For Immediate Release: 02. 20. 2018

Contact:

Jake McIntosh, Director, Strategic Communications

jmcintosh@perscholas.org – 978.578.6821

New York, NY — Per Scholas is pleased to announce the addition of David Hannigan to its National Board. Per Scholas is a national workforce nonprofit that provides rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development in careers such as IT in Atlanta, GA; Cincinnati and Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Washington, D.C. and New York, NY. Per Scholas’ National Board provides leadership and guidance for carrying out the organization’s mission of opening doors to technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities.

Hannigan serves as Chief Cyber Risk Officer for Capital One Financial Corporation, a Signature Partner of Per Scholas since 2011. He is a seasoned information security leader with nearly two decades of experience in data-sensitive industries including financial services, online retail, and pharmaceuticals. Prior to his role at Capital One, David was CISO for Sears Holding; CISO and Leader of Technical Operations at Zappos; and CISO, security engineer, and leader of security operations and compliance with the Ernst and Young national security practice. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Hannigan lives in Arlington, VA with his husband, Daniel.

As a founding board member of the Security Advisor Alliance, Hannigan has demonstrated his commitment to lending his wealth of knowledge and insight to the public good. Per Scholas is fortunate to benefit from his perspective, and grateful to welcome him to the National Board.

“It’s an honor to join the National Board for Per Scholas and advance their mission to help more young people thrive in today’s economy,” Hannigan said. “There is an insatiable demand for talent, and I believe one way we can solve that is to expand the traditional pools of candidates. I admire Per Scholas’ mission, as it addresses this problem with a very human approach and literally changes people’s lives. Capital One supports Per Scholas through our Future Edge initiative focused on helping more people get the skills, tools and resources they need to succeed in the 21st century.”

Hannigan’s addition exemplifies the continuing fruitful partnership between Per Scholas and Capital One. As a Signature Partner, Capital One supports Per Scholas sites in Dallas, TX, the Greater Washington D.C. region, and New York City. Capital One advised on the development of Per Scholas’ curriculum and facilities, including the contribution of a new Education Securities Operations Center (ESOC) in Silver Spring, MD. Additionally, Capital One hosted a Future Edge luncheon where they coached students on networking and provided mock interviews. Through the event HEART Empowers Capital One hosted Per Scholas students in Dallas for mock interviews and professional development training, providing key volunteer support through direct engagement with Per Scholas’ student body.

“As Per Scholas expands course offerings and facilities to cover IT Security, we are grateful to have David Hannigan join our National Board,” says Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas. “David is a leader with extensive experience in cyber risk management and his voice will translate into tangible value for our students.”

For more information on Per Scholas, visit: http://www.perscholas.org

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as IT professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in six cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; and New York. To date, Per Scholas has trained 7,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life changing skills and careers in technology.

###

For Immediate Release: January 5, 2018

Contact: Jacob McIntosh, Manager, Marketing and Events

jmcintosh@perscholas.org, (978) 578-6821

Cincinnati, OH — Per Scholas is pleased to announce the recent addition of new members to its Cincinnati, OH Advisory Board. Per Scholas is a national workforce nonprofit that provides rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development in careers such as IT in Atlanta, GA; Cincinnati and Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; and New York.  Per Scholas’ Advisory Boards provide local leadership and guidance for carrying out the organization’s mission of opening doors to technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities.

Gar Gunter is a seasoned IT executive with over 30 years of IT and executive level experience.  Since retiring as Senior VP and CIO for Luxottica Group SPA, Gar has been consulting with small and medium sized businesses, helping guide and advise with their strategic IT and Business Process plans. While CIO for Luxottica Retail North America, Gar supported the brands of LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical and EyeMed Visioncare.  Prior to joining Luxottica, Gar had 15 years IT experience in the healthcare and retail industries.

Wally Lovejoy is an independent health care consultant, with a focus on eye care and optical retailing. Wally was previously the Senior Vice President, Eye Care Development at Luxottica Retail North America.  He was also chair of the Board of Directors of EYEXAM of California, a licensed vision health care service plan, and responsible for the operation of over 300 optometric offices owned and operated by Luxottica Retail companies. Wally is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Smart Vision Labs and a member of the Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry Advisory Board. He is also a volunteer attorney with the Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio, providing free business legal services to Cincinnati and Dayton area nonprofits.

Marylin Seastrom is a veteran executive with 30 years of professional experience, including more than 20 years in the field of insurance. She brings a wide range of corporate and leadership expertise, including sales & account management, IT, business operations, finance, and accounting. She has grown with EyeMed Vision Care since 1996, and currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Relations. The longevity of her service to EyeMed Vision Care is a testament to her institutional loyalty and commitment. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, she is a Licensed Insurance Agent, and holds PMP and CPA accreditations.

“I am delighted to announce these additions to our Advisory Board,” says Paul Cashen, Managing Director of Per Scholas Cincinnati. “I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Gar Gunter, Wally Lovejoy, and Marylin Seastrom for many years. They have already made a significant impact on Per Scholas with their donations of time, talent and treasure, and will continue to be a valuable resource to our organization.”

For more on Per Scholas Cincinnati, visit: http://www.perscholas.org/cinc…

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as IT professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in six cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; and New York. To date, Per Scholas has trained 7,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life changing skills and careers in technology.

The traditional route to a successful career in America has typically been to earn a high school and college degree before settling into a good job. In today’s 21st century economy, students are finding more unique educational pathways that lead to quality jobs and lasting careers.

On October 14, American Graduate Day celebrated the individuals and organizations that guide and mentor students to graduation and beyond. As part of American Graduate Day, Per Scholas Cincinnati Career Advancement Director, Wayne Ivy, shared in an interview how his mentorship prepares students for employment.

“Don’t let someone else dictate to you how far you can go,” Wayne says. Mentorship is an investment that students can feel. As Career Advancement Director, Wayne mentors by giving students the best career advice and tips on how to demonstrate their skillsets beyond a resume.

To watch Wayne’s interview, click here.

American Graduate Day was broadcast live from Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City. Troy Pinkney, a Per Scholas graduate, was interviewed by Lauren Wanko to share how his determination combined with the support of Per Scholas staff transformed him from an airport luggage handler to an American Graduate.

To watch Troy’s interview, click here.

Troy pursued his Associate’s degree in business, but his career was not accelerating at the rate he had hoped. He witnessed first hand the success of Per Scholas from his brother who went through training and had opportunities open up for him immediately after graduating. Having no prior experience in technology like his brother, Troy was inspired to pursue a career in IT.

While taking classes at Per Scholas, Troy worked as a luggage handler at JFK International Airport. During the interview he shares that going between work and class was very stressful. On more than one occasion Troy would run to catch the train just to make it on time. Despite the stress, Troy says that Per Scholas’ zero tolerance policy taught him discipline for the work world.

Out of all the parts of the program, Troy says his favorite thing about Per Scholas was his instructor, Vishal. Vishal equipped him with the necessary skills he needed to explain complex tech issues to an end user. Once an individual with no IT experience, Troy is now an associate field technician at Ricoh USA.

Every year, graduates are celebrated at ceremonies across the country. But it is mentors like Wayne and Vishal that American Graduate Day especially aims to recognize. Many students in overlooked communities have the drive and passion to succeed, but not the resources. When they are given the tools and have someone in their corner who believes in them, the open doors of opportunity are endless.

Per Scholas Cincinnati celebrated the second Toss for Techs Cornhole Tournament at the CityLink Center on Tuesday, April 25th with close to 150 guests representing employer partners, community leaders and Per Scholas students and alumni.

The event succeeded in raising over $23,000 to support future Per Scholas students enrolled in IT Support and Software Testing courses. Per Scholas partnered with the American Cornhole Organization for the second year in a row to organize a fun tournament for supporters. Fifteen local employer partners invested in Gold and Silver level sponsorships to enter twenty-four cornhole teams into a competitive frenzy that lasted from 5pm-8pm. Returning champions from The E.W. Scripps Company defended their title going on to win the event for a second year in a row!

The race is on to see who can take down Scripps at future tournaments.

The evening’s program featured 2016 Per Scholas Graduate, Angela Bedford, a Quality Assurance Analyst at Thrive Impact Sourcing. Angela shared her journey to Per Scholas, working as an Access Service Representative at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She described her annual 20 cent increases and the mounting bills and overtime hours required to take care of her family. Angela always had an aptitude for technology, supporting doctors at the hospital with IT troubleshooting needs, so when she found Per Scholas, a viable option to advance her career, she jumped at the opportunity. Currently working for Per Scholas’ largest Cincinnati partner, Thrive Impact Sourcing, Angela shared “I’m not dreading going to work everyday. I’m not frazzled, frustrated, or disappointed anymore.” She experienced a $12k or 30% raise after switching careers and is able to cover her bills and experience more free time with her family. Angela was recently featured on the local WCPO channel and to hear her interview, click here.

Guests were also treated to food catered by Montgomery Inn and a live DJ, a raffle, auction items and drinks that contributed to a shared night of celebration and collaboration. Over the past year, Per Scholas Cincinnati has experienced improving metrics driving renewed interest in the trainings and support that the organization offers.

In 2016, 98% of students who entered into Per Scholas Cincinnati’s classrooms graduated and 89% of those students have been placed in jobs earning an average of $35,000 every year. The dramatic success is owed to the continued investment of local community members and employers who provide constant investment and partnership opportunities to the organization. The demand for tech jobs in the region continues to grow, and Per Scholas’ expertise training and placing graduates is experiencing increasing demand for employers around the country.

A huge thank you goes out to our sponsors for supporting Per Scholas throughout the years. Sponsor organizations have hired Per Scholas graduates, invested resources, volunteered staff hours and provided advisory support. These types of partnerships ensure Per Scholas is connected to local talent and local demand, providing improving services to the Greater Cincinnati Tech community.  

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Thrive Impact Sourcing, First Financial, TEKsystems, CDK Global and our Silver Sponsors: Qvidian, The E.W. Scripps Company, Pomeroy, Immedion, Lightower, Kroger, Promark, CompuCom, Ernst & Young, CityLink and Vernovis.

Check out past Monthly Impact Reports here.

Last April, Per Scholas launched a new Software Testing training course in Cincinnati in partnership with Ingage Partners and Thrive Impact Sourcing. The collaboration has succeeded by preparing individuals from the Greater Cincinnati region for open positions as quality assurance software testers. Thrive Impact Sourcing committed to hiring at least half of the graduates immediately upon course completion. After three courses, however, Thrive has hired over 80% of the graduates, demonstrating the quality of candidates and training the students receive at Per Scholas.

Last month, the graduation for the Software Testing course was featured on Fox 19, with a video segment that highlighted the students accomplishments. To this day, Thrive has hired 37 Per Scholas alum for positions as QA (Quality Assurance) Analysts in their firm.

The unprecedented partnership between Per Scholas and Thrive has opened the doors to a career in tech for many students. “I have nothing but hope and excitement about my future. Just three or four months ago I was expecting to be just above minimum wage…I work for a company that cares about my success and they pay for my training.” says Taj Crooms, Per Scholas ambassador. Fellow ambassador Angela says that becoming a software tester and working at Thrive has been an important change in her life. “I’m not dreading going to work everyday. I’m not frazzled, frustrated, or disappointed anymore.”

Since it’s creation, the partnership between Per Scholas and Thrive has peaked the interest of various media outlets and has had a demonstrable impact on the economy. Soapbox Media states “Thrive Impact Sourcing’s disruptive methods impact local employment rates” highlighting the unique “urban impact sourcing” model used between Thrive and Per Scholas to provide high-quality opportunities in low-employment, urban areas. “Thrive is fortunate to have mission-aligned, client partners who were early adopters of this disruptive business model,” says Kelly Dolan of Ingage Partners and Thrive.

The Software Testing course provides participants with industry-leading testing skills and techniques in a lab-based, instructor-led environment. In addition, they are given access to real-life projects and participate in field studies to learn alongside working professionals. Graduates are then given the opportunity to interview for full-time positions directly with Thrive Impact Sourcing and other corporate partners.

About Thrive:

Thrive Impact Sourcing exists to reshape the socioeconomic trajectory of an untapped talent pool  living in poverty by providing opportunities to launch a career in the field of IT. Thrive produces real business value for its’ clients by offering a local IT outsourcing solution from our Urban Outsourcing Center.  New Analysts are surrounded by on-going mentorship from senior IT professionals while engaged in software testing projects with a variety of clients. Using this model, we bring a competitive and competent pool of IT talent to the marketplace. Thrive is a local start-up pioneering an Impact Sourcing business model located in Cincinnati’s urban core. Impact Sourcing creates high quality job opportunities for an untapped talent pool in low-employment areas transforming lives and making businesses more efficient. Thrive concentrates on a proven approach to Quality Assurance to provide functional testing services, test management, and usability testing. Data Transformation services are also a part of Thrive’s offerings. On-going training, mentorship and life coaching sets these professionals and their families on a path to Thrive. For more information, please visit www.thrivecincinnati.com Or follow them on social media on Facebook.

Check out past Monthly Impact Reports here

The 2nd Annual Toss for Techs Fundraiser kicks off this April! Buy your ticket here to get yourself on a tournament team! To get involved or to learn more about how to be a sponsor, please reach out to Paul Cashen at pcashen@perscholas.org

WHEN: Tuesday April 25, 5:00 – 8:00PM

WHERE: CityLink Center – 800 Bank Street, Cincinnati, OH 45214

WHAT: 

• Competitive corn hole tournament, officiated by Frank Geers, American Cornhole Organization

• Food, drinks, and fun for all non-competitors and competitors alike

• Celebrate with business leaders from the tech industry

• Meet extraordinary Per Scholas students & graduates

• Invest in the future of the Cincinnati tech economy

• Sponsors have a bigger impact because your donation goes directly to fund careers in tech

Buy your tickets here! 

Sponsorship Levels

Last year, 15 teams from the Cincinnati community rallied together for an intense cornhole tournament, headed by the American Cornhole Organization. Teams representing Cincinnati’s tech and business sector, as well as Per Scholas employer partners and alumni battled it out in hopes of being crowned the winner of the first ever Toss for Techs tournament. E.W. Scripss Company ultimately were crowned the winners after going head to head with CityLink in the finals. 

With a whirlwind of a tourney bringing the community together, attendees were treated to an endearing speech by Per Scholas alum Aaron Mingo, who shared his story of working as a server in a restaurant for 12 years before finding Per Scholas. The audience became entranced with Aaron’s commitment to seek better opportunities, and exploded with applause knowing that he’s able to better support his family with his new career in technology. 

By nights end, Per Scholas was able to raise more than $12,000 to support more students like Aaron and help them launch careers in technology.