Xcel Energy Foundation awards education grant to BDPA youth tech programs

- by MSR News Online

 

On behalf of the Xcel Energy Foundation, Marsha Connor, communications consultant-web, Xcel Energy, recently presented a $5,000 educational grant check from the Xcel Energy Foundation to the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) Twin Cities Chapter to help BDPA’s youth technology programs.

Accepting the check was Dorothy Richburg, vice president of strategy and planning for the BDPA Twin Cities Chapter and president of Keystone Computers, Joseph Richburg, vice president of finance, BDPA, and Cushmeer Haines, president, BDPA Twin Cities.

From left to right: Joseph Richburg, vice president of Finance, BDPA; Dorothy Richburg, president of Keystone Computers and vice president of strategy and planning, BDPA; Marsha Connor, communications consultant-web, Strategic Communications, and Cushmeer Haines, president, BDPA Twin Cities.
From left to right: Joseph Richburg, vice president of Finance, BDPA; Dorothy Richburg, president of Keystone Computers and vice president of strategy and planning, BDPA; Marsha Connor, communications consultant-web, Strategic Communications, and Cushmeer Haines, president, BDPA Twin Cities.

BDPA programs focus on education designed to spark student involvement in the Professional Development, High School Computer Competition, and Mentoring programs that aid in the personal and professional development of high school students. The high school students learned web programming, digital technology, and recently returned from participating in the national high school computer programming competition held in Washington, D.C.

The BDPA Twin Cities chapter typically partners with local businesses such as Xcel Energy. This partnership provides programs that increase the technical capabilities of BDPA’s membership and the local community. Xcel Energy volunteers include Connor, Lacy Lee Johnson and Jeandre Williams, Business Systems. Connor, along with Johnson and Williams, has represented Xcel Energy on the BDPA Marketing committee. The Xcel Energy Foundation’s Education Focus Area grants support science, technology engineering, economic and math education programs for students from kindergarten through college.

We invite you to join BDPA! As technology professionals competing in a global marketplace, it is important to take advantage of every opportunity to learn, grow and network. With membership you gain access to people and resources to support your career from the classroom to the boardroom.

To learn more about BDPA and ways to get involved, you can visit the BDPA website at https://bdpa.site-ym.com/?page=Membership; you can also contact BDPA Twin Cities President Cushmeer Haines at 651-379-0058 or via email at chaines@Keystonecs.com. You can also visit us on YouTube: “Make Moves” 2012 BDPA Twin Cities” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhj9D4JWAYY).

 

This information, written by Marsha Connor, is provided Xcel Energy.