ABOUT

The original idea to develop a project to help bring opportunities to an underserved population, discovered through personal conversations, began in 1991 while attending Fordham University. I was working on a self-developed study under the guidance of Dr. Mark Naison to prove that the breakdown of the family structure in our underserved communities was based on economics and not race. I witnessed my theory in real life beginning in 1997 while working for the Police Department of the City of New York. It would take more than ten years, but eventually it would materialize as the DataCation Development Group and its University Village project.

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As I began my career with the police department, I had the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life. Those interactions led to conversations that dealt with living and growing up in conditions that were not always conducive to success. The conversations also brought to light the fact that many felt opportunities at an early age would have helped to set them on a much different path then the one they were currently travelling. From those conversations I felt there had to be a way to provide opportunities to people who wanted access to pursue their dreams, even if they did not necessarily have the guidance or means by which to follow those dreams.

 

As my career continued, I kept those discussions going with people I encountered. In 2008 I sustained a line of duty injury and was informed of long-term health problems from my time at Ground Zero. I retired from the police department due to those injuries in 2010 and found myself with the time needed to concentrate on finalizing those concepts and solutions that I believe has a potential to make a real difference. DataCation Development Group and all its entities are the result of my effort to find solutions.

 

The primary objective of DataCation Development Group is to provide opportunity for middle- and low-income students, as well as those from the community to build success in a positive environment. DataCation Education will educate students and the community in the fields of engineering, technology, and biotechnology, including ethics and art, as well as workforce development training. The long-term benefits will be supported by corporations, government agencies and the overall community as they work towards their dreams.