It is always exciting to be invited to a nice party or special event, especially if someone famous is going to be there, or if it is an event dedicated to one of your favorite things. But what if you were invited to an event hosted by President Barack Obama himself? That is exactly what happened to Terence Williams, a fifth year software development and entrepreneurial engineering student at Mississippi State University.
This event is known as the White House Frontier Conference. It will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Williams said the conference aims to further innovation in technology and science.
“The conference is inspired by President Obama’s passion for technology and his hope to discuss the future of innovation here in the U.S. and around the world,” Williams said. “It’s the first time for the national conference to be held. It will focus on building U.S. capacity in science, technology and innovation, and the new technologies, challenges and goals that will continue to shape the 21st century and beyond.”
According to Williams, he is the only innovator in Mississippi to be invited to the event. Not enough information has been released yet to see just how many invitations were sent out.
“While at the Frontier Conference, I plan to network with other great innovators from across the nation and share ideas on how to continue to shape the 21st century,” Williams said. “I also hope to gain much insight from President Obama and hear his advice on improving innovation here in the United States. One of my biggest goals is to be able to represent minorities in innovation and to continue to give the world my inspiration. And of course, to get a picture with the president himself.”
Williams created the Bully Walk app, which was awarded the Worldwide Developer Scholarship by Apple this past June, and is also Mississippi State University’s top app on campus.
Williams’ wife of two years, Daesha Williams, said she was thrilled when her husband was invited to the conference. Willaims said a friend he made at the Summer Bridge Program at MSU nominated her husband for the conference, but they did not expect him to be chosen.
“Terence being invited to the conference is amazing,” Williams said. “Terence and I sort of forgot about it because we never imagined him being chosen. A few weeks later he received an email saying he had been selected. I was ecstatic for him because he has worked so hard to achieve his goals with Bully Walk and his business Nobility Tech, and I’m so happy he’s being recognized for it.”
Williams said she thinks Terence will be able to learn a lot more about technology and expand his skills.
“The conference is a big deal, and I think it’s that awesome President Obama is bringing future innovators together to connect, share ideas and offer support for one another in such a demand field,” Williams said.
Galvez Darius, Terence Williams’ friend and colleague, met Williams in 2011 when Williams was a freshman and Darius was his counselor.
“I think it’s amazing that I know a person who’s going to meet the president,” Darius said. “It shows the amount of work ethic and skills, that he’s put in to go to this conference.”
“I’m proud to see one of my friends get to do something like this,” Galvez said. “It’s really a blessing. He’ll come back from this conference with a new motivation. He already works on numerous projects, but I think he will have a new outlook on his skills. This is the highest point he’s gotten to, and he’ll use this new motivation to build upon his career.”
Terence has also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his trip to Pittsburgh. To give, go to GoFundMe.com/MS-WhiteHouse. He also said those wanting to learn more about the White House Frontier Conference, you can visit www.frontiersconference.org.
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President Obama invites student to conference at the White House
John Lee
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October 3, 2016
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