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University Relations 202 Eielson Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7520
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Fairbanks, Alaska - Just two days shy of the anniversary of IBM's donation last September of a $300,000 computer to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, IBM was back on campus today announcing a new partnership with MAPCO Alaska Petroleum, a Williams Company, that is netting the largest in-kind donation of computer hardware, software and services in UAF's history.

"The new system has a combined hardware and software value of $335,000. Plus, MAPCO has agreed to pay for the leasing of the system to UAF for the next two years and will provide free, on-site service and support of the system," said Todd Kelsey with IBM's corporate office in Rochester, Minn.

UAF's computer science department will receive a new IBM AS/400 server, including a complete database, Java Virtual Machine, Internet server, data mining capabilities and more. UAF will integrate the AS/400 into the computer science curriculum by using it in courses with "database manipulation" components and in courses on computer architecture. The computer science faculty are also developing a plan to use the AS/400 in senior student projects developed in cooperative arrangements with Alaska-based businesses.

"At MAPCO, an AS/400 performs multiple functions to keep refinery operations running smoothly," said MAPCO Alaska External Affairs Vice President Jeff Cook. "We're very pleased to partner with IBM to support UAF's computer science department. It's an opportunity for us to provide state of the art training for Alaskans, some of whom may become our future employees," Cook said.

In addition to its monetary support, technicians from MAPCO, including Refinery Applications Manager Steve McIntosh, a 1989 UAF graduate, will be available to provide hands-on assistance to get the AS/400 program running using real-world applications.

UAF Chancellor Joan Wadlow said as corporate partners, IBM and MAPCO provide many benefits to the institution and its students.

"It's a demonstration of the confidence the private sector has in our ability to educate students. Our graduates and interns have had great success in the national hiring market because of their corporate experience," Wadlow said.

The chancellor also pointed to other programs at UAF which have benefited from corporate sponsorships, including last year's donation from IBM which was aided by in-kind donations from MicroAge, a systems integration company based in Anchorage.

Wadlow said the partnerships are key to making UAF a great institution. Since 1994, the MAPCO Equipment Matching Fund has provided more than a quarter-million dollars for programs that use technology in creative ways to enhance instruction.

MAPCO and IBM have consistently hired UAF students as interns, while many UAF computer science graduates have gone on to be full-time employees at both organizations.

Last year, IBM agreed to hire at least three UAF computer science graduates over a period of three years. The company also guaranteed placement of at least three student internships over the same amount of time.

"From an IBM Rochester perspective, we've surpassed our goal by hiring three permanent hires and four interns this year," Kelsey said. "We've also been able to place UAF graduates at other IBM locations. I am very pleased with the quality, drive and integrity of these students and feel very fortunate to have them with IBM. They are great examples of the quality of students UAF produces," Kelsey said.

Kelsey announced that UAF student Andy Williams, who was an intern at IBM Rochester last year, has been hired as a campus ambassador for IBM. In addition, Kelsey said IBM has initiated industry mentorships with the UAF chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and recently sponsored UAF freshman James Hensley under a diversity program that identifies the nation's top minority students while they are still in high school. Hensley, who worked at IBM Rochester this past summer, was the first UAF participant in the diversity program.

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CONTACT: UAF Associate Professor of Computer Science Kara Nance (907) 474-6104, or UAF Public Information Debra Damron (907) 474-7122.

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Last modified June 16, 1998