Two colleges at the University of Iowa received a total of $50,000 in grants from State Farm. The Department of Computer Science in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences received $40,000 to support applications-oriented courses, and the UI Tippie College of Business received $10,000 to create an Elite Classroom in the Department of Management Information Systems.
The UI grant, which was made through the UI Foundation, is one of four awarded by State Farm in 2012 to promote business and technology education curriculum and training across the country. Additional $50,000 grants also were awarded to the Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi; Florida International University in Miami, Florida; and Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.
“This grant will allow us to provide real-world, hands-on experience to our students, and they’ll benefit greatly from it when they enter the workforce.”
—Alberto Segre
At the UI, the grant will provide equipment for mobile application development and network/systems courses in the computer science department. In the UI Tippie College of Business, the construction of an Elite Classroom will improve computer facilities to meet the increasing technological demands in teaching and exams, research, and conferencing.
State Farm selected the four schools for grants based on the strength of their business and technology education programs, says Robin Ambrose, area vice president of systems. In the past, similar grants at various institutions have been used to upgrade classrooms, purchase equipment, build computer labs, or enhance teaching.
“Tomorrow’s labor force must be ready to meet the constantly changing demand for technology solutions to business needs,” says Ambrose. “State Farm is pleased and proud to build relationships with these universities and support their innovative approaches to helping students—America’s future employees—prepare to make a difference in the workplace.”
State Farm actively supports efforts to ensure young people of all ages have access to a quality education that will allow them to achieve their greatest potential, preparing them to be active participants in a nation that continues to be a global leader. State Farm is committed to helping create a healthy business environment through philanthropy and by working with national and local relationships to build stronger communities.
“We are pleased to have received this funding from State Farm,” says Alberto Segre, chair of the Department of Computer Science in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “This grant will allow us to provide real-world, hands-on experience to our students, and they’ll benefit greatly from it when they enter the workforce.”
The UI acknowledges the UI Foundation as the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the university. For more information about the foundation, visit www.uifoundation.org.