Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President (May 2018)

Johnson, Harrigan, Harrigan and Murph

Good morning BDPA Members, I am prompted to give you this update because I attended a graduation celebration for one of our BDPA students last night. I will additionally update you on three other BDPA Students in attendance. This was Hadiya Harrigan’s celebration. From left to right Christian Johnson, Hasani Harrigan, Hadiya Harrigan and Austin Murph are shown in the photo.

Christian graduated this spring from North Carolina A&T State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and he has accepted a Product Engineering position at Microsoft in Dallas Texas.

Second from the left is Hasani Harrigan. Hasani is a junior at Tuskegee University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Hasani has been selected for an internship at Boeing this summer.

Frank Hill

Third from the left is Hadiya Harrigan. Hadiya graduated Summa Cum Laude from Tuskegee University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Hadiya will be attending Duke University in the fall, pursuing Masters and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Hadiya will intern at P&G this summer.

Austin Murph is on the far right. Austin is currently attending the University of Cincinnati at Blue Ash. Austin plans to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State University in the fall.

As a long time, instructor for BDPA and Cincinnati State, I am continuously energized by the success of students that I have taught. I further believe that there is a great need for people to teach technology at any level and I encourage everyone to actively "get in the game". You are needed and your impact will last forever!

Have a great day!
Frank Hill
President, BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Spring Technology Showcase (BDPA Huntsville)

Jason Bradshaw is the VP-Membership Management for BDPA Huntsville Chapter. He recently wrote,

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"On a beautiful Saturday morning, BDPA Huntsville Chapter hosted a Spring Technology showcase. At the event several BDPA members engaged the youth of Huntsville, AL with technologies. The event kicked off with speaker Patricia King discussing the many accomplishments and struggles throughout her career as an African American female engineer. Mrs. King also discussed how pneumatics work and taught a hands-on application using Legos.

During Part Two of the showcase, BDPA member Casandra Nealy showcased the Lego EV3 Robot with its various configurations and functionalities.

After a brief intermission Bernard Nealy, Casandra's father and a BDPA member, started off Part Three of the showcase by displaying the large hardware and software capabilities of the small Raspberry Pi computer.

The showcase was ended with a cybersecurity briefing by BDPA members Claudia Williams and Sylvia Archie, who are both Certified Ethical Hackers and Cyber Security Analysts for the US Army. Upon closing BDPA VP-Technology Rosalind McCullough and VP-Strategy and Planning Steton Walker, engaged with the children with discussion about embracing their dreams and striving for success in whatever field they desire to pursue.

Networking and socializing the event went very well among parents, chapter members, and children. BDPA Huntsville plans to have several more technology events in the near future. In addition, the chapter will be hosting its first annual Golf Tournament on April 20, 2018."

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Grant Declination: Rhode Island Foundation (BDPA Rhode Island)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Rhode Island chapter (president, Tiffany Wiggins) to submit a $10,000 grant proposal to The Rhode Island Foundation. If approved, the grant would provide partial funding for the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Providence, RI.

Unfortunately, our grant proposal was declined. The declination letter read as follows:

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Mrs. Jeanette James
Rhode Island Chapter President

Dear Ms. James:

On behalf of The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund, I would like to acknowledge receive of the request submitted by your organization.

Please be assured that the fund advisors carefully reviewed your request before reaching the decision that they are unable to provide financial support at this time. The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund recognizes the outstanding that your organization provides to our community.

Best wishes for continued success in your mission to serve our community.

Sincerely,
Carol Golden
On behalf of the fund's advisors
Senior Philanthropic Advisor
Rhode Island Foundation

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BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding for all 46 local BDPA chapters. However, God loves the child who has his own ... so we encourage you to support BDPA scholarship programs by making a secure online donation.

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, February 2018)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership. We continue to have a chapter who leads the nation in BDPA members.... BDPA Cincinnati. The chapter ... led by its president, Frank Hill ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth. The chapter is significantly larger than the second largest chapter as they continue moving towards the next milestone of having 200 members this year.

We would also like to congratulate BDPA Bay Area (led by Gina Tomlinson) and BDPA Greater Tampa Bay Chapter (led by Andrea Johnson) for becoming an 'active' chapter by having more than the minimum level of membership. Gina and Andrea both realize that we need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

Frank Hill

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.  Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Cincinnati - president, Frank Hill
2. Detroit - president, Loraine Stewart-David
3. St. Louis - president, Marvis Hollis
4. Indianapolis - president, Delano Robinson
5. Chicago - president, John Coleman
6. Atlanta - president, Victor Montgomery
7. Southern Minnesota - president, Ebenezer Kyei-Baffour
8.  Philadelphia - president, Cedric Edwards
9. New Jersey - president, Anthony Dupree
   
10. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' has grown to three.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati,Detroit and St. Louis 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.

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?

Message from BDPA New York Chapter President

Jeannine Andre-Burns

I want to personally say Happy New Year and I am looking forward to working with each of you.  Your membership has shown to BDPA New York that you want to be apart of a network of like-minded technology savvy people that wants to network, increase their skill-sets and give back.  So thank you for your passion and mission.

We have been building relationships with colleges and finding a home to meet every month.   We are lining up speakers and making sure that all planning will be geared towards meeting our members’ needs.   There are lots of opportunities for our New York Chapter to reboot and thrive.   I want us to all be apart of this exciting time.   That is why 2018 will represent the “BDPA New York Reboot” movement and it will begin with the “Take 5” initiative.

 

This movement will be an outreach to you as a member by getting down to the “Top 5” basics.  Determining the top 5 needs of our membership, speaking on the top 5 trending topics of 2018, having meetings at the top 5 areas to service our membership, and partnering with a college to build students’ top 5 skills.  We are happy to say that we are moving forward with developing a BDPA New York Club at Pace University.  This alliance will put a hop in New York Chapter’s skip with keeping BDPA New York in line with promoting student relationship, building Chapter spirit, and empowering them by partnering with seasoned members to be the dare devils of the technology industry.

We are looking for a home in the heart of Manhattan. If anyone has corporate space that their company will allow for our monthly meetings, please reach out to locations@bdpa-ny.org if you have any questions or can provide any input to gathering space. 

Upcoming:

1. Our 2018 BDPA Conference this year will be in jazzy New Orleans!  Early Bird specials end March 31, so log into www.bdpa.org to register.
2. BDPAFuture# is the theme of our overall vision through the United States with 30 chapters alive and well.  For the first time, BDPA is offering monthly Tech Talks with the first kick off this Friday.  Topics such as BDPA Digital, AI, and Branding Yourself are already scheduled out till March.  Register for free at  BDPA Career and Tech Talks.
3. We are looking for volunteers for the following committees:  Planning Committee (speakers, business events, and locations), Social Media Committee (maintain BDPANY social media platform with trending content), Membership Committee (survey members and email outreach).
4. We have Board positions opened:  President Elect, Director of HSCC, Webmaster, Board Secretary.  Please email candidates@bdpa-ny.org if you are interested in any of these positions.

Last note, I’m really excited about the Reboot Movement with "The Take 5" initiatives and looking forward to getting to know you. 

 

Jeannine Andre-Burns, president

BDPA New York

Eli Lilly and Company Honored as BDPA Gold Level Sponsor

Once again Eli Lilly and Company has hit the $50,000 Gold Level Sponsorship mark at Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) 40th Annual National Technology Conference & Career Fair. The event will take place on August 9-11, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Avenue New Orleans, Louisiana. BDPA’s Career Fair will be held on two days, Friday August 10, 1pm-5pm and Saturday, August 11, 9am-2pm. It is free and open to the public. Expecting over 1,000 Information Technology (IT) professionals, along with 40 Fortune 500 Companies, BDPA is excited about bringing one-stop interview opportunities to IT applicants. Patrons can register online via www.bdpa.org website.

The Lilly story began 140 years ago, when founder Colonel Eli Lilly combined scientific rigor and passion for discovery, with caring for the individuals and communities the company served. Employees honor his legacy by embodying his call to "Take what you find here and make it better and better."

Diversity Inc., has ranked Eli Lilly the following;
    • Top 50 Companies for Diversity (No. 16)
    • Top Company for People with Disabilities (No. 8)
    • Progress (No. 8), Mentoring (No. 9)
    • Employee Resource Groups (No. 11)
    • Supplier Diversity (No. 11)

Tim Coleman

“We are proud to again partner with and support BDPA. The organization’s work to ensure a diverse talent pipeline for the future and to encourage young people to explore careers in science and technology aligns with our beliefs at Lilly,” said Tim Coleman, Eli Lilly and Company Vice President. “Education is so vital to creating the professionals who will contribute to the discovery of innovative medicines of the future.”

For 40 years, BDPA has enabled the upward mobility of African Americans and other minorities in the Information Technology (IT) and STEM fields. Through its 40+ local community chapters in major cities across the United States, BDPA has been at the forefront of promoting the minority agenda within the IT profession since 1975.

Michael Wulf

"We extend a hearty thank you and recognize Eli Lilly and Company for its unwavering belief in BDPA and their commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce,” said Dr. Michael Wulf, National BDPA vice president. “In 2018 BDPA raises the bar even higher with a distinct shift and focus on persistent member experiences, radically enhanced pipeline programs and building strategic partnerships with academia and other high performing organizations, like Eli Lilly. Lilly's sponsorship helps fill the information technology (IT) pipeline by supporting local and national STEM professional development programs for youth and adults. Their sponsorship and willingness to invest incredible leadership resources like our newly elected BDPA National President, Mr. Terry Morris, is a distinct testimony that BDPA will remain the premier IT professional development networking organization delivering a network of diverse IT talent for years to come."

For corporate sales please contact corpsales@bdpa.org or 301-584-3135 ext. 108.

Grant Proposal: Goldman Sachs Foundation (BDPA Cincinnati)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked closely with the officers of the BDPA Cincinnati chapter to submit a grant proposal to the Goldman Sachs Foundation seeking $8,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  We should get an answer within a couple of months.

BETF is willing to work with any of the 46 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Rest In Peace: Malcom Mathis (BDPA St. Louis Chapter President)

We are deeply saddened to inform our BDPA membership that BDPA St Louis Chapter President, Malcom Mathis II, and his 22 month old son, Malcom Mathis III, passed away in a tragic incident. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Susan and a devoted father to his children. Malcolm was a generous and caring friend and colleague and the personification of Servant Leadership. His absence will be felt greatly.

Malcom served as BDPA St Louis Chapter President from 2016 - 2018, where he embodied BDPA beliefs and purpose, “to serve and elevate others and prepare students and young professionals today for leadership tomorrow”. Malcom also served as a member of the BDPA St. Louis Corporate Advisory Council. He generously gave his time and talents in many capacities in his community, including on the School Board for the Jennings School District.

For those who were fortunate to know Malcom well, you couldn’t help but admire how deeply he cared for his community and the people he worked with. He spent more than 6 years at the Monsanto Corporation most recently as a business architect and an active leader in the African Americans in Monsanto Network (AAIM). He was always a strong advocate for diversity in Monsanto.

A benefit account has been established at Commercial Bank for The Mathis Family. Make checks payable to The Mathis Family Benefit. This account has been verified by the Maryland Heights Police Department. This account was established to help raise funds for funeral expenses.


Contributions can be mailed to:
      Commercial Bank
      Attn: The Mathis Family Benefit
      2330 West Port Plaza Drive
      Maryland Heights, MO 63146

Grant Proposal: HSBC (National BDPA)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked closely with the officers of the National BDPA to submit a grant proposal to the HSBC seeking $25,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  We should get an answer within a couple of months.

BETF is willing to work with any of the 46 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President (February 2018)

Victor Montgomery

Hello and Happy Black History Month.  I hope your year is off to a tremendous start.  I’m sure 2018 New Year Resolutions are being actively pursued and dreams are being realized.  I have been in the role of President for the BDPA Atlanta Chapter for over a year now.  I have seen a great deal of progression, however, there is still much more to do.  I am excited to work hand-and-hand with National BDPA leadership to continue to move the needle forward.

As members of BDPA Atlanta, I want to provide you an update on the State of the BDPA Atlanta Chapter.  This update will focus on professional membership, collegiate membership, Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) & National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Programs.

Professional Membership

Last year we had a number of sessions for professionals, however, we did not engage our professional members as much as we would have liked to.  This year we are seeking to ensure we host activities to reignite excitement around BDPA Atlanta.  We want to host activities that benefit our membership.  The first step to achieving success is by being transparent.  As a chapter, we have to bring focus to our professional members.  We are committed to this, however, we need your assistance.  We need your participation and volunteerism.  We want to ensure we are serving you in a way that contributes to your advancement.  You will see more communications from the Atlanta team, we simply ask that you respond by participating and volunteering.

If your membership has lapsed, I humbly ask that you give BDPA Atlanta Chapter another opportunity.  I believe if we work together we can reignite the success of the Atlanta Chapter.

If you are interested in speaking or have an idea for a session, please email president@atlantabdpa.org.

Collegiate Membership

In conjunction with National BDPA, BDPA Atlanta is excited to announce plans to start collegiate chapters.  The initial chapters will be at the following institutions:
 

• Atlanta University Consortium (Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman)
• Georgia State University
• Kennesaw State University

We are in the beginning stages of establishing these chapters.  If you know of students at any of these institutions or surrounding institutions please share this great news.  We will notify members of information sessions for each collegiate chapter.

SITES & HSCC

Last year was an exciting year for our youth programs.  We had over 40 high school students participate in HSCC, as well as a college student participate in the Mobile App Competition.  Our HSCC team finished 2^nd place for the coding competition.  That makes two 1^st and one 2^nd place finish in the last three years.  In addition, we won the 2017 Mobile Application Competition for High School participants.  Overall, we have achieved a great deal.

This year, we have over 75 participants in HSCC.  We are looking to maintain that count until the August competition.  The students are very excited!  We are also anticipating a significant increase in Mobile Application Competition participants.

Closing

As you can see, we have been doing a great deal in Atlanta, however, we know we can do more.  From National competitions, our students have been awarded over $40K+ in the last three years because of the commitments we have made to them, “From the classroom to the boardroom”.  As a member of BDPA Atlanta, you have contributed to that success.

I am committed to our students and I am committed to you.  Please join me in making this a year that BDPA Atlanta will never forget.

Sincerely,
Victor Montgomery, president
BDPA Atlanta Chapter

Grant Proposal: Cincinnati Bell (BDPA Cincinnati)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked closely with the officers of the BDPA Cincinnati chapter to submit a grant proposal to the Cincinnati Bell seeking $5,000 for the 2018 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  We should get an answer within a couple of months.

BETF is willing to work with any of the 46 local BDPA chapters to obtain the funding that they need to successfully deliver their 2018 SITES program. Simply reach out to the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Grant Declination: Cisco Foundation (BDPA Atlanta)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Atlanta chapter (president, Victor Montgomery) to submit a $15,000 grant proposal to the Cisco Foundation. If approved, the grant would provide partial funding for the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Atlanta, GA.

Unfortunately, our grant proposal was declined. The declination letter read as follows:

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Dear Wayne,

Thank you for submitting an Initial Information Form for your program titled "Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program" to Cisco for funding consideration.

We have carefully completed an evaluation of the Initial Information Form you submitted. While we recognize the value of your program and applaud your contributions, we are unable to invite you to submit a formal proposal for consideration.

We hope you will consider other Programs which may assist your organization:

1) You can find more information about our product grant program including program guidelines, eligibility criteria, and how to apply at http://csr.cisco.com/pages/product-grant-program

2) For matching gifts and volunteer matching please contact volunteers at your organization that are Cisco employees to find out how you can qualify as well as http://csr.cisco.com/pages/employee-volunteers

3) Techsoup.org: The technology place for non-profits: www.techsoup.org

Broadly, our social investment strategy focuses on three areas where our products, services, and employees can make a lasting impact: Critical Human Needs and Disaster Relief, Education, and Economic Empowerment. Our approach encourages innovation to create technology-based solutions that are replicable, scalable, and sustainable. To achieve our objectives, we partner with organizations around the world that share our values and align with our focus areas. A list of our community partners can be found at http://csr.cisco.com/pages/community-partners.

Please accept our best wishes for success as you continue to provide your services.

Sincerely,
Cisco Public Benefit Investment Grant Evaluation Team

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BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding for all 46 local BDPA chapters. However, God loves the child who has his own ... so we encourage you to support BDPA scholarship programs by making a secure online donation.

BDPA Chicago Program Meeting: 'Cryptocurrency, FinTech & Diversity' (January 2018)

BDPA Chicago hosted a powerful panel discussion on 'Cryptocurrency, FinTech & Diversity' with chapter president John Coleman, Panel Moderator Pat Perkins and Panelists (Nicole Villa, Adrian Cortez, Linda N Lee, Hannah Rosenberg and Marquis Davis).



We encourage our Chicago-based supporters to check out program meetings offered by BDPA Chicago. We also invite you to support BDPA Chicago HSCC Scholarship Fund!

Grant Declination: Walmart Community Grant Request (BDPA Greater Tampa Bay)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Greater Tampa Bay chapter (president, Andrea Johnson) to submit a $2,500 grant proposal to the Walmart Community Grant Request. If approved, the grant would provide partial funding for the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Tampa, FL.

Unfortunately, our grant proposal was declined. The declination letter read as follows:

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Thank you for submitting a request, Request ID 38527597, to facility #3197 for a grant through the Walmart Community Grant Program. Your grant request was not selected for funding at this time.

The Community Grant Program is a competitive application. On average, we receive more than 150,000 applications from more than 65,000 local organizations striving to improve their communities each year. A number of variables may influence each funding decision. Common reasons grants may be declined include lack of: alignment with our focus areas, local connection with the store, program timing, limited resources and clarity of programmatic work within the facility community.

Thank you again for your interest in the Walmart Community Grant Program. We appreciate your efforts to help people live better and wish you success in your future endeavors. If you would like to learn more about all of Walmart’s giving programs, we encourage you to visit http://giving.walmart.com.

Sincerely,
The Walmart Community Grants Team

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BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding for all 46 local BDPA chapters. However, God loves the child who has his own ... so we encourage you to support BDPA scholarship programs by making a secure online donation

Vincent Shorter Encourages You to Support #BDPAFuture

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



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

BDPA Welcome Walgreens Sponsorship Highlighting Diversity and Inclusion

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Walgreens joined National BDPA as a diversity and inclusion sponsor with its basic corporate sponsorship package by BDPA Job Board (www.ITDiversityCareers.com), corporate memberships and web banner and hosting the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) held in Chicago. Walgreens is the second-largest American pharmacy store chain in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  A commitment to continuously improving diversity and inclusion has always been part of Walgreens DNA, and these values remain central to their cultural beliefs. By embracing and leveraging the rich diversity of Walgreens’ team members' backgrounds, experiences and insights, Walgreens is uniquely positioned to be the first choice for health and daily living for everyone.

Terry Morris, BDPA newly elected National President stated, "Walgreens and BDPA emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and the commitment to improving our communities. BDPA thanks you for your partnership and your daily assurance that diversity matters."

BDPA was founded in 1975 by Earl Pace and David Wimberly to close the digital divide for underrepresented minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). BDPA has over 40 chapters nationwide with more than 2,500 STEM professional and student members. BDPA offers over $100,000 in scholarships annually to hundreds of high school and college students who wish to pursue STEM careers.

BDPA Chicago President Reggie Rush stated, "Walgreens diversity and inclusion efforts will continue to make room to support the technology community efforts BDPA has for 2018 and beyond!"

For more information on the 2018 National BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair or a sponsorship, contact BDPA’s corporate sponsorship at (301) 584-3135 ext.108 or corpsales@bdpa.org. Also, please visit www.bdpa.org.