I am 18 years old living in Raleigh, North Carolina. I graduated from Leesville Road High School and currently enrolled at North Carolina State University for Engineering. I have been part of BDPA for 4 years and for every year and I got the chance to attend and compete at the National Conference. In my final year of competing my team and I placed 3rd in the competition. I have loved every second I’ve been in BDPA and owe the organization a great thanks.
Without BDPA I would not have learned the technical skills of information technology, such as computer programming, or soft skills, such as public speaking and how to act or present yourself in corporate settings. Finally, BDPA allowed me to participate in a movement of Black professionals and allowed me to work with people that looked like me especially since there is a scarcity of people of color in STEM fields. Ultimately, BDPA has pushed me further to pursue my dreams of becoming a Black Professional in the STEM field as has also taught me never to waver from that dream.