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