Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) hosted the third Diverse by Design conversation series on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

The NSBE Conference, focused on “increasing the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community” provided an energetic and inspiring backdrop for the event. Nearly 150 participants including business and community leaders, teachers, college students, engineers and workforce development advocates joined the engaging and frank conversation about building diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

• Damien Howard, National Vice President, Social Ventures, Per Scholas

STATE OF AFFAIRS

• Matthew Nelson, National Chair, National Society of Black Engineers
• Dr. Karl Reid, Executive Director, National Society of Black Engineers

Dr. Karl Reid shared that NSBE has set a bold goal of graduating 10,000 African-American bachelor degree recipients in engineering annually by 2025 up from the current number of 3,620. Matthew Nelson added how personal this initiative is to him, “I am a college dropout on my way to receiving my doctorate. This would not have been possible without the support of NSBE.”

IGNITE PRESENTATION

• Stephanie LeBlanc, Revenue Intelligence Analyst, Google

Stephanie kicked off her Ignite presentation by challenging the audience to be aware of and challenge “the unconscious bias that helps define one’s potential based on their skin color.” She asked listeners to use any opportunity to set an example for children and young adults and reinforce to them that “they can do it – whatever ‘it’ is for them.”

KEYNOTE CONVERSATION

• Presented by Ken Walker, VP, Operations, Per Scholas
• Tony Spinelli, Cybersecurity and Risk Management Expert and Per Scholas National Board Member
• Plinio Ayala, President and CEO, Per Scholas

Plinio and Tony’s conversation focused primarily on how to provide a path to opportunity for talented, high-potential individuals from overlooked communities. Tony stressed that creating a diverse talent pipeline is a win-win-win for employers, employees and the community but cautioned that “diversity is not a mathematical equation. It’s a cultural change.” And to truly drive change, uncomfortable conversations are required Tony noted, “the tough part is speaking [about diversity] to people who do not believe in it.”

IGNITE PRESENTATION

• Viola Maxwell-Thompson, President & CEO, ITSMF

Viola Maxwell-Thompson’s Ignite presentation shed light on some staggering statistics about women in the tech industry including that more than 56 percent of women in technology leave the industry. Viola shared that she herself was almost one of these women but that a former boss helped her find the work-life balance she needed to raise her family. Encouraging all employers to “hear her voice” is a key goal of ITSMF. The organization has created the Emerge Women’s Leadership Forum to “increase the number of women of color in technology from 9% to 15% by 2025 through a series of professional workshops, supportive environments and model leadership, and by doing so amplify the nuance of women leaders.”

PANEL: ENGINEERING DIVERSITY

• Moderated by Errika Mallett, VP of Member Services & External Affairs, ITSMF
• Jonna Gerken, President-Elect, Society of Women Engineers
• Stephanie LeBlanc, Revenue Intelligence Analyst, Google
• Tonya Parris, President, The Parris Foundation
• Sean Wright, Managing Director, Healthcare Security, Accenture

The panel addressed many questions from the audience about best practices for “engineering diversity” and critical elements to employee retention. Retention recommendations included having more transparent and frequent reviews, being intentional about pairing career counselors and mentors and making employees feel like they are being invested in.”  Stephanie LeBlanc noted that a major reason why companies lose talent is when employees feel like they do not have what Google calls “psychological safety: the freedom and ability to be their authentic self.”

CLOSING REMARKS-DIVERSE BY DESIGN NATIONAL WORKING GROUP CO-CHAIRS

• Toacca Rutherford, Chief Development Officer, Consumer Business Banking and Auto IT, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Gene Waddy, CEO, DIVERSANT
• Richard White, National Professionals Chairperson, National Society of Black Engineers

Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum, partnered with global financial leader JPMorgan Chase & Co. to pioneer an innovative approach to building diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The opportunity to partner with JPMorgan Chase strengthens an important connection between industry leaders and diversity experts in the workforce. The firm has partnered alongside Per Scholas for more than twenty years. They became one of the first Signature partner’s when Per Scholas officially launched our Corporate Engagement program three years ago. This Signature status reflects the company’s commitment to deeply investing and cultivating diverse talent pipelines for their workforce. The partnership emphasizes the company’s commitment to hiring Per Scholas graduates, volunteering staff hours for mock interviews and mentorship opportunities, as well as event sponsorship and board participation. Per Scholas and ITSMF are thankful for the continued collaboration and look forward to engaging employers and future leaders across the country with the support of JPMorgan Chase.

Diverse workforces offer a competitive edge in the market. In fact, research shows that diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform their counterparts, yet 97 percent of domestic senior leadership teams fail to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.

Earlier this year, Per Scholas and ITSMF launched Diverse by Design, which offers a new platform for the organizations to build collective momentum and reshape our nation’s workforce.

The first event leaders to engage in conversations about successful models that rethink hiring systems and retention practices. With JPMorgan Chase’s support, Diverse by Design announced the National Working Group to move conversations about making workplaces more inclusive, equitable, and diverse to action.

The National Working Group is comprised of Fortune 500 thought leaders and partners focused on developing systems for hiring and retaining diverse talent across a number of sectors. The Working Group is led by co-chairs Toacca Rutherford, Chief Development Officer for Consumer Business Banking and Auto IT, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Gene Waddy Chief Executive Officer, DIVERSANT and includes 11 other members. The inaugural Diverse by Design event offered the opportunity for JPMorgan Chase to reaffirm financial support and investment in Per Scholas across multiple sites.

The second Diverse by Design convening  took place on December 13 in our nation’s Capital. Only weeks following the presidential election, the convening explored the intersection of public policy and private sector diversity initiatives, driving action aimed at fostering more diverse and inclusive workplaces. The audience, composed of C-suite executives and workforce representatives from across the East Coast experienced a State of the Nation address by Chair Jenny Yang of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The event also featured a keynote conversation, panel discussions and ignite presentations. National Working Group chair Toacca Rutherford offered remarks on behalf of the Working Group, while Terrance Bowman, Vice President and Diversity Lead for Global Technology Recruiting, moderated an impassioned panel discussion between public and private sector representatives.

The firm’s most recent contribution to Diverse by Design reinforces JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s commitment to investing in conversations linked to diverse hiring, inclusion and retention practices.

To learn more about Diverse by Design please visit www.diversebydesign.org.

Check out past Monthly Impact Reports here.

On February 3, Per Scholas hosted the inaugural graduation ceremony for its rigorous 16-week cybersecurity training course powered by Barclays. The tuition-free course equips un-or underemployed adults with the knowledge and skills to fill a wide range of cybersecurity jobs.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that demand for cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 53 percent through 2018. Per Scholas’ course provides students with the intensive hands-on training, workplace exposure, career counseling and professional development needed to successfully pursue opportunities in the critical cybersecurity field.

“Per Scholas will continue to demonstrate the strong impact our students have on corporate success and local community growth.  It remains our collective charge to elevate diverse and domestic talent pipelines to become go-to resources for corporate investment. Our students and these graduates are the number one example of this success. Their future careers will remain evolving proof of the creative partnerships and leadership that made this possible,” said Plinio Ayala, president and CEO, Per Scholas.

Numerous members of the business and tech community joined the graduation ceremony including, Sameer Jain, CIO, Barclays Investment Bank; Harish Chittor, AVP, Barclays; Anthony Dipchan, windows server support, Barclays; Neil Parikh, co-founder and chief operating officer, Casper, and Shinelin Samuel, application development lead and software architect, Barclays.

“It was an honor to speak at Per Scholas’ inaugural cybersecurity graduation,” said Sameer Jain, CIO, Barclays. “Our colleagues have worked hard to develop a strong cybersecurity training program and I have no doubt that these 14 graduates will find success in such a crucial area of importance to the financial services industry.”

Barclays has hired four of the graduates to fill open cybersecurity positions in New York. Nicolio Sambrano, newly hired Barclays employee and valedictorian of the graduating class spoke meaningful words to graduation attendees: “This course was the first step for us. We are grateful for the opportunity Per Scholas gave us and for Barclays for taking a chance on us.

The graduating class of 14 young professionals was the first to take courses at Per Scholas’ new Brooklyn location. The facility was made possible by generous support of lead sponsor Barclays, as well as AT&T, The New York Community Trust, the Office of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Empire State Development, and individual contributors.

To learn more about Per Scholas’ cybersecurity course, click here.

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. 

Per Scholas is joining General Assembly at it’s first ever Career Lab events in New York, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta on February 11. Career Lab is a one-day event in cities across the country with leaders in tech to help start or advance individual’s careers in top tech fields. Professionals at all experience levels can explore new paths to success in the competitive fields of web development, data, user experience design, digital marketing, and product management.

In all cities, participants will hear about opportunities in tech, take a career aptitude test and a career next step class, learn about data science, digital marketing, coding, visual design, JavaScript, UX Design, and more. The full day event will include networking opportunities and a chance to hear from experts about the region’s tech ecosystem. No matter an individual’s current role or field, this career event will arm participants with the motivation and tools needed to find or pursue their passion.

Reserve your spot today in Washington, D.C., New York, and Atlanta.

Check out past Monthly Impact Reports here.

Per Scholas is joining General Assembly at its first-ever Career Lab events in New York, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta on February 11. Career Lab is a one-day event in cities across the country with leaders in tech to help start or advance individual’s careers in top tech fields. Professionals at all experience levels can explore new paths to success in the competitive fields of web development, data, user experience design, digital marketing, and product management.

In all cities, participants will hear about opportunities in tech, take a career aptitude test and a career next step class, learn about data science, digital marketing, coding, visual design, JavaScript, UX Design, and more. The full day event will include networking opportunities and a chance to hear from experts about the region’s tech ecosystem. No matter an individual’s current role or field, this career event will arm participants with the motivation and tools needed to find or pursue their passion.

Reserve your spot today in Washington, D.C., New York, and Atlanta.

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016, Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) hosted the second Diverse by Design, a conversation series about building diversity and inclusion in the workforce. The event, hosted at Google’s headquarters in D.C., included nearly 150 guests comprising of C-Suite individuals, employer partners, public servants, and leaders from nonprofits and foundations, who elevated best practices and partnerships to build an inclusive and diverse workforce.

The afternoon was kicked off by Damien Howard, VP of Social Ventures at Per Scholas who got attendees fired up and ready to go and reminded us all, “smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” Shortly thereafter, Melissa Stallings, Managing Director of the National Capital Region with Per Scholas shared some local insights, elevating pipelines and partnerships in the D.C. region. Melissa shared the story of a recent Per Scholas graduate, Renique King, who had this to say about her time at Per Scholas: “During my studies, I embraced the culture, staff, my instructor, my classmates, and each day of lessons. Every day I learned something new about IT and myself.” Melissa set the tone for the rest of the afternoon with this quote: “Let today’s event be what spurs you into action to put into place or further develop strategic and thoughtful initiatives that create and sustain an inclusive, equitable, and innovative tech ecosystem.”

Co-Chairs of the National Working Group, Toacca Rutherford, Chief Development Officer, Consumer Business Banking and Auto IT, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Gene Waddy, CEO at DIVERSANT took the stage to share stories from their careers and continued investment in the Diverse by Design movement. Toacca emphasized the need to create pathways for untapped talent and hopes that one day, “#diversebydesign” will be a verb like “Google.”

Chair Jenny Yang, of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, charged the audience to increase diversity by embedding equality, broadening networks, and evaluating benefits, she shared an awesome resource: The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Action Grid on how to promote diversity and inclusion in the science and technology workforces.

Dr. Talmesha Richards, Chief Academic and Diversity Officer, STEMconnector and Million Women Mentor, was the 1st of two Ignite presentations scheduled for the afternoon. Her harrowing tale involved a fellow student explaining that she would never win a math competition because she was “a girl.” The audience learned, not only did she win the competition but she continued on a multi-year winning streak and brought the entire audience to a round of applause. She ended her speech firmly stating “With STEM mentoring everyone wins. With #Diversity, EVERYONE wins.”

The momentum from Dr. Talemsha Richards, carried over into a powerhouse panel, introduced by Errika Mallet, led by Terrance Bowman, JPMorgan Chase & Co. On stage, D.C. Deputy Mayor Courtney Snowden, Jamika Burge, Capital One, Chanelle Hardy, Google, Marty Rodgers, Accenture and Nicole Cozier with the Human Rights Campaign discussed cross-cutting and collaborative partnerships between private and public spheres. The panel also emphasized success stories from their own companies. Chanelle Hardy was able to share that a Mexican American employee at Google attributed his idea for a blue colored phone to his heritage and the result was millions in revenue for Google. The panelists agreed that in order for a company to succeed in their diversity efforts, leadership needs to have the “tough conversations.” Some choice quotes from the panel include:

• “Diversity is like being invited to the party and inclusion is being asked to dance”- Jamika Burge, Capital One
• “Talent is ubiquitous, but opportunity is not. Looking for untapped talent? Go to where the untapped talent is.” – Courtney Snowden, DC Deputy Mayor
• “When you’re in that power seat, ask the hard questions” – Chanelle Hardy, Google

Per Scholas’ Kenneth Walker, VP of Operations introduced the Keynote conversation between Michael Bennett, Executive Vice President at Evan & Chambers Technology and Viola Maxwell-Thompson, President at ITSMF.

During the conversation, Michael Bennett walked through his decision to shift from a career in law to tech. His efforts to promote diversity focused on being intentional and ensuring that he hired “someone who sees the world a little differently” When looking at current diversity efforts by organizations, Michael pointed out, “the pipeline does not matter if the organizational chart stays the same. He shared five leadership principals with the audience that he believe are necessary to building diverse and inclusive workplaces. They include:

• Authenticity
• Carefully Weighted Decisions
• Integrated Thought Leadership
• Trust Your Gut
• Servant Leadership

The final Ignite presentation from Tonia Wellons, VP for Community Investment with The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, focused on her career and journey embracing culture and inclusion as pillars within her work.

Viola Maxwell-Thompson of ITSMF closed us out but asked the audience to remain engaged with Diverse by Design as we continue to elevate and model real solutions creating impact on diversity and inclusion numbers across our nation’s workforce.

“Thank you to all who attended,” Kenneth Walker of Per Scholas shared, “Thank you to each of our guests for joining us in a dynamic and intentional conversation. Collaboration and partnership are the keys to our success and we are fortunate to be learning alongside industry leaders in both public and private spheres and hope to carry this momentum forward into 2017.”

Here is how you can keep the momentum going!

• Continue to use #DiverseByDesign on your social media platforms when talking about diversity and inclusion. Tag @PerScholas and @itsmfonline!
• Encourage a colleague or friend to join our Diverse by Design mailing list by clicking here. 
• Diversity Leadership Action Grid referenced by EEOC Chair Jenny Yang and the Pathways to Inclusion report produced by District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser.
• For more information

To learn more about our panelists and speakers, visit our speakers page here. Many thanks to our  partners at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Google for their generous support of Diverse by Design.

National Leaders in Business, Technology, and Philanthropy Form Cross-Sector National Working Group to Bridge the Gap Between Underrepresented Populations and U.S. Tech Jobs

Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) hosted the second Diverse by Design on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 in the nation’s capital.

The event was hosted at Google and brought together nearly 150 c-suite executives, employer partners, public servants, and leaders from the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to discuss the role and impact of public-private partnerships in building an inclusive and diverse tech workforce. Damien Howard, VP of Social Ventures at Per Scholas opened the afternoon by highlighting the need for crosscutting collaborative solutions to drive progress toward creating a truly representative tech workforce.

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

• Damien Howard, National Vice President, Social Ventures, Per Scholas
• Melissa Stallings, Managing Director, Per Scholas
• Toacca Rutherford, Chief Development Officer, Consumer Business Banking and Auto IT, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Gene Waddy, CEO, DIVERSANT

STATE OF THE NATION

• Chair Jenny Yang, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Jenny Yang shared insights from her career working to ensure fairness and equal opportunity in the workplace and charged the audience to think about and act on ways they can embed equality, broaden networks, and evaluate benefits to attract and retain diverse talent within their organizations. Yang provided attendees with copies of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Action Grid on how to promote diversity and inclusion in the science and technology workforces.

IGNITE PRESENTATION

• Talmesha Richards, Chief Academic and Diversity Officer, STEMconnector and Million Women Mentor

Dr. Richards shared a harrowing tale of how she overcame criticism and doubts from peers who didn’t think she could succeed in math and science because of her gender and her race. She discussed the importance of mentorship and the role it played in helping her achieve her goals, including receiving a Ph.D. in Cellular & Molecular Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, serving as a NFL Cheerleader where she helped to challenge stereotypes and encourage young people to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and math.

PANEL: EXAMINING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES

• Presented by Errika Mallett, VP of Member services & External Affairs, ITSMF
• Moderated by Terrance Bowman, VP and Diversity Lead, Global Technology Recruiting, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Courtney Snowden, D.C. Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity
• Nicole Cozier, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Human Rights Campaign
• Dr. Jamika Burge, Senior Manager, Research, Curriculum, and Outreach, Capital One
• Chanelle Hardy, Strategic Outreach and Public Policy Partnerships, Google
• Marty Rodgers, Washington, D.C. Metro Office Managing Director, Accenture

Partnership panel participants shared business success stories that illustrated the organizational culture and bottom line impacts of a representative workforce.

KEYNOTE CONVERSATION

• Presented by Ken Walker, VP, National Site Operations, Per Scholas
• Moderated by Viola Maxwell-Thompson, President & CEO, ITSMF
• Michael Bennett, Executive Vice President, Strategy, Evan & Chambers Technology

During a conversation between Evan & Chambers Technology Executive Vice President Michael Bennett and ITSMF President Viola Maxwell-Thompson, Bennett shared the experiences that led him to leave a career as an attorney to pursue an interest in technology. He discussed the critical need for organizations to be intentional in ensuring that their workforce includes individuals who bring diverse experiences and perspectives in order to move the company forward. When discussing current diversity initiatives and ways to cultivate a more diverse senior staff he pointed out “the pipeline does not matter if the organizational chart stays the same.

IGNITE PRESENTATION

• Tonia Wellons, Vice President for Community Investment, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region

Tonia focused on her career and journey embracing culture and inclusion as pillars within her work.

CLOSING REMARKS

• Viola Maxwell-Thompson, President, ITSMF

The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York (NPCC) announced Per Scholas as one of three winners of the 2016 New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Awards. Per Scholas, along with the Jewish Board for Family and Children Services and Neighbors Link, was honored at a special Best Practices Workshop and Awards Presentation on December 2 at the New York Hall of Medicine. The three winning organizations will share $60,000 in prizes and scholarships for the Columbia Business School Executive Education Programs in Social Enterprise. 

The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York remarked, “we know that strong nonprofits are a vital part of strong communities and share a common commitment to excellent management. NPCC is committed to supporting and recognizing the good work of all nonprofits, and todays ceremony is just one way that we do this.” This award is one of the few that highlights excellent work in ‘how’ nonprofits effectively achieve their mission, and is highly regarded across the nonprofit and philanthropic community. 

Per Scholas President and CEO, Plinio Ayala and Board Chair, Lewis Miller, were joined on stage by the other finalists Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services and Neighbors Link. All three organizations shared best practices and insights into effective and sustainable nonprofit management practices. Specifically, Per Scholas highlighted our investment in data driven outcomes, innovative approaches to talent management, financial sustainability, branding and entrepreneurial spirit. Most importantly Per Scholas recognized the amazing and diverse staff that make it a great place to work.

“We’re honored to have been selected as a recipient of The New York Community Trust’s Nonprofit Excellence Awards,” said Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala. “Since our inception, we’ve remained committed to improving the lives of those we serve and communities in which we operate, and we believe lasting impact on communities is best achieved through an intentional and reflective approach to organizational management.”

NPCC created the New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Awards in 2006 to teach, recognize and encourage outstanding management practices among New York’s large and diverse nonprofit community.

The Awards highlight the enormously important roles played by thousands of New York’s nonprofit organizations in improving our lives and communities. The program helps nonprofit leaders by spotlighting excellent management practices that enable nonprofits to better serve their communities and achieve their missions. This award is the only of its kind recognizing excellence in nonprofit management among nonprofits in the five boroughs, Long Island, and Westchester.

The Nonprofit Excellence Awards has attracted 750 applications from across New York City, Long Island and Westchester over its first ten years. The program is produced in collaboration with The New York Community Trust and Philanthropy New York. WNYC and JPMorgan Chase sponsor the program. Additional financial and in-kind support is provided by The Clark Foundation, Ford Foundation, RSM US LLP, and Columbia Business School Executive Education Programs in Social Enterprise. To read the official press release for the event, click here.