BDPA - Twin Cities Foundation

IT/STEM Pipeline - Empowering Minority Students to Become IT Professionals

~ Closing the Gap by Preparing Students for the Future ~

The Information Technology industry is among the top fastest-growing occupations, yet we are unable to produce enough qualified people for the jobs that exist now and for those that will be created in the future. Communities of color will be responsible for 50 percent of the projected 169,000-person population increase in the years 2025-2030 according to MN Minority Education Partnership. Yet, the testing data and graduation rates of students of color are lagging. Among contributing factors is that fewer students of color are exposed to computer science and large segments of the population do not participate in science-related career building activities.

BDPA Twin Cities addresses the issue of low minority representation in IT fields through training, hands-on experiences, coding competitions, field trips, scholarships, internships, professional development, tech talks, and networking. We sponsor FREE information technology coding courses for Twin Cities youth. The curriculum introduces “Programmatic Thinking” in elementary school then progressively trains students in multiple coding languages,  job readiness workshops and practice with key programming skills through middle and high school. This ultimately gives students a solid foundation for pursuing further opportunities, internships, and careers in the IT industry.

BDPA Twin Cities is committed to efforts that introduce minority youth to “real world” programming knowledge that will lead to broader participation in the IT industry. BDPA Twin Cities programs focus on education designed to spark student interest in computer sciences. By showing students how computers and technology can solve problems rather than just being used for entertainment, we teach students how to be masters of the technology to create those solutions themselves for moving forward.

Click the button to Give to the MAX - Today!

What your donation means:

1. Sponsors opportunities for mentorship by seasoned IT professionals.
2. Sponsors Twin Cities minority youth to attend behind-the-scenes technology tours at venues such as US Bank Stadium, Target Field, Free Geek, Twins Stadium, Science Museum of Minnesota and so many other amazing sites.
3. Sponsors opportunities for Twin Cities youth to participate in the national BDPA High School Computer Competition during the summer of 2022.
4. Sponsors Twin Cities youth to participate at the annual BDPA national conference where students gain key insights for career success, interview for national internships and mentorships, all while competing for other awards and scholarships.
5. Sponsors scholarships for graduating high school seniors to further their education through attending college or a technical institute to obtain a career in information technology.
6. Sponsors funding for instructors, internships, supplies, student laptop loan program and other equipment needs during program trainings for all courses.
7. Assists BDPA Twin Cities with improving program technology such as: the websites, system upgrades, software, and equipment as needed each year.

 We Appreciate Your Support!

Click now and Give to the Max!!!

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Note: When this campaign is not actively running you can still donate here or on our website: https://bdpatc.org/get-involved/donate/

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HSTP Level 1 students design their first website and proudly share with each other their results.

  Student designed video of their experience at the National High School Computer Competition in 2012.

Help us plant the seeds for success through inspiring passion for IT for students of color.