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GATEWAY DONATION ARRIVES AT DAKOTA STATE

(Madison) Sixty-thousand dollars worth of donated Gateway computers arrived at Dakota State University on Thursday in truck borrowed from Prostrollo's All-American Auto Mall and driven by the DSU Foundation Director.

"This is such a significant gift," said Marty Gallanter, Dakota State University Foundation Director, "that I had to go and pick it up myself. That way I could offer our appreciation in person."

The twenty-one, state-of-the-art, laptop computers will be used as part of Dakota State's teacher training program. The University trains public school teachers to use technology in the classroom. This training takes place both on the Madison campus and at the teachers' home school districts.

"Our trainers would go to a school district and find that there were not enough computers available for training," Gallanter continued. "We asked Gateway if they could supply us with a portable lab and a portable server to fill this critical need. They agreed and now it's here." The lab will be used in the College of Education when it is not needed for remote training.

Dakota State announced the donation at its annual scholarship banquet last October in the presence of Gateway executives including Jim Wharton, head of the Gateway Foundation and Vice-President for Community Relations. Wharton, who also serves on the University Business and Industrial Advisory Committee, was the third major Gateway executive to visit the campus in recent months. Mark Kelly, Director of Educational Sales, was a speaker at the DSU technology seminar last spring. His visit was followed by that of David Rabino, Vice President for Administration, who was the University's commencement speaker for the class of 1998. Maynard Webb, Gateway's CIO, serves on the board of advisors for DSU's newly established Center for Excellence in Computer Information Systems.

"Over the past year, DSU's relationship with the Gateway Corporation has really blossomed, " concluded Gallanter. "Industrial/educational partnerships, such as the one we have with Gateway, are essential, for both parties, in our competitive world. We're very excited about the potential for the future."

Future teachers get ready for the future. Students from DSU's College of Education paused for a photo before helping to unload the truck full of Gateway computers brought to the campus. On the right, Professor Linda Venekamp, College of Education. On the left, Marty Gallanter, DSU Foundation Director. The borrowed truck was donated by Prostrollo's.