BDPA Foundation

OURstory: Charity Adams Earley (1918-2002)

2013-06-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

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)

2013-06-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

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)

2013-06-11T07:15:00.000-04:00

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!

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

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!

Overview: BDPA College Scholarships

2013-06-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

The BDPA strategy is to bring college students into the professional chapters on the local level as opposed to creating ‘college chapters’. Part of that strategy includes an aggressive delivery of college scholarships to deserving BDPA high school students.

There are a number of college scholarship programs in place:

Bank of America Scholarship for BDPA Students - These scholarships are administered by BETF. There have been six Bank of America scholars over the years.
Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship – These scholarships are administered by BETF. They are awarded to high-performing students in the annual BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships. Bemley scholars can be found in scores of colleges around the nation.
Eli Lilly Scholarships for BDPA Students – These scholarships are administered by BETF. They are awarded to students around the nation who show a desire to make a difference in the IT industry over the course of their college and professional careers. Eli Lilly & Company began funding these scholarships in 2008.
Johnson & Johnson Scholarships for BDPA Students - These scholarships are administered by BDPA. They are provided to winners of the annual BDPA IT Showcase as well as all-around excellent HSCC students.
Oracle Scholarships for BDPA Students – These scholarships are administered by BDPA. They are awarded to deserving students selected by local chapters. Over $150,000 has been awarded to Oracle scholars over the past three years.

We are grateful to Creating IT Futures Foundation for its support of the Bemley Scholarships. The funding for that college scholarship comes primarily from BDPA members and supporters. You can make a secure online donation in a number of ways that include:

Finally, we would love to talk with other corporations or nonprofit organizations about creating STEM-related college scholarships that can be administered by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. Just reach out to us via email, scholarships@betf.org.

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

2013-06-09T21:15:00.000-04:00

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 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.

ADM Foundation

2013-06-09T12:30:00.000-04:00

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!

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Richmond ($3,000)

2013-06-08T12:30:00.000-04:00

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

2013-06-07T14:30:00.000-04:00

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!

ITW Foundation

2013-06-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

The ITW Foundation is a U.S.-based, nonprofit 501c3 organization that serves as the charitable arm of the ITW corporation. Since its founding more than 100 years ago, ITW has become one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related service businesses.

ITW created the foundation in 1954 as a way to formalize the company’s philanthropic efforts. Today, the ITW Foundation provides generous pledges and grants each year to qualified health, human service, cultural, educational and environmental organizations. Combined with direct donations from the ITW Corporation, matching gifts, scholarships and United Way donations, beneficiaries receive in excess of $20 million annually. In fact, ITW Foundation is currently the 19th-largest corporate foundation in the country based on 'total giving'.

The ITW Foundation has given special attention to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Scientific knowledge is critical for innovation, one of ITW’s core capabilities and values.

This would appear to be an outstanding funding source for BDPA chapters that are co-located with ITW ... such as BDPA Central Illinois or BDPA Chicago.

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

2013-06-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

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)

2013-06-04T09:15:00.000-04:00

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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.

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

2013-06-03T07:15:00.000-04:00

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

2013-06-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

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.

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.

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?

Walgreens Continues Long-Running Partnership with BDPA

2013-05-30T11:30:00.000-04:00

Walgreens, the largest drug retailer in the United States, recently renewed their partnership with the BDPA Chicago chapter. The company also plans to recruit diverse information technology talent at the 35th Annual BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair, August 14-17, 2013, at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC.

Walgreens' commitment to innovation, creativity, diversity, expansion, and trust are demonstrated by the more than 6.3 million people who choose to visit Walgreens’ 8,086 stores nationwide including locations in the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, Walgreens and “Its Take Care Health Systems” subsidiary is the most extensive and largest health and wellness worksite provider with over 700 locations nationwide.

"I'm very pleased that Walgreens has renewed their partnership with BDPA Chicago Chapter. They have been a long-time partner that has contributed to a number of efforts with BDPA Chicago Chapter. We look forward to 2013 and beyond. Thank you Walgreens for your continued partnership," said Pamela Sexton, BDPA Chicago chapter president.

BDPA is recognized nationally as a global member-focused technology organization with over 45 active chapters in the United States. BDPA continues to stand as a leader in delivering 21st century technological programs, college scholarships, mentoring, support and services for youth and adult Information Technology (IT) professionals. BDPA is honored to partner with a world class corporation like Walgreens.

For more information on BDPA’s 35th Annual National Conference, contact Wayne Hicks, Director, BDPA Corporate Sales Department, corpsales@bdpa.org, (301) 584-3135.

Compuware Renews Its Bronze Level Corporate Sponsorship with BDPA

2013-05-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

BDPA is pleased to announce that Compuware renewed its Bronze Level corporate sponsorship earlier this month. The funding goes to support the SITES program hosted by our BDPA Detroit chapter. Kudos to BDPA Detroit chapter president Beverly Moore and her leadership team for continuing to demonstrate the ROI-value proposition to Compuware again in 2013.

As an aside, the funding will also ensure that Compuware employees Ron Bell and Daisha Herring will be full conference registrants later this year at the 35th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference and Career Expo.

Goodrich Foundation

2013-05-27T14:45:00.000-04:00

The Goodrich Foundation was formed in 1988. The Foundation's principal was established through a contribution by Goodrich Corporation. The Foundation also will give consideration to proposals that help junior high and high school students and teachers understand the relevance of math and science to society. The Foundation is supportive of efforts to link math and science taught in classrooms to application of these disciplines in the workplace.

Goodrich Foundation requires the following supporting documentation when submitting a grant proposal: current IRS determination letter proving 501(c)(3) status, current year program budget, annual report or current year financial statements and a contact list of key staff and board members.

The Foundation provides support to charitable organizations serving the needs of the public in Goodrich Corporation's United States headquarters and plant communities, to selected educational institutions and selected national groups. BETF review of Goodrich locations shows that we have co-located BDPA chapters in the following cities: Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Dayton, Gr. Columbia, Gr. Tampa Bay, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, New Jersey, No. Virginia, So. Florida and Twin Cities.

The Goodrich Foundation staff reviews grant requests quarterly. Deadlines for proposals are March 1 and August 1. Decisions are made by the members of the Goodrich Foundation Board of Trustees, who meet several times per year. Proposals funded in one year are not always assured of future funding.

Because the Foundation receives far more proposals than it can possibly support, many requests are declined and every effort is made to provide notification of the Foundation's decision within 90 days.

To request Goodrich Foundation funding, BETF will work with interested local BDPA chapter or national BDPA vice president to submit a Goodrich Foundation application.

BDPA New Jersey Hosts 10th Annual Families in Technology Day

2013-05-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

The New Jersey chapter of the largest organization of African Americans in STEM industries, BDPA, is hosting its 10th Annual Families in Technology Day on June 8, 2013. This all-day event will encourage students and their parents to explore the tech arena, and learn the ins and outs from many of the industries’ finest teachers. Held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the event will include workshops, instruction and an inspiring message from keynote speaker, Dr. Randal Pinkett.

Goldie Bonney

BDPA New Jersey president Goldie Bonney is excited about the 10-year mark of this event. “We’re proud to reach another milestone in technology for our organization. With the way STEM is constantly changing, it’s important for us to make sure the community, especially the students, are equipped and empowered with the tools to stay in demand,” explains Bonney. “Through the support of our sponsors JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, and Prudential, we’re anticipating hundreds to attend this year.”

Students have been notoriously intimidated by curriculum associated with going into the technology industry, yet the career opportunities are rapidly growing, with demand at an all-time high for STEM educators and industry professionals.

Laptops will be raffled to students between grades four and twelve who register and submit the required one-paragraph personal statement of their potential personal benefits from receiving computers via the chapter’s Eventbrite site.

The keynote speaker, Pinkett, says he embraces the opportunity to inspire young people, and help them become less intimidated by coursework and opportunities in technology. As the co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of BCT Partners, Pinkett knows about entrepreneurship and opportunity for growth in technology, and insists on giving back.

The venue is the New Jersey Institute of Technology, located at 323 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Newark, N.J., 07103, and the event’s low-cost admission is five dollars.

The Best Twitter Accounts for BDPA Members

2013-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

BDPA members who are not using Twitter to market their chapter or business are missing out on a great opportunity. Twitter can also be a huge resource for BDPA members in the day-to-day operation of their chapter or business. However, BDPA members must know the right accounts to follow in order to benefit from all that Twitter can offer.

Here are 10 Twitter accounts that every BDPA member should be sure to follow:

TED Talks (1,630,325 followers)- @tedtalks - TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. TED Talks began as a simple attempt to share what happens at TED with the world. These online presentations give everyone on-demand access to the world's most inspiring voices. TED Talks have been viewed more than one billion times.

Craig Brown

Craig Brown (1,036,086 followers) - @craigbrownphd - Craig is the National BDPA vice president at the moment. He is also the only nominee to become the National BDPA president for 2014-2015. Craig has more Twitter followers than any other member in the history of BDPA. Hopefully he will be able to translate his ability to attract support in Twitter with a similar ability to attract new members to BDPA in the coming weeks and months. Craig is a remarkable IT thought leader and I encourage you to get to know him.
Roland Martin (218,100 followers) - @rolandsmartin - Martin is managing editor for TV One; senior analyst for the Tom Joyner Morning Show; syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate ... and most importantly to BDPA members is that he will be our keynote speaker at the 35th annual BDPA Technology Conference later this year in Washington DC. Martin is an unabashed champion for his fraternity and his favorite NFL team. Perhaps we can get him to be as much of a champion for BDPA programs, scholarships and services as well!
Change The Equation (8,637 followers) - @changeequation - A non-partisan, CEO-led initiative to connect and align efforts to improve STEM learning in the United States. These folks seek to mobilize the business community to change the way that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning takes place in America. Don't you agree that BDPA members should be engaged in this initiative?
BDPA Foundation (2,415 followers) - @bdpa - You didn't think that I was going to give a Top 10 list and not include my own Twitter account, did you? BDPA Foundation is one of the most active Twitter accounts focused on BDPA programs, scholarships and services. The tweets give updates on funding sources, grant proposals, BDPA accomplishments, college scholarships, corporate sponsors, career opportunities and much more. These tweets also prove to be very useful to others nonprofit professionals outside of the BDPA family as well.

Blacks In Technology (1,974 followers) - @blkintechnology - The premier online community for Black techies. Membership is free and the camaraderie is priceless. Their motto is 'Bringing Unity to the Black IT Community'. One of the most outstanding ideas to come forth from these folks is the BIT Tech Digest - an online resource of technology information written entirely by Black technology professionals.
Blerdology (761 followers)- @blerdology - 'Blerds' are Black Nerds. This twitter account is the Black tech social enterprise that fuels their ambitions, facilitates collaboration & makes blerd life more awesome. It is an outgrowth of the Blerdology website and I hope that we see more Blerds in BDPA over the coming weeks and months!
BDPA Conference (235 followers) - @bdpa_conference - The annual BDPA Technology Conference has taken place since 1979. It is the largest gathering of African American information technology professionals in the world. All BDPA members should make the trip to this BDPA mecca at least once during their collegiate or professional career. These tweets keep you updated on scheduled workshops, plenary sessions, keynote speakers, corporate sponsors and so much more.
BDPA Atlanta - @atlantabdpa (144 followers) - This chapter is fast-becoming a BDPA powerhouse. They are the home of the defending national High School Computer Competition champions. They put on some very powerful programs that serve as 'best practices' for the other 45 local chapters around the nation. This chapter is focused and successful in a number of ways that should be admired by all BDPA members. I strongly encourage all BDPA members to do themselves a favor ... follow this Twitter account right now!
BDPA New York (87) - @bdpanewyork - BDPA New York is the 2-time defending 'Chapter of the Year'. They don't have many Twitter followers ... but, they are very active in terms of programs and services to the IT community. The chapter president, Renetta English, is one of the hardest working leaders in BDPA-Nation. Show them some Twitter love ... they've earned it!

Well, those are my Top 10 Twitter accounts that I think should be followed by all BDPA members. What do you think? Which Twitter accounts do you think are missing from this list? Which of these Twitter accounts do you co-sign as being truly worthy of our attention? I look forward to your comments!

Who Am I? Lilla Hunter-Taylor (BDPA Washington DC)

2013-05-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

BDPA and the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation strive to make a difference in both the Black community. We have some serious people who volunteer to implement programs that will advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry. We don't always get a chance to know our BDPA leaders in a personal way. This blog decided to try and provide you with a different perspective ... a different look ... at our BDPA leaders.

Lilla Hunter-Taylor

National BDPA elections are being held during the 2013 National BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC. One of the offices being contested is the BDPA Northeast region director vacancy. Lilla Hunter-Taylor is a member of our BDPA Washington DC chapter who accepted the nomination for the regional director post. Lilla currently works as the Director of Business Development with Compass Solutions. Before joining the Compass team she was the chief executive officer of The Staff Hunter located in Bethesda, MD.

Prior to establishing The Staff Hunter, Lilla ran a successful insurance brokerage firm for over eight years. Her knowledge of working with small to mid-size companies and individuals prepared her for working with companies and candidates in the staffing industry, she currently serves as the Vice Chairperson of the MD/DC Minority Supplier Diversity Council.

Hunter-Taylor is very active with Dress for Success of Washington, DC and conducts seminars to help women become successful in their future careers. Mrs. Taylor participates every year in the Susan G. Komen race for the cure in Washington, DC. Hunter-Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Bowie State University.

Our blog wanted to know more about Lilla ... so we asked her to provide insights into her soul as she answered our basic question:

Who Am I?

IF I WERE A...

ANIMAL, I would be... a Puppy, dependable, loves you unconditionally
CAR, I would be... a Camry, great-looking (not to sound vain ... LOL), performs well, affordable and non-pretentious
CITY/TOWN, I would be... New York (my birth place), everyone visits, loves it and the one place you feel like a star no matter what profession you're in
COLOR, I would be... Yellow, it exudes happiness
FLOWER, I would be... African Violet, beautiful color, beautiful history, beautiful continent
FOOD, I would be... Pizza, do I need to explain? Everyone loves it!
ITEM OF CLOTHING, I would be... Winter coat, very warm and dependable
MONTH, I would be... September, the leaf changes are beautiful, the weather is not too hot or too cold, it's Fashion Season, heading towards the holidays
MOVIE, I would be... Science Fiction or Fantasy, great escape that makes you think
SONG, I would be... Mid-tempo, not too fast or too slow, just right with a little groove
SPORT, I would be... Football, it starts beautiful in the fall, everyone seems to have a great time together watching it, and great snacks during the game
SUPER-POWER, I would be... War Stopping Power. Because war is good for absolutely nothing (couldn't resist)
TIME OF DAY, I would be... between 5 and 6 AM, the best thoughts are in the morning and they haven't been taken yet

Lilla Hunter-Taylor may be on the verge of creating her own powerful legacy within BDPA ... and it has been our sincere pleasure to introduce her to BDPA-Nation. You can follow Lilla on twitter: @TheStaffHunter.

Our hope is that Lilla will join us here on the blog to share deeper insights into these things via the COMMENTS feature! What did you learn about our candidate for regional director via this blog post that you may never have known otherwise?

Overview: BDPA IT Showcase

2013-05-23T13:15:00.000-04:00

The BDPA IT Showcase is an advanced technology forum where High School and College students from across the nation demonstrate their research and theories in the fields of information technology. Papers will be published in the IT Showcase Proceedings. The purpose of this program is to encourage more students of color to advance their education to the Ph.D. level in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Click here to see more detailed overview.

BDPA IT Showcase founder Dr. Jesse Bemley notes, "Attendees will be amazed at the thoroughness of the research and the advanced topics presented at the IT Showcase. The IT Showcase treats the audience to challenging 'outside-the-box' thought."

The projects focus on various “advanced thought” topics including: artificial intelligence, database technology, web design technology, wired and wireless communication technology, IT security, data mining, global position systems, graphical processing units, soft computing, production planning tools, high performance computing, cloud computing, green technology, virtual technologies, nanotechnology, robotics, operating systems, IT certification, social media and much more.

The Showcase presentations consist of demonstrations where applicable. Three awards (First, Second and Third Prize) are made in each of two categories: High School and College (undergraduate). In recent years the top performers in the IT Showcase have won college scholarships funded by Johnson & Johnson.

Over the past few years there were 46 undergraduate papers and 74 high school papers presented from students in 14 states, 33 high schools, 12 universities and three community colleges. Our hope is that all 46 local BDPA chapters will find a way to send a student ... ideally one of their HSCC alumni ... to participate in the next BDPA IT Showcase.

Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition

2013-05-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

The BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) was founded in 1986. What started as a two-team event between Washington DC and Atlanta GA has grown to over 20 teams from BDPA chapters around the nation. It’s designed to introduce our youth to the field of information technology and encouraging them to seek higher levels of education, and groom many of them become our next generation of IT professionals.

The HSCC program consists of three parts: Oral Questioning, Computerized Examination and a Programming Component. On the first day there is an oral round robin of questions. Also, there is a computerized examination using Adit Quiz Software. Each student is given 15 minutes to answer as many questions as they can. Questions for these first two stages of the competition cover a variety of computer fundamentals and BDPA history.

On the second day, each team is given a Program Specification for a challenging business problem. They have seven hours and one computer to analyze, design, program and document a solution to the problem. In building their business application, the teams have a choice between technologies such as: Java Technology (Sun Microsystems), Software PHP (Open Source), .NET (Microsoft). Students use these technologies in conjunction with SQL to retrieve data from a database and generate dynamic HTML content for display in a web browser. They are then required to present their solution to a team of judges.

Check out this behind-the-scenes video of the programming challenge from a past HSCC championship.

2012 National HSCC Champions

The winning teams are announced on the final night of the annual conference as part of the Awards Gala. It is a tense and joyous moment for all the HSCC students. It is also a very memorable moment as evidenced by the many HSCC testimonials that we've gathered over the years.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation wants to give out college scholarships to high-performing students in the annual HSCC championships. We cannot do so without your support. Please think hard about what you've read ... and give as your heart drives you. You can make your secure online donation in support of BDPA college scholarships right now!

Grant Proposal: Entertainment Software Association Foundation

2013-05-21T18:00:00.002-04:00

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) submitted a $50,000 grant proposal to the Entertainment Software Association Foundation (ESAF) earlier this month. ESAF only reviews grant applications once per year ... and BETF is grateful to learn that our proposal is in consideration.

ESAF wrote:

Dear Wayne,

Thank you for your recent submission to Entertainment Software Association Foundation’s (ESAF) grant! This is to confirm that we have received your application in full. Please anticipate notice regarding your application status in August 2013. Should you have any questions before then, you can contact us at this address.

In the mean time, we encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on our programs and events.

Good luck!

Our proposal focused on the national Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. We are hopeful that our proposal will be viewed favorably by the ESAF board of directors.

In the meantime, we encourage those of you that support BDPA programs, scholarships and services to make a secure online donation today!

Bemley Scholar Ahmed Mahamad Graduates with Health Sciences Degree from University of Minnesota

2013-05-19T07:45:00.002-04:00

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to recognize Bemley Scholar Ahmed Mahamad for his successful graduation from the University of Minnesota (Rochester) with a bachelor of sciences degree in Health Sciences.

Ahmed has a powerful BDPA legacy. He is one of the rare students in history to win three (3) national BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships. He won those three championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009 as a member of the HSCC teams trained by BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter. As a result of his excellence Ahmed earned multiple college scholarships including the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship awarded by BETF to support his educational efforts at the University of Minnesota.

Ahmed joined with two other HSCC alums (James Arama and Adwait Walimbe) in 2010 to create the StartLounge. StartLounge was a visual, social interface that engaged users with Facebook integration to let them preview Facebook news feeds and photos.

As a college student Ahmed continued to support his BDPA family. He was a student instructor for BDPA Southern Minnesota for a number of years and he was a participant in the 2010 BDPA IT Showcase held in Philadelphia PA. His research topic during that year's IT Showcase was entitled, 'Robotics Bioinformatics and Medicine' [paper / poster].

Ahmed is the 'future face of technology'. His graduation this weekend from the University of Minnesota is simply another step in his personal quest to rise from 'the classroom to the boardroom'. Whenever BETF donors or volunteers begin to waiver in our commitment to support of BDPA programs, scholarships and services we merely need to remember the example of Ahmed Mahamad. Today, I ask all of you to join BETF in tipping our caps to this talented young man ... and if your heart tells you ... please help us provide more college scholarships in the future for other young 'uns like Ahmed!

Congratulations Ahmed ... University of Minnesota graduate, Class of 2013!

BDPA HSCC Champion DeOnna Johnson Graduates with Medical Degree from Meharry Medical College

2013-05-18T20:15:00.000-04:00

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is extremely proud to announce that 2004 BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) champion DeOnna Johnson received her medical degree today from Meharry Medical College! DeOnna walked across the stage of the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, TN to accept her diploma denoting her graduate degree in medicine. DeOnna received her undergraduate degree in Microbiology in 2009 from the University of Tennessee before going to Meharry to study for her medical degree. Our understanding is that DeOnna will do her first post-graduate residency at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sometimes BDPA volunteers and leaders wonder if the work that we do makes a difference. We wonder if our efforts to provide meaningful science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) experiences to the young people in our community will truly get them started on the road from 'classroom to the boardroom'. It is days like today ... when we are able to smile and celebrate in the excellence of young people such as Dr. DeOnna Johnson ... that we know it is all worthwhile.

DeOnna was part of a team of high school students (Auriel Echols, Cornell Gaulmon, Brittany Middleton and Mitchell Word) who vaulted into BDPA history by winning the 2004 National BDPA HSCC championship held in Dallas. Their victory marked the fourth consecutive year that BDPA Memphis chapter took home the gold medal at national HSCC championships ... the first time such a feat had ever been accomplished!

Please join BETF and the rest of BDPA-Nation in sharing some love for DeOnna and her family as they truly enjoy the fruits of her educational labors. I look forward to hearing DeOnna talk with a new generation of BDPA youngsters as time permits. DeOnna is the 'future face of technology' in the medical field. Her story and her success are cause for rejoicing!

BDPA Strikes Gold with WellPoint Sponsorship

2013-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

With an unyielding commitment to meeting the health care needs of their diverse customers, WellPoint joined the growing list of Gold Level Corporate Sponsors at the 35th annual National BDPA Technology Conference on August 14-17, 2013 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington DC.

As one of the largest health benefits companies in the United States, WellPoint delivers a number of leading health benefit solutions through a broad portfolio of integrated health care plans and related services. In addition to a wide range of specialty products such as life and disability insurance benefits, dental, vision, and behavioral health benefit services, WellPoint also provides long term care insurance and flexible spending accounts.

Andrew Lang

“At WellPoint, we pride ourselves in recruiting highly talented associates with varied skills, experience and backgrounds who reflect the people and communities we serve,” said Andrew Lang, WellPoint chief information officer. “That is why we continue to invest in organizations like BDPA that promote diversity and inclusion and help us find the talented associates who make up our technology team.”

As a global member-focused technology organization with over 45 active chapters in the United States, BDPA continues to stand as a leader in delivering 21st century technological programs, college scholarships, mentoring, support, and services for youth and adult Information Technology (IT) professionals. BDPA is honored to partner with a world class health care organization such as WellPoint.

National BDPA president Monique Berry said, "Thanks to the continued support from WellPoint, the BDPA Tech Career Fair and ITDiversityCareers.com will continue to make a positive impact on advancing the careers of college students and professionals in STEM related fields."

For more information on BDPA sponsorship program, contact Wayne Hicks, BDPA Corporate Sales director, corpsales@bdpa.org, (301) 584-3135.