REC silicon gift sets up BBCC server lab

REC Silicon gift sets up BBCC server lab

REC Silicon provided a boost to the new computer science program at Big Bend Community College with a donation of $88,000 worth of technology equipment on Nov. 15.

The gift includes servers, data storage controllers and trays, port switches, server cabinets, and Cisco networking gear.

The equipment will be used by BBCC students for network and server administration classes starting winter quarter 2013, said Mary Shannon, Instructional Designer for the Title V program.

” This will allow students to experience data center operations including how to rack, cable, label, document, and manage servers and related equipment.” Shannon said.

REC Silicon’s Systems Administrator Jeremy Davis, a member of the computer science program advisory committee, suggested the donation during a meeting to help set up the program’s server lab. REC Infrastructure manager Dan Chivers made it happen.

“The support reaffirms local industry support for the computer science program and the need for computer training,” Shannon said. “It is also a huge contribution to the program and opens exciting instructional possibilities. I’m thrilled.”

REC has supported BBCC other ways, including a $125,000 donation to help build the Grant County Advanced Technology Education Center (ATEC) and regular donations to support the REC Scholarship Fund through the BBCC Foundation.

BBCC employees inventoried this REC Silicon technology equipment and prepared it for shipping to
campus as part of an agreement to gift $88,000 worth of equipment to the college’s Computer Science
Program.