User:Billmsu/sandbox

The Pledge of the Computing Professional is an organization formed to promote the notion of computing as a recognized profession at the time of graduation for students in Computer Science and related programs. The Pledge is modeled after the Order of the Engineer – a long-standing rite-of-passage for graduates from engineering programs. The Pledge of the Computing Professional is solely intended to promote and recognize the ethical and moral behavior of graduates of computing-related degree programs as they transition to careers of service to society.

The Pledge of the Computing Professional entails a rite-of-passage ceremony for graduates from computing programs. The rite-of-passage ceremony is conducted by chapters – or Nodes – at institutions throughout the US (with plans to expand internationally).

The Oath recited by an inductee of The Pledge of the Computer Professional is:

       
 * ''I am a Computing Professional.
 * ''My work as a Computing Professional affects people's lives, both now and into the future.
 * ''As a result, I bear moral and ethical responsibilities to society.
 * ''As a Computing Professional, I pledge to practice my profession with the highest level of integrity and competence.
 * ''I shall always use my skills for the public good.
 * ''I shall be honest about my limitations, continuously seeking to improve my skills through life-long learning.
 * ''I shall engage only in honorable and upstanding endeavors.
 * ''By my actions, I pledge to honor my chosen profession.
 * --The Pledge of the Computing Professional

The ceremony consists of a faculty member reading the history of The Pledge, having the students recite the oath as a group, and then recognizing the students individually to receive a memorabilia item with the symbol and signing a certificate. The suggested memorabilia item is a lapel pin with the symbol (ASCII encoding) representing the word Honor. In 2007, inspired by the example of the Order of the Engineer, individuals at Ohio Northern University and the University of South Florida created similar organizations for graduates of their respective computing programs. After interest in such an organization grew at other institutions, The Pledge of the Computing Professional was developed by an international team of 17 computing professionals. This team came from the following companies and academic institutions: Bridgewater College, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Dickinson State University, Intel, Ithaca College, Kettering University, Lakeland Community College, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, McNeese State University, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Norfolk State University, University of North Dakota, Oberlin College, Ohio Northern University, Raytheon, University of South Florida, and Southern Polytechnic State University.

The Pledge of the Computing Professional held its first induction ceremonies at McNeese State University, Ohio Northern University and University of South Florida in May 2011.