annual national BDPA technology conference.

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 289,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of $28.6 billion in FY-2013.

The BDPA Career Fair is free and open to all professionals interested in computer science and IT careers. Meet and network with other industry professionals and leaders from Fortune 1000 organizations. Be sure to upload your resume when registering, so employers can get a sneak peek at you before the conference!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

BDPA Announces Platinum Sponsorship with Johnson & Johnson

BDPA, a non-profit association focused on increasing the number of African Americans in STEM related careers with a focus on information technology, today announces the return of Johnson & Johnson as a Platinum level partner of the BDPA 2014 annual technology conference being held at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, IN, on August 5-9, 2014.

Globally recognized at home and abroad as an agent of goodwill for over a billion people; Johnson & Johnson has earned a reputation as a leader in providing innovative ideas, products and services one person at a time. They are the world’s largest and most diverse medical devices and diagnostics consumer health care company.
Dr. Craig Brown, National BDPA president said “On behalf of the National BDPA leadership team and its stakeholders, It is my honor and privilege to welcome Johnson & Johnson as a Platinum level sponsor. We thank Johnson & Johnson for their continued support and commitment to BDPA and its members. The partnership, between BDPA and Johnson & Johnson, continues to positively impact the BDPA mission and its members lives through STEM.”

BDPA and Johnson & Johnson have partnered together for seven consecutive years with the same goal in mind, to provide BDPA members with the skills required to meet the demand for skilled IT workers domestically, and advance the careers of African Americans in computer related fields. With members and chapters located throughout the United States, BDPA brings a unique perspective on how to engage youth in computer science, information technology, undergraduate and post-secondary education.
"Johnson & Johnson is excited and proud to continue our Platinum level sponsorship of BDPA, in 2014,” said Regan Scruggs, relationship manager at Johnson & Johnson. “We value our collaborative partnership to raise awareness of Information Technology throughout the community and the opportunity to expand the Johnson & Johnson IT team with talented recruits from BDPA events."
With corporate headquarters located in New Jersey, the company actively partners with the BDPA New Jersey chapter.
Goldie Bonney, chapter president said, “They have been our biggest sponsor for the past several years and their support has allowed us to keep our chapter going strong! Last year we celebrated a milestone 10-year anniversary for our longest running program, our Families in Technology Day."


Beyond the annual conference, the BDPA partnership with the Johnson & Johnson provides college scholarships and internship opportunities to student members. Johnson & Johnson will also conduct employment interviews on August 8-9 during the BDPA Career Fair.

For more information on BDPA and sponsorship opportunities, contact Wayne Hicks, Director, BDPA Corporate Sales Department, on (301) 584-3135 x108.
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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

James and Kathleen Rutherford Foundation

Jim & Kathy Rutherford
The James A. and Kathleen C. Rutherford Foundation is a supporting organization of the Columbus Foundation. The purpose of the Rutherford Foundation is to support institutions which provide scholarships to deserving or needy students; to provide forms of assistance to organizations serving indigent or underprivileged persons, particularly children; and to support other charitable activities.

This is a funding source that may be of interest to our BDPA Columbus chapter.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

National Girls Collaborative Project - Find Summer Camps!

The online NGCP Program Directory lists organizations and programs that focus on motivating girls to pursue STEM careers. The purpose of the directory is to help organizations and individuals network, share resources, and collaborate on STEM-related projects for girls.

When you sign up for the Program Directory, you will enter your program description, resources available within your organization, program or organizational needs, and contact information. You can search by summer camp offerings in your zip code as well.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Where Are They Now? BDPA Cleveland Chapter Presidents

BDPA Cleveland chapter was founded in November 1980.  The idea of BDPA was brought to Cleveland by Norman Mays.   Norman served as president of the BDPA Washington DC chapter when he moved to Cleveland in 1980.   He found like-minded people in Cleveland who wanted an organization that would help advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry.

Gerry McClamy, Norman Mays, Vivian Wilson
I would love to hear from someone that could tell me the names of the other folks who joined Norman Mays as the initial charter members of the BDPA Cleveland chapter.   Do you know any of those names?

Their decision to create a chapter was a good one as evidenced by the fact that BDPA Cleveland was named 'Chapter of the Year' in 1986 and 1987.  BDPA Cleveland always believed in the concept of 'One BDPA'.   One of my earliest memories of the cooperation and support by BDPA Cleveland was at a regional conference that they hosted in 1989.  I remember traveling there with others from BDPA Detroit chapter.  We learned a great deal about how to successfully build a local chapter ... lessons that we put into practice immediately on our return to Detroit.

One of my two favorite people in BDPA is from Cleveland -- Vivian Wilson.  I served as National Vice President during Vivian's term as national president.  Did you know that Vivian is the only person in the 35+ years of BDPA history to be elected National President without ever serving as a local chapter president?   She was the BDPA Cleveland chapter vice president when she was elected to serve as our national president in the early 1990s.   Vivian earned a number of national awards over the years: Member of the Year (1986), President's Award (1988) and the BDPA Excellence in Leadership Award (1992),


Other award winners from BDPA Cleveland chapter include: Gerry McClamy (Member of the Year, 1995), Willard Brown (Outstanding Chapter President, 2006) and Monica Bowe (Member of the Year, 2010).

It would be great to hear from our past, current and future BDPA Cleveland chapter presidents. Here is the list as best we can tell:
Ken Wilson
It is worth noting that Norman Mays and George Williams are past BDPA Cleveland chapter presidents who served for a number of years as the national BDPA president.   Monica Bowe is the only other BDPA Cleveland chapter member (to my knowledge) to serve on the national BDPA executive committee.   Monica served as both our acting VP-Finance (2010) and our Outside Director (2010-2011).

The chapter hosted the national BDPA Technology Conference in 1994 ('Unleashing the Power of a Creative People').

The chapter competes regularly in the national high school computer competition (HSCC). BDPA Cleveland chapter has never won the national HSCC championship.  However, they did finish as high as 3rd place in 1990.  That 1990 HSCC team consisted of four remarkable high school students: Ronald Banks, Phillip Chow, James Gombas and Justin Polburn.

We've mentioned alot of names in this blog post.   The question remains:

Where are they now?
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Sunday, April 20, 2014

NextEra Energy Joins BDPA Career Fair

BDPA is pleased to announce that NextEra Energy will be recruiting information technology talent at the BDPA Career Fair in Indianapolis on August 8-9, 2014. This will be the third year in a row that NextEra Energy finds itself at the annual national BDPA technology conference.

NextEra Energy, with annual revenues of nearly $16 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, is nationally recognized as one of the country's premier energy companies. NextEra Energy's two principal subsidiaries are Florida Power & Light Company and NextEra Energy Resources.

A testament to its long-standing commitment to the environment, NextEra Energy was the national leader in renewable power generation in 2006. Its approximately 14,000 employees are dedicated to safely providing reliable power while showing genuine concern for their communities and the environment.

The BDPA Career Fair is free and open to all professionals interested in computer science and IT careers. Meet and network with other industry professionals and leaders from Fortune 1000 organizations. Be sure to upload your resume when registering, so employers can get a sneak peek at you before the conference!
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Saturday, April 19, 2014

President Profile: Dalric Webb (BDPA Cincinnati)

BDPA Cincinnati was founded in December 1989. It is a chapter with a powerful legacy in the BDPA family. Two former chapter presidents (Wayne Hicks and Gina Billings) were later elected to the national BDPA presidency. The current BDPA Cincinnati chapter president -- Dalric Webb -- is poised to take the chapter to even higher levels under his leadership.

Dalric Webb, President
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Address:
PO Box 429215
Cincinnati, OH 45242
(513) 549-6991

Dalric was introduced to BDPA Cincinnati chapter by past president Wanda (Gray) Hayes. He immediately accepted a leadership position on the chapter's board of directors.


Dalric's Favorite Quote: "Let's get motivated people!"

Dalric had a full career serving our nation in the US Army as both an enlisted soldier and an officer. He retired from the military in 2006 and began to focus on his second career with General Electric, currently operating as a compliance officer with the company.

Dalric received his bachelors in computer science from Hampton University. Over time he has earned Masters degrees in both Information Technology and Information Management. Currently, he is working towards his PhD in Organization Management from Capella University. Dalric is a father and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
"I do believe in the value of the organization as a whole and that it has the potential to make a vital difference in the communities in which we work and live by synthesizing the power of networking within the community to execute with excellence the BDPA mission of advancing the careers of African American information technology professionals from the classroom to the boardroom."
Dalric shared some of his insights about BDPA on a recent episode of the BDPA iRadio Show. He believes strongly that BDPA growth is more likely if all of the volunteer leadership positions within the chapter are filled. He works hard to identify potential volunteers and get them connected with specific areas of the chapter where they can help. Dalric shared his top 10 tips for filling volunteer vacancies with this blog last year.


Please use the POST COMMENT link below to share some BDPA-Love with the president our BDPA Cincinnati chapter!
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Friday, April 18, 2014

Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President

Derrick Brown
Cross-posted from The ACTEra Blog

BDPA Atlanta hosted its first monthly meeting at the Alliance Theater. It was an exceptional venue, a truly great place to have our meeting. In a picturesque room of walled glass with an open view of the city Myra Brown presented valuable information to our members on their personal image and brand.

In Part 2 of her dynamic presentation, 'The Business of Being Professional'¸ Myra revisited what was discussed in Part 1, reminding us that a Personal Brand was your unique promise of value, and that quite clearly you must take care of it in all its aspects, your dress, how you talk, your attitude, who you associate with, even how you smell. Hygiene is important friends.

Myra Brown
She reminded us about PIE, from Harvey Coleman’s book “Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed,” PIE stands for Performance, Image, Exposure. In Part 2 she focused on Image, reminding us just how important your look can be to your overall success. This is no trite thing, something to be taken lightly. If you want to be a leader, then be seen as a leader, act like a leader, dress like a leader. Myra clarified this concept for us in very clear concise words.

Since visuals make such a powerful expression Myra had two models available to demonstrate her image concepts. Her lovely sister Ashley represented for the women, and interestingly enough Myra drafted your own BDPA Atlanta president to represent for the men. Ashley was great. And hey … I wasn’t half bad if I do say so myself.

To end her presentation Myra conducted a raffle, offering her image services to the winning ticket. We also gave away free tickets to see any upcoming Alliance Theater event. There were many people who left the presentation very happy to have been in attendance. If you were not there, you truly missed out. Everyone was a winner.

Also, please note that proceeds from this month’s meeting went to support the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University's Patient and Family Support Services Fund. The fund provides assistance to families of cancer patients struggling with expenses due to the fight.

But wait … that’s not all.

 This month’s meeting fee bought you a ticket to the play, Maurice Hine’s Is Tappin’ Thru Life.  BDPA Atlanta truly considered what we were doing when we thought of having a meeting in conjunction with a play. We are definitely advocates of STEM, but without question we also supporting adding the A to make STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math. We will always endeavor to bring a little culture to our organization, and doing so this month was a complete success. The play was amazing.

Maurice Hines brought back vivid memories of his passed brother, Gregory Hines. He regaled us with the magic and majesty of two young boys raised with love from both mother and father, striving through circumstance to become legends in entertainment. He made us laugh, he made us consider, he made us smile with uplifting joy as he guided us through the amazing tapestry that was his life, and the life of his brother. His was a story presented in juxtaposition, word and song, piano, brass, bass, drum, and feet, the wonder of tap, an allegory of race and the American struggle. People, it was a tremendous evening.

If you are a member of BDPA Atlanta and missed it, where were you? And if you are not a member, why not? Membership has its privileges. Go back and reread the above to understand the value proposition. Join us today.

BDPA Atlanta truly thanks Myra Brown for gracing us with her presence, her knowledge, and her passion for uplift.

The Aspiring Critical Thinker,
D.S. Brown, president
BDPA Atlanta
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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Jay-Z and Mom Giving Out Unique Scholarships

The Shawn Carter Foundation has announced that they are now accepting applications for their 2014 scholarship program. The foundation, established by rapper Jay-Z and his mom Gloria Carter, aims to enhance the lives of young people.

The foundation is unique because it offers scholarships to single mothers, children who attend alternative schools, students who have earned only a GED, students with grade point averages of 2.0, and students who have previously been incarcerated, etc. The students, however, must demonstrate a strong desire to pursue higher education.

The program provides individual grants ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 to every student who qualifies and re-applies each year, from admission to graduation. The scholarship grant can be used to pay for tuition, books, lab fees, travel and certain costs of living.

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, April 30, 2014.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Where Are They Now: 2003 BDPA Leaders

One of the things that I love to do with this blog is highlight the legacy of our organization. In the past, we have asked 'Where Are They Now?' about:
Today, we ask the question about the brothers and sisters who served as BDPA leaders in 2003. I would love for these powerful brothers and sisters to come visit with us on this blog. Perhaps we can get them to POST A COMMENT to let us know what they are up to now. Here are those 2003 leaders:

  • Vercilla Brown, executive director
  • Milt Haynes, national president
  • Wayne Hicks, national president-elect
  • Rick Giraudy, national VP-Finance
  • Donna McKay, national VP-Strategy & Planning
  • Reggie Gardner, national VP-Member Services
  • Brooks Baker, national VP-Membership Management
  • Renee McClure, national immediate past president
  • Earl Pace, founder
  • Bob Blackwell, outside director
  • Will Bundy, outside director
  • Michael McCrimmon, outside director
  • Anita Vega, national conference treasurer
  • Janice Coleman, national conference planner
  • Cris Levy, national conference planner
  • Jeffry Kimble, national parliamentarian
  • Ricky Penick, chapter president liaison

These are remarkable brothers and sisters. I hope that you will share your thoughts and rememberances on the 2003 BDPA leadership team down in the POST A COMMENT link down below. What say u?
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