PHISIM - Community Outreach & Giving Back

 

We are proud to have contributed over $138,000 back into our local community.

 

PHISIM is a bridge to the community for Philadelphia area Information Technology leaders. We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that focuses on charitable activities that involve Information Technology. We are primarily funded by the Philadelphia chapter of the Society for Information Management International and its members.

PHISIM, as the sister organization of SIM Philadelphia, represents the desire on the part of the leaders of Information Technology in the Delaware Valley region to give back to the community and to participate in the betterment of students and technology education. Just as the Ben Franklin Bridge connects Pennsylvania and New Jersey, PHISIM strives to connect the members of the IT community to the community in need.

All proceeds will benefit the PHISIM Foundation which annually provides tens of thousands of dollars in college scholarships to Philadelphia technology students, thousands of dollars in technology equipment to Philadelphia elementary schools, funds internships for workforce development students, and provides $5,000 in funding a Teen Tech Camp each summer. PHISIM Foundation members also provide mentoring to IT students at all levels throughout the year.  

PHISIM and our sister organization, SIM Philadelphia, run events such as the annual "Roundtable Discussions" and "CIO Technology Leadership Summit" to raise funds. We welcome contributions from individuals and companies as well. Thank you for your support!

Elementary Education

An important part of PHISIM’s Mission is to “…develop our youth into skilled technology users and leaders.”  With that in mind, we have supported Philadelphia area, underprivileged elementary schools through donorschoose.org.

DonorsChoose allows teachers to create projects with various needs and ask for donations from the public to pay for these projects.  Over the past eight years, PHISIM has provided funds for many technology-related projects.  These projects include various forms of technology including software, iPads, laptops, and Chromebooks.

Secondary Education

PHISIM has for over 10 years been the primary sponsor of the Inspiritec Teen Tech Camp.  The camp is a week-long camp with a group of 10 teens.   This group of teens consist of high school age students from inner city schools who are interested in studying STEM programs (Science, Engineering, Technology and Math).  During the camp, they visit local companies that show how they use technology, and they discuss careers in technology with seasoned professionals.

The 2022 Teen Tech Camp's Blog provides an overview and photos of their activities.

2019 Teen Tech Camp:

Higher Education

PHISIM provides Ken Canham Scholarships, named in honor of the founding President of PHISIM, to well-qualified university students in the greater Philadelphia region.   The scholarships are awarded to high performing juniors who have financial need and whose institution has a faculty member who is a SIM Philadelphia academic member.   We are pleased to recognize the awardees each year at the SIM Philadelphia Technology Leadership Summit.

By the Numbers 2011 to 2022:

  • 70 scholarship awardees
  • $1,500 - $2,000 each award
  • $138,000 total awarded 


Scholarship Criteria

  • Student will be a senior in 20222023;
  • Student has significant academic achievements;
  • Student has recognized financial need;
  • Student is nominated by the SIM academic faculty member and his/her department.

Meet the 2022 Awardees!

Jonathan Lane, Jr.
Drexel University
Decision Sciences and MIS Major
Presented by Mr. Bruce Pasho ajor , Adjunct Professor

“This award is tremendously meaningful to me. I cannot express the amount of work I have been putting in to get this point. There were many times I have been frustrated, confused, and burned out based on the fastpaced environment of Drexel, so this award is a pleasant surprise to me. I did not see this coming from a mile away, but I am glad it did. Because of that, I feel that winning this award has revitalized my battery and makes me want to work even harder. Additionally, I have to reiterate that it is truly an honor and words cannot express the joy that I feel in my heart because I really have worked hard to get better and improve myself and my study habits. The scholarship money honestly means very little to me. I think the recognition is what means the most because as a student you are just expected to get your work done. This is truly special!” (Jonathan Lane, Jr.)

Jason Rosales
La Salle University
Computer Science Major
Presented by Mrs. Peggy McCoey, Assistant Professor

“For me it is an honor to have been selected as an outstanding student in my program. I know how many hard working students there are in my program and to have been selected above them means a lot to me. Alongside being a fulltime student, I am also an athlete on the Men’s swimming and diving team here at La Salle and I am fully dedicated to both my studies and athletics. Being a part of the Society for Information Management will help me along the way in my career path. The valuable connections that I will make along the way and the knowledge that I will gain will have a great impact on my future and success in the field.” (Jason Rosales)


Linh Thai
Lehigh University
Business Information Systems and Finance Double Major
Presented by Dr. Haoyan Sun, Assistant Professor

“I am extremely grateful and excited to have been awarded the PHISIM scholarship for the 20222023 academic year. To me, the scholarship serves as recognition of my academic efforts and achievements throughout my years on Lehigh campus. I would like to give credit to the Lehigh community for inspiring me to constantly challenge and improve myself on a regular basis. Having received the award, I feel empowered to continually put in quality and hard work, whether that is an academic or professional aspiration. I will take this opportunity to expand on my skills and knowledge of Information Systems and be at the forefront to witness the latest innovation in technology. I believe that, together, young IT professionals like myself are capable of delivering even greater industry breakthroughs, while collaborating with other professional sectors to collectively bring about positive impact across the globe.” (Linh Thai)


Ryan De Lorenzo
Rutgers University, Camden
Computer Science Major
Presented by Dr. Sunil Shende, Professor

“Being nominated for a PHISIM scholarship was a delightful surprise and made me appreciate the benefits of hard work. I feel privileged to have been selected amongst my peers especially from a foundation that specializes in Information Management. This nomination has bolstered my confidence in continuing my journey on getting my Computer Science degree. Beyond this boost in confidence, stress concerning paying off my tuition will be lifted allowing me to focus more on academics. There is satisfaction in knowing the time allocated to my Computer Science degree is well placed. I would like to thank the people who gave me the consideration for this award.” (Ryan De Lorenzo)


Hadassah Galapo
Temple University - College of Science and Technology
Computer and Information Science Major
Presented by Claudia PineSimon, Assistant Professor

“Firstly, I would like to thank Professor Claudia PineSimon for nominating me for the PHISIM award. I am always seeking ways to engage within the CS community, whether through my research at Temple University or my leadership roles in CS clubs, including ACM and ACMW. Being a woman in this field comes with a unique set of challenges, and there have been times where I have encountered demoralizing situations due to my gender. Nonetheless, I have been able to pursue my academic and leadership pursuits thanks in no small part to the counsel and resources that Temple University has provided me. This scholarship will empower me to further explore my passions in machine learning and to continue utilizing Temple resources as I move closer to finalizing my career path in math and computer science.” (Hadassah Galapo)


Maggie Luong
Temple University - Fox School of Business
Management and Information Systems Major
Presented by Mr. Martin Doyle, Associate Professor

“To have been selected and identified as an outstanding student in my program is an empowering honor. As a firstgeneration student, it is encouraging to be supported by the Philadelphia Philanthropic Society for Information Management Foundation Inc. (PHISIM), my peers, and professors. This community of people will propel me to become the first woman in my family to receive a college degree. This opportunity will allow me to pursue my professional endeavors within Management Information Systems. Within this field, I hope to use technology to make an impact on diverse communities and foster inclusion. Additionally, I hope to use my knowledge and platform to elevate the relationship between business and technology.” (Maggie Luong)


Trang Nguyen
Villanova University
Management Information Systems Major
Presented by Dr. Janice Sipior, Professor

“I am incredibly happy and honored to be nominated as Villanova’s outstanding student in the Management Information Systems program and receive the PHISIM scholarship. The scholarship is an affirmation that I am on the right track and that nothing can stop me from pursuing my interests in technology. This would not be possible without the love and support from Villanova’s MIS faculty members and the bigger Society for Information Management (SIM). With the funding received, I plan to explore different careers in technology, not just through online research, but also through programs that offer company visits. In addition, I would like to enhance my analytics skills, which are the building blocks that drive technology, by taking courses and reading books on the topic. Ultimately, I want to pay it forward to Villanova’s MIS program and encourage ambitious MIS students to also excel in this field!” (Trang Nguyen)