AFCEA Bethesda has a long history of giving back to our community by providing more than $1M to STEM education and other local organizations.

As a non-profit association, AFCEA Bethesda is dedicated to giving back to the community while building a culture of collaboration. The proceeds of chapter events are used to support a variety of community organizations and institutions, from STEM scholarships and programs at schools in Maryland to organizations providing support to veterans and NIH patients.

Diversity in STEM Education

Since 2008, AFCEA Bethesda has helped create a pathway for local children and young adults interested in pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with an emphasis on increasing diversity in these fields.

Our organization supports local STEM programs and scholarships via the Montgomery College Foundation, the University of Maryland and the Universities at Shady Grove. We work with school administrators to help enhance educational opportunities for students, encourage diversity in STEM and create a comprehensive, structured pathway from primary to higher education and beyond. Students from these programs are invited to attend AFCEA Bethesda events to gain exposure to government and industry leaders in federal IT, and chapter members mentor students as they prepare to enter the workforce.

Montgomery College Foundation

Donations fund the AFCEA Bethesda Chapter Scholars Program for engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity majors; as well as the Sonya Kovalevsky Program, encouraging STEM education for Montgomery County middle school students who are at-risk for not pursuing STEM in high school and beyond.

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University of Maryland

Donations fund UMPC’s CompSciConnect program, a three-year outreach initiative encouraging the development of computer science skills in middle school students; the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing; and the AFCEA Bethesda Scholarships for Engineering students.

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Universities at Shady Grove

Donations fund the AFCEA Bethesda Scholarship Program at the Universities at Shady Grove for students in select STEM programs.

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Additional Charitable Donations

AFCEA Bethesda partners with local organizations that are making a difference in the community.

The chapter’s annual events partner with local charities that are providing much needed support to members of the community. In addition to financial support, AFCEA Bethesda provides a platform for the organizations to reach thousands of attendees and spread the word about their mission. In recent years, the Health IT Summit has supported Women Veterans Interactive and Friends of Patients at the NIH. Our LEAPS Technology Forum has supported the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and the Energy, Infrastructure & Environment Day is providing support to STEM education programs.

Show Your Support

Proceeds from our events help us give back to our educational and community partners. Show your support to our partners by becoming a sponsor for an AFCEA Bethesda event. Event proceeds are donated to the chapter’s STEM education and other community partners who are providing support in the local area.

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Donated

$1M+

to STEM education

Supported

Maryland college & university scholarship programs

Impacted

50+

middle school students annually through STEM programs

Contributed Over

$100k

to community organizations

Emerging Leaders Give Back

Supporting STEM education for the next generation

AFCEA Bethesda’s Emerging Leaders contribute to AFCEA Bethesda’s STEM mission through their own dedicated programs. Proceeds from the Emerging Leader programs, such as the Spring IT Luncheon and the Senior Government Executive Forum, support the chapter’s STEM education partners as well as the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. A recognized leader in STEM education, Challenger Center uses state-of-the-art technology to create simulated space missions that bring classroom lessons to life and inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields.