Grant Disbursement: BDPA Greater Columbia ($2,550)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is pleased to announce approval of $2,550 grant disbursement to BDPA Greater Columbia chapter. This grant disbursement flows smoothly with our vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed Black community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large.

BDPA Gr Columbia Students

BDPA Greater Columbia chapter president Mildred Allen requested the funding to pay for the High School Computer Training Program and High School Computer Competition (HSCC) program in 2013. Twenty-five students participated in the 2013 program on a local level in South Carolina. Ten of these student members participated in the National HSCC and the Youth Technology Camp during the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC.

Congratulations to BDPA Greater Columbia for its strong efforts to provide meaningful STEM-related programs to its young people. BDPA is making a difference in its efforts to promote the 'future faces of technology'.

Where Are They Now? BDPA Greater Columbia Chapter Presidents

BDPA Greater Columbia chapter has created quite a legacy for itself since being chartered in 1997. For example, one of the young people trained by the chapter is currently enrolled at Duke University on a $180,000 college scholarship that she won during a national BDPA conference from the United States Navy [SOURCE].

Mildred Allen

The chapter is also a ripe source of national leadership. Two members of the chapter have served as national officers in recent years. Mildred Allen did remarkable work as National BDPA vice president of membership management. The national organization created a new membership database and web portal under her leadership. Paulette Johnson-Davis (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina) implemented new and improved programs for BDPA in her role as our National BDPA vice president of member services. Both of these women have also been active leaders in past national BDPA technology conferences.

BDPA Greater Columbia is blessed to have some remarkable and visionary women as its past presidents since 1997:

• 1997-1999: Barbara Singleton Code (Strayer University)
• 2000-2001, 2006-2009: Paulette Johnson-Davis (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina)
• 2002-2003, 2012-2013: Mildred Allen (SCANA)
• 2004-2005: Tonya Dorsey (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina)
• 2010-2011: Phyllis Coleman (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina)

My joy with the chapter has been its commitment to the education and mentorship of young people. Scores of students have been trained by BDPA Greater Columbia in the past few years ... in fact, the chapter hosted a regional conference with participation from students in Atlanta, Charlotte and elsewhere.

Our hope is that BDPA Greater Columbia chapter will continue to evolve as a beacon of light for all of us in the information technology industry over the years to come. You can do your part -- please make a secure online donation towards college scholarships for BDPA Greater Columbia students.