Our agency goes above and beyond in identifying opportunities for students to excel in their STEM careers while connecting them with companies that share a mutual interest in fostering such opportunities.  

Through collaboration with our leadership and partner network, students are empowered to grow, develop business awareness, and acquire real-world skills in delivering technology solutions. Whether working directly with us or benefiting from a referral, our commitment to STEM careers is centered on empowering young adults as the next generation to drive global industry into the future.

HISTORY/TIMELINE

1995 to 2004

• STEM outreach programs were established for students in grades 7 thru 12 across the Philadelphia metropolitan region and beyond, originally formed via partnership with Pennsylvania State University, the National Science Foundation, and corporate sponsors from several well-known Fortune 100 companies. During the late 1990s, the group's co-founders promoted activities for youth/teens and for young adults pursuing STEM education as undergrads and then later at graduate and post-grad levels.

• Through STEM outreach, the co-founders interacted with expert resources from diverse industries. The professional network was represented by computer scientists and engineers, mathematicians and accountants, artists/animators and game designers, military agencies, airline pilots, law enforcement, attorneys, astronauts, meteorologists, veterinarians, chemists, biologists, stock brokers, filmmakers, inventors, and math teachers/professors from every level of education.

• The agency's management team mentored students who were beginning their careers and launching successful business ventures across the United States. For three decades, the highly successful outreach programs continued. 

• To establish guidance for technology platform solutions and digital product development, the agency's delivery framework was based on and remained aligned with the 2001 Manifesto for Agile Software Development (agilemanifesto.org).

• As the group grew organically through referrals, the professional network of mentors and contributors expanded worldwide. Global collaborations led to campus tours, product launches, team jam sessions, and hack-a-thons.

• Memorable experiences included a lengthy visit to the nanotechnology innovation labs at Penn State University, a technical walkthru of systems in use at the Olympic Games, exploration of wearable technologies being tested by firefighters, and a six year partnership with Ziff-Davis eWeek labs. 

• Within the context of STEM outreach programs, the agency's technology infrastructures and application architectures were intentionally vendor-neutral and tool-agnostic. 

2005 to 2014

• Although specific technology brands and industry vendors were not officially endorsed by the agency, eCommerce sites were hosted on eBay and Amazon. 

• Notable achievements were showcased to inform and inspire students considering STEM careers. Demonstrations included business analytics, application design, databases, software engineering, and computer forensics. 

• Partnerships evolved with PSU, NSF, IEEE, AAUW, WITI, GETT, EYH, MC3, IMS, UN, and the GW Carver Science Fair at Temple University in Philadelphia PA.

• During 2008, a partnership was announced with a firm specializing in hardware optimization, multimedia, sound systems, video production, and the technical side of event management. This partnership enabled the agency to develop solutions requiring faster computing speeds with high-performance processors and more storage capacity. New projects involved digital photography, fine tuning for audio, high definition monitors, and integrated solutions for podcasting and streaming. 

• Between 2011 - 2013 for about eighteen months, certain activities were paused. During that time, senior-level students continued to receive 1-to-1 coaching, resumé reviews, interview prep, and internship placements. 

• Interns from the agency's STEM program made significant contributions to businesses of all sizes and in successful companies across the US as well as in Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

• To implement eCommerce solutions, the agency partnered with Adobe Commerce/Magento for large-scale enterprises, WordPress/WooCommerce for midsize organizations, and other popular low-cost platforms for small businesses. 

2015 to 2024

• The agency's original brand was refreshed and the business was re-introduced as "Ancore Digitali" ("Digital Anchors") when the company began to operate more frequently in Italy.

• Partnerships were established with Microsoft, Google, and SquareSpace.

• During 2018, another new partnership was announced. This collaboration involved MediaForge, a consultancy offering advanced expertise in multimedia technologies, digital content production, audio/video editing, and live broadcasting. 

• From 2020 to 2022 during covid pandemic lockdowns, the STEM outreach programs were restructured. TED-style sessions were held online with an emphasis on business networking, collaboration, and teamwork. Contributors then decided that meet-ups would fully convert to a remote format rather than having participants return to campus commuting. With remote participation, additional colleges/universities were added to the agency's STEM network.

• Weekly check-ins continued as active students completed their internships and volunteers contributed to several pro-bono projects. Non-profits included education, cultural organizations, artist forums, religious institutions, and a merchants association in New York City.

• The agency's STEM students continued to excel. Graduates tested and enhanced major software releases for a supply chain company, worked with CRM, ERP, and HRIS, learned website design and digital marketing, and acquired experience with e-commerce payment processing systems. One student helped launch a new live streaming application for a global company operating in the fitness sector while two other students worked with technologies in the sports and entertainment industries. Intern achievements also included data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing for assignments in the travel, transportation, hospitality, and food service industries. 

• The agency's products and services were enhanced by the introduction of two new offerings— namely, the CS3 Suite for Customer Success, Satisfaction, and Support; also the new AI Lite toolbox for scaled lean agile product development.