OUR STORY
NPower is a nonprofit rooted in the community and committed to advancing race and gender equity in the tech industry through skills training, real-world experience, support, and mentorships. The organization has helped young adults from underserved communities and veterans move from poverty to the middle class by training them with a range of tech skills and placing them in quality jobs.
Students who enter our free training programs earn industry-recognized certifications and graduate with the competencies of an IT professional with one to two years of experience. NPower also places students in paid internships and apprenticeships with corporate and nonprofit organizations. Eighty percent of NPower graduates get a full-time job or continue their education. NPower is a vital solution towards bridging the national talent gap that exists in the high-growth technology industry.
Over the past decade, NPower has expanded its program reach and developed a robust network of Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized enterprises, government agencies, staffing firms, and a network of nonprofit partners that host its interns and hire its graduates full-time.
To learn more about NPower, visit npower.org.
ORDER OF CEREMONY
MISSOURI
WELCOME REMARKS
Ben Kesler
Executive Director, NPower Missouri
GREETINGS FROM LAUNCHCODE
Julian Nicks
CEO, LaunchCode
ALUMNI SPEAKER
Dakota Dunsford-Goldwasser
NPower Fall 2022
Enterprise Operations Engineer I Mastercard
PRESENTATION OF SPECIAL AWARDS
Academic Excellence
Jordan Bala
Ryan Durham
ZayTeonia Gant
Tatianna Ray
Jayla Williams
Esteemed Professional
ZayTeonia Gant
Tatianna Ray
Brooke Reese
Jayla Williams
Kayla Patterson Legacy Award
Morgan Jones
STUDENT SPEAKER
Jayla Williams
Spring 2024 Graduate
PRESENTATION OF GRADUATION CERTIFICATES
LaJuan Williams
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Robert Powell III
CEO, BGG Foundation
CLOSING REMARKS
Erica Huddleston
RECEPTION
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
ALUMNI SPEAKER
Robert Powell III
Founder & CEO BGG Foundation
Robert is a St. Louis native, a graduate of SLU, and a former Marketing Manager for Sony PlayStation. He has a deep love for gaming and a desire to empower youth.
Robert established the foundation to provide resources and opportunities for students to turn their passion for gaming into a full-time career. Through initiatives such as hosting tournaments, securing Esport scholarships, programs, and partnerships with the gaming industry. Robert strives to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of young gamers.
STUDENT SPEAKER
Dakota Dunsford-Goldwasser
NPower Fall 2022, Enterprise Operations Engineer I, Mastercard
“Thanks to NPower, I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have now. It felt like a dream – from cleaning those floors to troubleshooting tech issues. It was the kind of opportunity I imagined when I used to work maintenance there — to one day be sitting at one of those desks.”
Jayla Williams
“Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” – Kobe Bryant
GRADUATES CONGRATULATIONS!
Spring 2024 Tech Fundamentals
Adrian (AJ) Walker
Jordan Bala
Chase Bauer
Nassir Binion
Tiara Burrage
Victoria Champman
Torrey Davie
Meya-Rae Davis
Ryan Durham
Zay Gant
Tyler Gill
Imari Griffin
Raekwon Griffin
Christian Hadley
Abdousamad Houssein
Sophia Huang
Brandon Hunter
Robert Jackson
Cameron Jones
Morgan Jones
Rayla Keen
Rayna Keen
Ashya Kiner
Elijah (EJ) Kinney
Nathir Maalim
Charelle McCullough
Caleb Millender
Lionel Mwaura
Tatianna Ray
Timmothy Ray
Brooke Reese
Marion Rodgers
Zack Schneider
Keonta White
Tia White
Sydney Williams
Jayla Williams
Kristyon Wilson
Aziyah Young
Advanced Training Progam
Alexander Pilsudski
Kenneth Campbell
Desiree Osborne
Melyssa Washington
Keith Williams
KEY CLASS STATISTICS
75% Graduation Rate 92% of Graduates Have Earned at Least One Certification
75% of Graduates Identify as People of Color
THANK YOU to Our Employment Partners, Funders and Volunteers
EMPLOYMENT PARTNERS
World Wide Technology
St. Louis Zoo
Keeley Companies
McCarthy Holdings, Inc.
Accenture
Accenture Federal Services
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
United Way of Greater St. Louis
Mastercard
Mercy
KPMG
Stiflel
Bayer
UKG
Deloitte
TEK Systems
FUNDERS
American Direct Marketing
Ameriprise Financial
Ascension Technologies
AT&T
Boeing
Citigroup Technology Inc.
Cortex
Dennis & Judy Jones
Family Foundation
Emerson
Enterprise Holdings
Gateway to Innovation/SIM
Jazz IT Up and Individual Donors
Keeley Companies
KPMG
Light A Single Candle Foundation
Mastercard
McCarthy Holdings, Inc
Mercy Caritas
Mercy Technologies
MetLife
Millstone Capital Advisors
Missouri Chamber of Commerce
Missouri Department of Economic DevelopmentWorkforce Training Grant
Nourishing - A Schnucks Foundation
Pershing Charitable Trust
Pott Foundation
Renaissance Group Insurance
St. Louis Community Foundation
St. Louis Regional Business Council
Stifel
The Saigh Foundation
United States Department of Homeland Security
United Way of Greater St. Louis
William and Laura Orthwein Foundation
World Wide Technology
VOLUNTEERS
Bank of America
Brandy Bradley
Jerae Lang
Dawn McCafferty
Amber Tompkins
Cutting Edge
Dale Furtwengler
CyberUp
Kyauna Campbell
Ian Strate
General Dynamics
Information Technology
Chaz Mason
Enterprise Holdings
Twalla Bell
Summer Patel
Management Leaders for Tomorrow
Donna Graham
Mastercard
Sushil Behera
Kelsie Brough
Carlos Castro
Byron Coleman
Terrez Duplessis
Jasmine Howard
Mark Hynes
Jesus Torres
Object Computing, Inc.
Marcie Blatt
Sam Bley
Alice Dames
Brandon Lynch
Danny Lewin
Tino Nwamba
Tricia O’Brien
Jennifer Vaughn
Mark Volkmann
Operation Hope
Melissa Carron
St. Louis Community College
Madelyn Hogrebe
Talent Bridge
Nick Olejnik
TEKsystems
Lauren Errington
Kiara Harris
World Wide Technology
Ashley Harris
Amanda Ivy
Micheal Wilson
MISSOURI REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Terrence Griffin
Custom Software Engineering Associate Accenture Federal Services
Matt Holton
Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology, NAM Mastercard
Gerry Lewis Chief Information Officer US Radiology Specialists
Justin McFarland
Executive Vice President - Information Technology McCarthy Holdings, Inc.
Brian Mize
Department Manager, Global Cyber Security Information Security Office Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
James Norberg
VP, ISO Insurance & Product Security IT | Enterprise Information Protection Humana
Matt Rakers
Executive Director, IT Shared Services KPMG
Scott Richert CIO Mercy
Michael Rupinski Vice President Keeley Companies
Nicole Tate, CHAIR
Area Vice President, Global Client Enablement World Wide Technology
Reedy Wade Vice President, Academy Engagement & Impact NAF
Chris Wegmann
Senior Managing Director Accenture
