Electronic Village: BDPA

Showing posts with label BDPA. Show all posts

August 16, 2014

Technology Expresso Cafe Interviews Wayne 'Villager' Hicks

David Blackman and Jacqueline Sanders are the co-founders of Technology Expresso Cafe, a multimedia platform that promotes all aspects of the IT industry with a focus on BDPA programs, scholarships and services.

Wayne 'Villager' Hicks

An Internet radio interview was conducted with BDPA Education and Technology Foundation executive director Wayne Hicks, however, due to technical difficulties, the show was never archived. David and Jacqueline were kind enough to post a complete transcript of the interview on their website.

Click here to read Part 1 & 2 of the interview.

Click here to read Part 3 & 4 of the interview.

July 24, 2014

36th Annual BDPA Technology Conference (Indianapolis, August 5-9, 2014)

Learn more about the 36th annual BDPA Technology Conference being held August 5-9, 2014 in Indianapolis. Here is a brief video clip with some of the details of this remarkable STEM-based event.

Call BDPA on (301) 584-3135 to learn more about connecting with the organization's programs, scholarships and services on a local, regional or national level.

June 4, 2014

Black Couple Use Motorcycle Ride to Raise Money for STEM Education

Michael Wulf is a longtime BDPA member currently serving as vice president of BDPA Midwest region. He received the President’s Volunteer Service Award in both 2012 and 2013, acknowledging his tireless work with the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program hosted by the BDPA Twin Cities chapter.

Michael & Elizabeth Wulf

Michael found a new and unique way to raise money for the SITES program that is offered free-of-charge by BDPA volunteers. He and his wife Elizabeth plan to ride their motorcycles around the perimeter of the United States to raise needed funds to jump-start the creation of an academy that will run on a hosted online course management system. The 'Ride-4-Charity' fundraiser takes place from June 8-18, 2014. Michael and Elizabeth will ride over 7000 miles, across 26 states, during those 10 days.

Funds are being collected by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. Donations go directly towards the creation of an online course room that will be used for software, infrastructure and ongoing support. Online course rooms will be deployed across the United States taking free volunteer-led technical training out to communities and community centers where they can benefit most.

BDPA has the volunteer base and passion to serve future IT professionals and leaders. Their motto is 'from the Classroom to the Boardroom'. Volunteers will collaborate with students and guide them through training they normally would not get. This 'facilitated' style of training creates the confidence needed by students as they consider post-secondary education and careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). BDPA and the Wulf family want kids in the United States to be the inventors, creators or innovators and not just consumers.

To find out more or support this cause, please check out www.Ride4Charity.org or Facebook: Ride4Charity.

September 18, 2013

VIDEO: Review of 2013 BDPA Technology Conference

35th Annual BDPA Technology Conference was held in Washington DC on August 14-17, 2013. The event marked the largest gathering of IT professionals of color in the nation ... and also included over 50 major corporate sponsors. The 4-day event included an awards gala, career fair, corporate hospitality receptions, IT Showcase, live entertainment, plenary sessions,workshops and a youth technology camp. This video gives a glimpse of the people and activity from this annual conference!

BDPA exists to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. There are 46 local BDPA chapters located around the nation. Visit http://www.bdpa.org or call (301) 584-3135 to ask questions or discuss further.

Video Credit: Sharrarne Morton (Morton Media) and Steve McMillan (Cape Fear Productions).

May 9, 2013

BDPA and Eli Lilly Offer $2,500 Scholarship to Minority Students

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is proud to open up the application period for any graduating high school student or current college student interested in the 7th Annual Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students!

The purpose of the Lilly/BDPA Scholarship is to recognize outstanding minority students, with an interest in information technology, who make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, show exceptional leadership potential, and make an impact on their communities through service to others.

Lilly/BDPA Scholars will be awarded a one-time $2,500 scholarship that may be used to pursue an information technology focused degree at an accredited four-year college or university of their choice. The Lilly/BDPA Scholarship may be used to supplement benefits from the college or university a student plans to attend and fellowships from other foundations or organizations. Students may use the scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other college-related expenses.

Scholarship winners will be selected based on the application, essay, and letters of recommendation.

To be eligible for Lilly/BDPA Scholarship, each applicant must:

Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States
Be a member of BDPA
Be a graduating high school senior or current college student in good standing at the time of their application.
Demonstrate academic achievement (minimum GPA of 3.0)
Exhibit leadership ability through academic or civic involvement and participate in community service activities

Complete application packet must include the following:

Application Form
Current transcript
500-word essay on “Why Information Technology is Important”
Two letters of recommendation

Click here to download application!

Scholarships will be awarded only to students who fully meet the scholarship requirements. All application materials must be RECEIVED on or before July 1, 2013 in order to be eligible. Incomplete, e-mailed or faxed applications will not be considered!

We will announce the Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners during the 2013 National BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia, PA. We are very proud of our past Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners:

2007, Daniel Puente (University of Texas)
2007, Christian West (Northwestern University)
2008, Khalia Braswell (North Carolina State University)
2008, Lee Reed (University of Michigan)
2009, Hung Vo (Georgia Institute of Technology)
2009, Carrine Johnson (Palos Verdes Peninsula High School)
2010, Leslie Vasquez (Pike High School)
2010, Gerardo Dominguez (Chicago State University)
2011, Jala Cruz (North Central High School)
2011, Adwait Walimbe (John Marshall High School)
2012, Allen Warner (Valdosta State University)

Do you know any high school or college kids looking to study in a technology-based field during college? Can they use a $2,500 scholarship? If so, you need to share this information with them right away!

Any questions?

October 25, 2012

Minority Technical Organizations Join Together to Improve STEM Success in Our Community

Did you know that there are more than 40 minority technical organizations (MTOs) working independent of each other on initiatives to diversify the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce? These groups represent a large segment of the demographics of the next generation of scientists, technologists and engineers. Unfortunately, these MTOs are unable to fully implement their mission because too often they are underfunded and are not recognized as full partners in the national STEM effort.

As a result, we are very happy to report that representatives from a number of these MTOs held a luncheon meeting in Washington DC on September 24, 2012. At the conclusion of their summit the MTOs agreed to work together to strengthen their influence on STEM development and to help each other more effectively reach mutual goals and objectives.

The organizations at this meeting included:

The MTOs agreed to work collaboratively on ways to push forward the agenda for STEM development that would positively impact on people of color. Some of the ideas that came forward were:

Combine expertise to support projects of mutual interests and benefit;
Collaborate on outreach and marketing activities;
Meet at least annually to discuss and select collaborative activities;
Pursue collaborative strategies that strengthen the MTO influence on STEM development;
Share their common interests and support each other's mission, purpose and activities through information exchange using various communications media;
Unite their voice to support STEM policies that promote diversification of STEM and to oppose policies that hinder diversification.

If you're reading this blog post ... then we would love your thoughts. Are you part of any of these MTOs? Do you have other suggestions for them to consider?

July 20, 2012

African American Women and Girls Take Center Stage at BDPA Technology Conference

National BDPA, the largest and oldest non-profit organization of African American professionals working in or having an interest in the computer science and information technology fields is gearing up for their 34th Annual Technology Conference & Career Fair in Baltimore, MD, August 1-4. In what is slated to be one of their most innovative events to date, it is the women of BDPA that are steering the helm on the conference's ship to success.

Founded by Earl Pace and the late David Wimberly as an answer to the lack of Black representation in the technology field; BDPA now serves a diverse membership including programmers, analysts, engineers, managers, instructors, and entrepreneurs, many of which are women. Since its inception in 1975, nearly 50 percent of BDPA national and local presidents have been women. There has been a woman in the top spot since 2006 with over 13 regional chapters led by women. Of the four top national leadership positions, three belong to women overseeing strategy, finance and member services.

"There is a noticeable lack of women, and specifically women in leadership roles within the science, technology, engineering and math fields. It's important for women to take on leadership roles in the STEM fields because women leaders can attract and, as mentors, help guide more women and girls toward rewarding careers in these fields," says current national president Monique Berry. "STEM careers are extremely important to the global economy. Attracting and retaining more women in STEM careers will help to improve diversity, maximize creativity, and boost competitiveness. The United States, compared to many other leading and steadily emerging countries, lacks a strong focus on educating scientists and engineers."

Committed to leading the charge, the women of BDPA are paying it forward with the addition of the Youth Technology Camp to the upcoming conference. Students from around the country will join their peers and parents for a series of hands-on sessions and workshops spanning from robotics to mobile app development. The camp is an added bonus to the hundreds of interactive expositions and a series of workshops that will take place over the course of the 4-day conference.

Berry adds, "If we want to attract the best and brightest minds into the fields that will move us forward, we can no longer look to only half of the population. More women can contribute to our field and BDPA is helping to make that happen."

July 10, 2012

Good News Tuesday: Justin Wulf (BDPA Twin Cities)

Justin Wulf is a long-time BDPA Twin Cities chapter member with a powerful legacy in the organization's Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program. He is working towards his computer science degree at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Justin used his STEM experiences gained through BDPA to obtain an ongoing internship at Medtronic. Justin competed in national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships from 2007-2010. He earned a Jesse Bemley Scholarship from the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) as a result of high performance in the 2009 HSCC championship.

He recently shared the following testimonial with us:

"I have been a member of the BDPA Twin Cities Chapter since 2005. At the time, I was only 13 years old and hardly knew anything about computers beyond using them to install video games, surf the Internet and type papers. My first couple years of being in the Summer BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) were spent familiarizing myself with the hardware of an actual computer. It was the first time I ever took apart a working computer and put it back together in its functional state. I had also learned a bit about operating systems, computer networking and what really made computers tick. I felt like I knew everything I needed to know about computers after those first two summers in YTC, but when I entered high school, I learned that I was completely wrong.

Upon entering 9th grade, I was encouraged to continue attending BDPA classes throughout the year and was eventually offered a spot on the 2007 BDPA HSCC Team. I was introduced to the wonderful world of web development and computer programming. My curiosity and determination assisted me with understanding HTML and CSS languages used for designing websites. In addition to web design, our instructor Mark Holden taught us object-oriented programming in Visual Basic for more application-based programs. I had a little more trouble with making sense of object-oriented programming as it was complex and still so new to me. Something amazing happened to me that year. There was one moment in particular that I, as well as everyone else in the room, will always remember, is when computer programming all “clicked” for me. It was a Saturday afternoon, the classroom was silent, Mark was teaching us some confusing string concatenation techniques, and all of a sudden, my eyes widened, I sat completely straight up in my chair and I shouted, “I get it!” The other students on the team turned to me and smiled, along with Mark giving me a hardy chuckle and congratulating me. I will always thank back and remember that “click” every time I learn a new concept that I’ve been working hard at understanding.

From that point on, I was given the opportunity to compete in four National BDPA High School Computer Competition championships; Washington, D.C. in 2007, Atlanta, GA in 2008, Raleigh, NC in 2009 and Philadelphia, PA in 2010.

My most memorable year was in 2009 when our chapter rented a 15-passenger van and drove to Raleigh, North Carolina for the National BDPA Conference. Everyone on the team was focused and prepared to finally place top five in the High School Computer Competition. We anxiously waited for our names to be called in the award ceremony. We all held hands around our banquet table with our coordinators keeping their fingers crossed. Surprisingly, our chapter was called for 4th place and we all jumped and screamed simultaneously as if we all received the same electric shock in our circuit of linked limbs. It was a truly, inspiring year for me. It gave me the feeling that anything can be obtainable if you really put your mind to it.

My ambitious state of mind continued to develop over the years. Here I am now, a second year college student at Bethel University pursuing a Computer Science degree with a minor in Psychology. I have also acquired an internship at Medtronic, Inc., a Fortune 500 company and world leader in medical technology and pioneering therapies. In the span of about two years, I have worked closely with three different teams in Information Technology. BDPA has helped me reach new plateaus and opportunities from the experiences and lessons I’ve learned. I have decided to give back to the BDPA community by teaching students how to computer program in Java, C#, MySQL and ASP.NET and by training this year’s BDPA Twin Cities HSCC Team."

BDPA is doing a wonderful job in providing STEM experiences to hundreds of K-12 students. Please click here to show your support for these efforts! Also, take a moment to POST A COMMENT for Justin! You can follow Justin on Twitter -- @JustWulf

This blog will continue to seek out Good News stories about people of African descent and share them with you each Tuesday. We need to tell the positive and upbeat information about OURstory. We can't depend on others to do it for us. Please pass along any Good News story that comes your way. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to join our Good News parade every Tuesday.

July 9, 2012

Leading African American Tech Association Announces "Transforming the IT Professional" Conference August 1-4

BDPA, the largest non-profit organization of African American professionals working in or having an interest in the computer science and information technology fields, will make Baltimore, Maryland the home of their 34th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference & Career Fair. The 3-day event will rally the top tier of tech titans with thousands of IT professionals, students and corporate participants for an interactive series of innovative expos and workshops on August 1-4 at the Baltimore Hilton.

"Over the years, the National BDPA Technology Conferences have taken on unique personalities based on the venues in which they were held, as well as the character of their host chapters and leadership team," says Monique Berry, president of BDPA. "Attendees have access to top-notch keynote speakers, topical educational sessions, and a myriad of networking opportunities along with recreation; all in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere."

BDPA was founded in 1975 by Earl Pace and the late David Wimberly as an answer to the lack of black representation in the technology field. Today the organization serves thousands around the globe and boasts a diverse array of members including programmers, analysts, engineers, managers, instructors, and entrepreneurs. The national conference stands as one of the organization's cornerstones, embodying its mission to promote fiscally sound practices and improved productivity, facilitating transformational change within its membership, and contributing added value to the lives of its members as the premier provider of quality content and programs.

In what is slated to be the most highly anticipated and attended BDPA conference to date, attendees will enjoy a combination of new and staple events surrounding the latest technologies and innovation trends. Participants will gain insights and enhance their perspective from keynote speaker and "Cyber Czar," Dr. Ernest McDuffie; partake in a free career fair, preview the newest inventions and products at the technology showcase and have their choice of an assortment of workshops, seminars and panels cultivated to inform, educate and inspire.

You can secure your spot at the 34th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference if you register here.

To learn more about BDPA and the 34th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference please visit http://www.bdpa.org/?page=NationalConference

February 20, 2012

10 Steps to Cope with Technology Fatique

The Electronic Village exists because of the advances in technology. However, it is based on the imagery of a simpler time when we built relationships by face-to-face conversations and sat down over a meal with one another. Sometimes we just get tired. It is with that thought in mind that I offer 10 steps to cope with technology induced fatigue.

Turn it off! Every computer, cellular phone or electronic device has an on and off switch. Use it! When you take time off -- shut off your personnel communication devices.
Take time off! This might seem silly, but, one of the most damaging mistakes overachievers make is failing to take time off. For some reason, we try to be responsive to the needs of others, and "stay ahead of the game". Take some time for yourself.
Turn down the noise! It seems that everywhere I go these days there is music, electronic noise and voices in the background. Some days it is just extremely noisy! If you have important work to do -- find a quiet place and space to do it.
Remember three words that begin with the letter N -- No, Not now,
Never. These three words are extremely powerful words to gain control of your time and create some breathing space.
Rest! Take time to sleep, take a break or play. Don't focus so much on your goals and results that you don't take time to rest and sleep.
Stop Doing, Just BE! Sometimes doing nothing is a'ight! It is so easy with our hectic lifestyles to be too busy to enjoy the simple things; conversations with our children, walks or a good book. Being a human being has its advantages -- take time to do nothing. When is the last time you listened to the birds singing outside in the backyard?
Reflect! Take time to evaluate and determine if the direction you're heading is where you want to go. Do you feel trapped? Conflicted? Torn between priorities or values?
Get in Alignment! Are you out of alignment with your own priorities, goals and values? It's one thing to set a goal to climb a mountain -- it is quite another to have climbed a mountain and suddenly discover you are on the wrong peak. Create a list of values -- those things that you cherish most about your life -- and then evaluate if the time you are spending on daily tasks are in alignment with your values.
Make more life room! How much time, effort and energy is something worth? The answer is -- it depends. It depends on your values, priorities and goals. The key is to make sure that you do not allow anything to take up any more room in your life than you deem worthy. You may have to rearrange and say no -- to be able to make room for the things that are the most important to you -- but, if you don't, no one else can do it for you!
Be Good to Yourself! Brothers and sisters, you deserve it! You deserve to enjoy the best that life has to offer! Embrace it -- cultivate a sense of expectation. A sense of wonder and surprise. Be willing to be pleasantly surprised. Life may be waiting to hand you a wonderful gift -- make sure you have the foresight and vision to be able to see it. There is no one else on this planet like you -- you are unique. No one else on the planet knows what you know or has had the experiences you have had. Be good to yourself!

Do you have other suggestions for this list?

February 16, 2012

Entrepreneurs Discuss 'How To Avoid 7 Common Traps'

BDPA New Jersey chapter marketing director Derris Boomer is leading an aggressive effort to provide a monthly webinar series designed to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. The February 2012 webinar was focused on those BDPA members interested in moving forward as entrepreneurs or business owners. The guest speaker was Hicks Enterprises chief executive officer Wayne Hicks (known on this blog as 'Villager'). The topic was 'Small Business Opportunities in a Down Market: How to Avoid 7 Common Traps'.

The back-and-forth exchange of ideas by the presenter and the online participants was both enlightening and educational. Here is the 14-page PowerPoint deck used by the presenter during the webinar:

Small Business Opportunities in a Down Market

View more PowerPoint from Wayne Hicks

Our hope is that BDPA members across the nation will review the webinar seminar series offered by our New Jersey chapter ... and add relevant webinars to your personal calendar. Ongoing professional education is an important part of the BDPA experience!

February 12, 2012

Villager Shares 'Inspiration and Focus' on VoiceAmerica's 'What Matters' Radio Show

Your 'Villager' was interviewed last month by Certified life coach Mary Beth Lodge. Mary Beth interviewed me on her VoiceAmerica Internet radio show, 'What Matters' in an episode title, Goals: Inspiration and Focus.

The promo for the show read:

Discouraged about the impact you can have? Ever think that one person doesn’t have much influence? One person, focused and passionate, can make a tremendous difference! This week we are joined by R. Wayne Hicks, executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. BDPA was founded in 1975 out of concern that minorities were not adequately represented in the workforce of the then emerging computer industry. BETF, the Education and Technology Foundation of BDPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity established in 1992 to financially support student education and technology initiatives.

Wayne Hicks

An active leader in the organization since 1988, Wayne has followed his passion for education and applied his skill and dedication to expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth across the country. Working at both the local and national level, Wayne is the embodiment of the ripple effect. Listen in and gain an inspiration for your own passion and purpose.

Click here to listen to the archived version of the radio show interview.

I was very happy to share the great works being done by BDPA under the umbrella of its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. I informed Mary Beth and her audience about the great young people that BETF has been providing college scholarships over the recent years.

I found this video on Mary Beth's website and thought that you would enjoy it as well!

Anyhow, I hope y'all enjoyed the video and the radio show interview!

September 16, 2011

Why Technology Networks Are Important to African Americans

by Kai Dupé

The lack of support networks has been identified as a critical aspect to involving more African Americans in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). While I agree that this is very important, I do not agree that African Americans lack technology support groups. I assert that the problem is that the African American community at large is not aware of the networks that do exist.

There are three that I have worked with over the years. I am sure there are others and I am even more certain that most of our people, particularly our young people are not aware of these groups. I know this because I do quite a bit of public speaking around the country. When I ask students if they are familiar with The Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), BiTWiSE, or Blacks In Technology the answer is invariably no.

In all fairness, BiTWiSE and Blacks in Technology are recent developments. But BDPA has been around since 1975. I have been a professional software developer since 1986 and I only recently became aware of BDPA. We must do a better job of making our folks aware of these organizations.

This is not an indictment against BDPA as I personally know that they make every effort to ensure that our people know about their good work. The charge is ours. Any time I speak to a young person who has demonstrated an interest in technology, the first question I ask is ‘where do you live’ and if BDPA has a chapter in that city, I direct him or her to contact the chapter in their area.

The abundance of knowledge, experiences and social capital that exists within BDPA must be leveraged if our community is to become a player in the global technology game. As a speaker and blogger I am constantly receiving questions related to technology and how to get involved in the technology arena.

I am happy to answer these questions but how much better would it be for the learner to not only pose the question to a larger group but possibly someone who has experienced the same circumstance. This is a common occurrence on the web community, Blacks In Technology (BIT). BIT is a wonderful online community of Black technologists who are ready to share their stories, knowledge, wisdom and encouragement not only to those who are looking for others like themselves who are already involved in technology careers but also technology aspirants.

Without these kinds of support groups, African Americans in technology may began to deal with feelings of isolation. I can attest to this circumstance personally. Since I graduated from college with my undergraduate degree in computer science in 1986 I have rarely had the pleasure of working in an IT department with another African American.

This issue of isolation occurs in high school, the workplace as well as on college campuses. It is also one of the main reasons that African Americans do not persist in STEM careers.

Many scholars studying this issue from S. Craig Watkins in his book The Young and the Digital as well as Jane Margolis in the book Stuck in the Shallow End have reported on the importance of support groups or networks to combat the issue of isolation.

I would have loved being a part of either of these groups when I first became a software engineer. Why? Because it is great to be able to speak with someone who can relate to your circumstance. Someone who can understand what you may be going through.

I can remember having to explain to members of my family and friends what exactly it was that I did as a computer programmer. The people in my community simply did not understand that I was CREATING software, not using it! I also never had anyone to talk shop with for the early years of my career.

This is why I am so excited about this third group, BiTWiSE, which is a networking group dedicated to the African American software engineer and is sponsored by Microsoft. You can find BiTWiSE on LinkedIn under LinkedIn Groups. You can simply search Groups and enter ‘BiTWiSE’.

Technology support groups do indeed exist in the African American community. However they become less effective if they are unknown to the people who can benefit from them the most. We must do a better job of promoting the efforts of these groups in order to remove yet another obstacle to the inclusion of African Americans participation in the digital society.

Kai Dupé is a doctoral student at Pepperdine University where he is conducting research on Why African American Males Are Underrepresented in Computing. Kai can be reached by email at kai.dupe@kaidupe.com or by visiting his website at www.WhereAreBlacksInTechnology.com or follow him on twitter @KaiDupe

September 11, 2011

The BDPA Insider - September 11, 2011

The BDPA Insider - September 11, 2011

BDPA is a national association of Black information technology professionals. BDPA exists to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. What better way to end the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!

In this issue:

July 12, 2011

Good News Tuesday: BDPA Student Member Francisco Nunez Accepts Summer Internship With HP

Soulclap to Perry Carter for letting us know about the internship offered by HP to Francisco Nunez this summer in the Washington DC area. He attends Morehouse College and maintains a 4.0 GPA. Francisco served as the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) co-captain for teams trained by BDPA Washington DC chapter. He helped his teams capture the BDPA Northeast Regional HSCC title for four consecutive years.

Francisco and his teammates also had remarkable success whenever they participated in the national HSCC championship during his high school years. As a result, he earned a number of Jesse Bemley Scholarships from the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. Francisco is also a two-time BDPA-Oracle Scholar.

BDPA maintains his student membership with BDPA Washington DC chapter. BDPA is very proud of Francisco Nunez for his many accomplishments within the context of its HSCC Alumni program!

It is also great to see a BDPA corporate sponsor, HP, recognizing the talent that can be found within the organization. We talk about creating a pipeline of IT talent that can win the future. HP sees that BDPA is serious about advancing the careers of its members 'from the classroom to the boardroom'.

I encourage all villagers in the Chicago area to join us at the 33rd annual BDPA Technology Conference on August 3-6, 2011. You go to sports tournaments to find baseball, basketball and football prospects. You need to go to the BDPA conference to identify IT talent!

June 3, 2011

Are Blacks More Likely Than Whites to Support Causes Online?

Most villagers know that I'm the executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF). BETF has established a number of online fundraisers via social networks in the past few years. As such we were intrigued by a new survey that claims ethnicity is a factor in how people perceive charitable and political causes they encounter on social networks and whether they go on to get involved with those causes. [SOURCE]

Out of 2,000 participants in the survey, 30 percent of Black adults and 39 percent of Hispanics said they were more likely to support online causes rather than causes they encountered offline; 24 percent of whites said the same.

The study was released by Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy PR, a public-relations company.

While most of the survey participants said they believed they could make a difference by supporting a charitable or political cause, African Americans and Hispanics were more optimistic about the effectiveness of using online networks to do so. When asked if tools like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs could help spread the word about a cause, 58 percent of Blacks and 51 percent of Hispanics agreed, compared with 34 percent of whites.

In addition, more Blacks and Hispanics said Facebook and other social-networking sites made it easier to support a cause: 62 percent and 64 percent, respectively, compared with 54 percent of whites.

Whites are also less likely to use Twitter in general. According to a telephone survey of 2,277 adults conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, 25 percent of black and 19 percent of Hispanic Internet users say they use Twitter, compared with just 9 percent of white Internet users. What’s more, one in ten Black Internet users now visit Twitter on a typical day, compared with 3 percent of whites and 5 percent of Hispanics.

Yet despite the emphasis placed on social media, blogs and social networking sites are still second to more traditional information sources like television, newspapers, and personal relationships. Likewise, people were more likely to donate money or talk about a social issue than post it to a blog or Facebook, the Georgetown study found.

“What the study shows us over all is not to put all your eggs into the social-media basket,” says Julie Dixon, deputy director at the Georgetown Center. Instead, organizations should tailor their communications strategy based on the how their audience is likely to engage.

Our hope is that those of you who support the STEM-based programs that BDPA implements on local, regional and national level will find a way to visit and support our online fundraising efforts. Here is where you can find BDPA in various social networks:

Click and Pledge: Donor designates how funds are used
Crowdrise: BDPA IT Corps
Crowdrise: Various local chapter college scholarships
Facebook: BDPA Charlotte HSCC program
Facebook: BDPA IT Corps
Facebook: BDPA Los Angeles HSCC program
Facebook: BETF Endowment Fund
Facebook: Jesse Bemley Scholarship
YourCause.com: Donor designates how funds are used

What is your take on the survey findings?

April 26, 2011

Good News Tuesday: Titus Thomas, The Future Face of Technology

Titus Thomas

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out over 85 Jesse Bemley Scholarships valued at $154,000 since 1999 to talented high school students with a passion for science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) education. We are proud of all of these young men and women.

Titus Thomas is our next Bemley Scholar.

He is a 3-time participant in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships as a member of two chapters (Northern Virginia and Washington DC). Titus will use his Bemley Scholarship to defray expenses for attending Bowie State University. He shared his thoughts on BDPA with us:

My name is Titus Thomas and I am a freshman in college. I grew up in Washington D.C. In comparison to others, my life has somewhat been a bed of roses. I have two strict but loving parents, who teach me, care for me and feed me, not just to make me happy, but also to keep me healthy. I grew up with an older brother and an older and younger sister. Because of my parents I am the smart, creative and helpful person I am today. They taught me the difference between right and wrong.

For hobbies I developed the natural desire to play video-games but there was another game that I took interest in that other kids did not, Chess. At times my dad would take me after school to visit my mom at her job. There, I met the man who I have always known as “Mr. Bradley.” He taught me the basics. I used what he taught me to challenge my older brother in a series of chess games, where I was unsuccessful but I did not let that stop me. During middle school, I joined the chess club, where I furthered my skills until I realized that I was the best player in the school.

I attended one of the best schools in Washington D.C. with a clean academic history. I became one of the best chess players in the city at my age and was in the International Baccalaureate program. My dreams have been centered on being a technologist, mechanic, or aerospace engineer, but now I have decided to do something that I always have loved - a computer scientist. Like chess, I have always been a good “techie.” Around school I help teachers with their computer if it is acting up and help my parents and friends do certain things in Microsoft Word. I did not truly understand my passion for computers and technology until I joined the BDPA program where students compete internationally by creating websites using computer coding languages such as Hypertext Markup Language, Cascading Style Sheets and JavaScript. Our team placed in fourth in 2008 and third in 2009 and second place in 2010.

Looking back I can say the HSCC program is the reason for where I am and who I am today. I began participating in my first year of high school where I basically sat in each class and goofed off with my friends. Our HSCC coordinator, Mr. Lou Shack, saw that I had much more potential and would always treat me like I would do something great with my life, which I had a bigger purpose than to just, sit around all day doing nothing. So I got my act together next year and placed fourth in the 2008 National HSCC championship with my team.

Each national competition had new surprises and people to meet. From military leaders to the vice president of Wal-Mart, the networking never ended! The four years have gone by very quickly and now that I am in college the HSCC group continues to help guide me. Nothing but good has come from participating to the HSCC program and I would recommend it to any high school student who is interested in using computers.

And now in college I expect to learn as much as I can about computers as well as make good grades so that when I graduate from college, with my bachelors or masters in Computer Science, I can find a good job doing what I love. I also want to be able to return to the HSCC group that helped me get into college and help them in teaching their computer class.

BETF is very proud of Titus. We hope that you are proud of him as well. You can help us provide scholarships to many more if you have inclination to do so. We need your financial support if we hope to continue handing out these Bemley Scholarships in the future.

In the meantime, we hope you will REPLY or COMMENT on this post with your thoughts about this testimonial from Titus. Share some BDPA-love with this young man!

April 21, 2011

'E' is for Excellence Award: 10 Excellent Blogs

So many folks are heading to Facebook that the landscape for pure-bloggers is changing. One of the things that I see less nowadays are the informal blogging awards that used to be given out so often. A few years ago I was blessed to receive the 'E For Excellence' Blog Award'.

I would like to re-ignite that particular award. There is only one rule -- after receiving the 'E For Excellence' Blog Award, you must pass it on to 10 more excellent blogs. Here are the ten blogs that I would like to share this award with today:

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation Blog - This blog shares information about fundraising, funding sources and BDPA programs. BDPA seeks to advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry.
Black Web 2.0 - This blog is great about discussing the wealth of exceptional innovation, talent, and ambition of Blacks in the technology and new media industries in an opinionated and authentic voice.
Booker Rising -This is a blog for Black conservatives. The sheer volume of quality blog posts blows me away every day.
Depraved Mindset - This is a blog for the radical progressives who wish to expose the world to the truth and promote the create a more just society.
Field Negro - This blog gets more comments on its daily posts than any other non-entertainment blog in the world. He has great rapport with his blogging community ... and his social commentary is always on point for Black America.
For Harriet - This blog works to elevate the voices of Black women online and off.
Jack & Jill Politics - This is the most prominent political blog in the afrosphere. JJP prides itself on providing a Black bourgeoisie perspective on U.S. politics.
The BrownWatch - This blog provides news for people of color.
The Intersection | Madness & Reality - This blog talks about the injustices AfricanAmericans face, politics, and the reverent or irreverent. RiPPa uses his sense of humor and sarcasm to convey his opinion, and whether others agree with him, it isn’t his concern.
TNT: Truth ... Not Tasers - This blog tracks all taser-related deaths in North America. I admire the passion and comprehensive nature of the reporting done on this blog.

Congratulations to each of 'em for doing what they do! I hope that all villagers will take a moment to visit these ten Excellent Blogs.

April 10, 2011

The BDPA Insider - April 10, 2011

The BDPA Insider - April 10, 2011

Hall of Fame: Earl Pace

What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!

In this issue:

Which of this week's articles did you find the most compelling?

March 22, 2011

Good News Tuesday: Melvin Givens Earns BDPA/Oracle Scholarship

BDPA recently announced that 11 students from around the nation were BDPA/Oracle Scholarship winners this year. Melvin Givens, a BDPA Baton Rouge student member, is one of those scholarship winners.

Melvin Givens

Melvin is an active participant in the BDPA Baton Rouge computer training class. In fact, during the summer of 2010, he became one of the youngest people in the state of Louisiana to to earn his A+ Certification as a Computer Technician.

Melvin began on his list of impressive achievements at a young age. He began playing soccer at age 7, and continues to do so. At age 8, he won the state wrestling championship. He received multiple football awards during his school football career, which began in 2nd grade and continued until he opted to retire after his junior year to focus more on academics.

Melvin has been quite busy academically, as well. In the 8th grade, he was presented the Student of the Year award at Crestworth Middle School in Baton Rouge. He is a member of the National Honor Society, has been presented the Most Outstanding Award in Algebra II, the Most Outstanding Award in Advanced Math I, an Engineering Award, and maintains a 4.3 GPA. Earlier this year, he earned the honor of 'valedictorian' of his senior class at Scotlandville Magnet High School.

While keeping busy with sports and academics, Melvin has not neglected his community. He is a member of the Team Spirit at school, a group whose goal is to assist in the prevention of underage drinking, the use of drugs, impaired driving, and violence on campus. He is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Explorer, which allows him to assist paramedics in providing medical services, and volunteered at the Helouin Veterinarian Clinic during the summer of 2010.

Melvin does currently have unfinished business. In addition to facing graduation and a valedictorian speech, Melvin has been recommended for Louisiana State University’s La-STEM Research Scholars Program. The purpose of this program is to examine those factors which contribute to the success of high ability students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics areas. He is currently awaiting news of his acceptance.

And, finally (for now), Melvin is a member of Scotlandville Magnet High School’s Moon Buggy Team. The team created a two-member vehicle to be used in NASA’s moon buggy competition. This is a competition in which high school and college students across the country build two-man vehicles to use on an obstacle course provided by NASA that is supposed to simulate the moon. The main point of the competition is to see which team can complete the course the fastest. High school and college participants are separated into two categories and each vehicle must be operated by a male and female. He leaves for NASA on March 30, 2011 with his team for this, his second, competition. We wish them luck!

As you can see, Melvin keeps busy and excels at all he does. It is the belief of BDPA Baton Rouge chapter that he is very deserving of this $5000 BDPA/Oracle scholarship. Melvin, though his plate is full, is a very committed member of BDPA. He attended last year’s BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia, and is making plans to go to Chicago this year. Melvin is one of BDPA’s bright and shining stars, and we are very proud of him!

NOTE: You can help us raise college scholarship money for Melvin and other students in our BDPA Baton Rouge chapter by clicking here -- http://www.crowdrise.com/BDPABatonRouge!