About Betty Stevens Frecknall

Betty Stevens-Frecknall began her career in computers as a cardpunch operator. She trained in the 1940's as a keypunch clerk, a computer repair technician, and a systems analyst. Starting as a civilian employee of the Navy in Seattle, Betty was soon recruited to a position at Long Beach. Following this, she obtained a position as a systems analyst with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. From this point on, Betty proved herself with a series of successes on major projects, saving the taxpayers millions of dollars and gaining a promotion with each success.

During these years, Betty was very active in the Washington D.C. Chapter of DPMA (now known as AITP), serving as chapter president in 1972. She was committed to developing the chapter and increasing membership, especially among women. She later was active on the Mid-Atlantic Region (Region XI) of DPMA and was elected Region president in 1979. Betty also served as the president of her Toastmasters chapter, and was very active in recruiting new members into that organization. Betty retired at a level of GS14 as manager of a large programmer group responsible for major projects within the HUD information systems infrastructure--all with just a high school education.

One of very few women in a strongly male-dominated field, Betty was an advocate of equal opportunity and access to career advancement for all qualified workers. One of Betty's professional and later personal friends was Grace Hopper, the legendary "Mother of Computing". They shared a razor sharp wit and a passion for knowledge, excellence, gender equality, and education.

Betty was a strong advocate of self-improvement through education. Betty was always taking classes, and a favorite saying of hers was "Learn or die--and when you stop learning you start dying." She put herself through her computer training, then put her husband through the same course of study. Both went on to become successful computer analysts. She encouraged her children and stepchildren to pursue higher education, and was always generous in helping them to achieve their educational dreams. Another favorite saying of Betty's was "If you don't watch out, you might learn something."

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Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

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Previous Recipients

2000-2001	Ninon Crane   Macon State College (GA) Dustin Demmin   University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (WI) Tracey Pounds   Texas State Technical College - Sweetwater (TX) Brad Sibley   University of Southern Mississippi (MS)
2001-2002	Jonathan Bishop   The University of Mississippi (MS) Ntoh Etta   The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (WI) Tanyi Fouching   The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (WI) Louise Manning   Oklahoma Baptist University (OK)
2002-2003	Christopher Atkinson   DeVry Institute (MO) Mindy Columbus   Robert Morris University (PA) Xueqian Chen   Michigan Technological University (MI) Matt Fontaine   Purdue University (IN) Melany Howard   Chattahoochee Technical College (GA) Galina Ivanova   The University of Alaska - Anchorage (AK) Terry Kidd   The University of Houston (TX) Maxim Sorokoletov   The University of Alaska - Anchorage (AK) (See press release)
2003-2004	James Mottola   Devry Institute - Tinley Park (IL) Usman Uddin   The University of Mississippi (MS) Theresa Webb   Lindenwood University (MO) (See press release)
2004-2005	Rhonda L. Steele   University of Alabama (AL) Jenny Lee Browne   Mesa Community College (AZ) (See press release)
2005-2006	Andrew Gohl   Linfield College (OR) Tracy Leeper   Northwestern State University (LA) Leslie White   Central Connecticut State University (CT) Sheree Ferguson   Oakland Community College (MI) (See press release)
2006-2007	Tracy Jessie   University of Oklahoma (OK) Vicki Baugh   Community College of Southern Nevada (NV) Kelly McGrath   Texas State Technical College - Abilene (TX) (See press release)
2007-2008	Rica Gaines   Charter College (AK)) Jamie Schroeder   ITT Technical Institute, Nashville (TN) Jenna Nisbett   Texas State University (TX) (See press release)
2008-2009	Robert Paul   Midwestern State University (TX)) Sharon Anderson   The Catholic University of America (DC) Fernando Martinez   ITT Tech, Mesa (AZ) (See press release)
2009-2010	Carice Poston   University of Dayton (OH)) Frank Walker   Bellevue University (NE) (See press release)
2010-2011	David Christo   Loyola University Maryland (MD) Rachelle Hademenos   ITT Technical Institute, Houston (TX) Pallavi Laxane   Texas Tech University (TX) (See press release)
2011-2012	Kakia Brock   University of Phoenix (AZ) Monica Santa   Kaplan University, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) (See press release)
2012-2013	Alexander Leonhard   Quinnipac University (CT) William Parks   Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OK)
2013-2014	Cheryl Kay Books   Fox Valley Technical College (WI) Anthony Reynolds   Blackhawk Technical College (WI)
2014-2015	Mary Elizabeth Ulam   Texas State University (TX) Joey Kilmartin   Murray State University (KY) Jessica Pearce   University of Texas, Arlington (TX)
2015-2016	Quanda Moore   ITT Technical Institute Jarel Landis   Malone University (OH) Jeremy Beachy   DeVry University
2016-2017	Madilyn Rider   Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OK) Albert Appouh   Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (NJ) Mignon Kramp   Laguna College of Art and Design (CA)