Since 2021, Greater Washington Partnership, in collaboration with over 20 post-secondary partners, has championed approximately 340 scholarships for undergraduate students across the Baltimore to Richmond region through the Emerging Tech Talent Scholarship program. The scholarship supports learners from underrepresented populations in the tech workforce by equipping them with skills for careers in technology, such as cybersecurity, data analytics, and software development.
This October, Greater Washington Partnership and Monumental Sports & Entertainment hosted the second annual Emerging Tech Talent Scholar Career and Gameday at Capital One Arena. Seventeen exceptional students attended, all of whom were recipients of scholarships awarded through their universities that were made possible with generous support from the Deloitte Foundation, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and T. Rowe Price. In total, these students hailed from seven of our region’s top academic institutions: American University, Bowie State University, Marymount University, Trinity Washington University, the University of the District of Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Tech.
Event Unveiling
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is a leading employer in the DC area and the powerhouse behind iconic sports teams like the Washington Capitals, Mystics, and Wizards. Monumental welcomed students to the Capital One Arena for an exciting behind-the-scenes tour to kick off the event.
Following this immersive arena tour, students participated in a career panel and networking session featuring professionals from the sports, business, and technology industries. Adannaya Kanu, Senior Solutions Cyber Consultant at Deloitte; Crispus Gordon, Director of Government Affairs at Monumental; Kameron Florence, VP of Ticket Sales & Service for the Washington Wizards; and Venoth Lal, Director of Cyber Security Services at KPMG, shared their professional journeys, key learning experiences in their fields, and how they interact with technology in their roles. Following the panel, students were able to ask questions relevant to their career paths and connect one-on-one with speakers.
“The opportunity to connect, network, and learn more about the intersections between sports, business, entertainment, and technology has been truly eye opening…I can’t wait to further explore the opportunities and possibilities within these industries!”
— Sydney Wilson, Student, Virginia Commonwealth University
“I really enjoyed the panel conversation and was grateful to meet the organizers behind the scholarship. It was an invaluable experience to hear about how they came up and what they learned along their journey.”
— Gabriel Solano, Student, University of the District of Columbia
Envisioning the Future
The Greater Washington Partnership and our dedicated partner companies look forward to continuing to create opportunities for Emerging Tech Talent Scholars to learn from industry leaders and gain more exposure to career opportunities in our region.
“Monumental Sports & Entertainment was thrilled to host the Emerging Tech Talent Scholars at Capital One Arena for an encore year. These students are building the digital skills that Monumental and other employers look for as we navigate the evolving landscape of our industries. Our hope is that such engagements show students the myriad of professional pathways that await them in our dynamic region–pathways increasingly paved with the keystones of digital technology proficiency.”
— Monica Dixon, President, External Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
If you are an employer who is interested in engaging with students pursuing digital tech coursework across the Partnership’s university partners, please reach out to Emily West ([email protected]) to learn more.
About Greater Washington Partnership
Greater Washington Partnership is the first-of-its-kind nonprofit alliance of the region’s most influential and leading employers across industry sectors in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC – all committed to championing the region’s economic growth and vibrancy. Together, we leverage our collective experiences, resources and assets to offer real solutions and identify shared challenges to the region’s most critical issues including skills and talent, regional mobility, infrastructure and inclusive economic growth. Our goal is to ensure the entire region, from Baltimore to Richmond, remains vibrant, economically competitive, prosperous and is the best place to live, work and build a business.
