**For Immediate Release**
Contest Sparks Creativity
-released by OPSU Campus Communications 03-27-2006
by Laura Dahl
Goodwell, Okla. - As the Oklahoma
Panhandle State University Programming Team heads to national
competition in Dallas, Texas this week, they already know
that their Association of Information Technology Professionals
(AITP) chapter website has been chosen as one of the top
ten. Student Manuel Carranza from Liberal, Kans. designed
the site with help from Clancy Green of Guymon. The website,
which may be found at www.opsu-aitp.com,
is one of ten finalists from colleges and universities
nationwide.
Approximately 900 students representing 100 small and
large colleges and universities from all over the U.S.
will converge on Dallas for the 11th Annual AITP National
Collegiate Conference. Thirteen OPSU students will compete
in web design, database design, network design, VisualStudio.NET
(a programming contest), and personal computer troubleshooting.
In each contest, a pair of students is presented with a
problem. Using knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving
skills, the contestants have up to four hours to prepare
and turn in a solution. The thirteen students attending
were chosen based on their performance at the regional
AITP contest and during practice sessions. In the past,
OPSU students have placed in the top ten 28 times at regional
and national contests.
Joe Breeden, Computer Information Systems (CIS) faculty
and Diane Murphey, dean of the School of Business and
Technology, advises the team. Diane said, “I’m
excited about watching our students do well against stiff
competition. Competing against schools such as Purdue
and the University of Mississippi could be intimidating,
but OPSU students soon realize their education stands
up to anyone else’s. We also use the competition
as an assessment tool for our curriculum. Evaluating
the contest problems posed by professional IT members
enables CIS faculty to keep their course material current.”
For more information about OPSU’s
CIS department, telephone Murphey at 580-349-1446 or
contact her via email at diane@opsu.edu.
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