Grant Award: IBM ($3,000)

Paulette Johnson-Davis

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very grateful to IBM for its recent grant award of $3,000 that recognizes the volunteer work done by IBM retiree Paulette Johnson-Davis. Paulette is a long-time BDPA leader who currently serves as the vice president of business management for the BDPA Greater Columbia chapter. She submitted an IBM Community Grant request for funding in mid-July. We learned today that the request had been approved!

The grant approval letter read, in part:

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Dear Mr. Wayne Hicks,

On behalf of International Business Machines Corporation, I am pleased to tell you that a cash grant of $3,000.00 has been approved to support BDPA Education and Technology Foundation's IT Training Support program. This grant has been awarded in recognition of the volunteer service of Paulette Johnson-Davis. IBM's Community Service grants are based on requests from employees or retirees who have a record of active and ongoing involvement with not-for-profit organizations and schools.

We are pleased to support BDPA Education and Technology Foundation and extend our best wishes for continued success of your programs.

Sincerely,
Wanda Guy
CCCA Program Administrator
International Business Machines Corporation

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Paulette's volunteer efforts have been in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Technology (SITES) program implemented by BDPA Greater Columbia chapter. The funds from this volunteer grant will be restricted for the benefit of her chapter.

The process is a simple one ... our hope is that other BDPA chapters will work with BETF to increase the flow of grant income over the coming weeks and months.

Message from BDPA Greater Columbia Past Chapter President

Paulette and Raven

BDPA Members and Friends,

BDPA Greater Columbia chapter president Mildred Allen and I were honored to be present at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 10th at the Duke University Chapel, Duke University, in Durham, NC. Raven Stevenson, a graduate of our local High School Computer Competition (HSCC) training program, was commissioned in the United States Navy on Friday, and she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Duke University on Sunday. What an outstanding set of achievements!

You may remember Raven as the HSCC student who won the $180,000 scholarship in 2009 while competing at the HSCC competition in Washington, DC. Her fellow team members were Dominique Geiger and Sami Patel.

L-R: Rick Leggett, Paulette Johnson-Davis, Perry Carter, Mildred Allen, Ensign Raven Stevenson, Monique Berry and Carl Hill

After the Commissioning Ceremony, the BDPA Triangle Chapter hosted a reception for Raven and her family at the First Flight Venture Center in Durham, NC. The reception was attended by members of Raven’s family, National BDPA president Monique Berry, as well as by members of the BDPA Triangle, BDPA Washington DC and BDPA Greater Columbia Area chapters.

Ensign Stevenson will report in August 2013 to CG 66 USS HUE CITY in Mayport, Florida. We congratulate Raven on her outstanding accomplishments and wish her every success in the future.

Sincerely,
Paulette Johnson-Davis
Vice President of Business Management
BDPA Greater Columbia Area Chapter

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.