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SpatialNews Press Release
Pennsylvania Gov. Ridge Announces $5 Million in Link-to-Learn Grants For Colleges and Universities
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HARRISBURG, Pa., March 29 - Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge
today announced that 21 public and private colleges and universities will
receive approximately $5 million in Link-to-Learn grants to expand and
strengthen information-technology (IT) training for all of their students.
The grants, part of Gov. Ridge's nationally recognized Link-to-Learn
education-technology initiative, are designed to ensure that college students
in all areas of study receive technology training and to make sure
Pennsylvania businesses have enough tech-savvy workers.
"Technology isn't just for technology majors anymore. It's a critical
part of every industry, and every college graduate needs to know how to use it
effectively," Gov. Ridge said.
"We've worked hard in Pennsylvania to infuse technology into almost
everything we do, and we need to make sure our college students are learning
how to apply technology in their fields of study. These grants will help us
do that!"
Public and private colleges and universities will use the funds to
strengthen IT programs, such as computer science, network engineering and
telecommunications. They'll also be able to use the funds in technology-
influenced disciplines, such as graphic design, visual communications and
architectural design.
Colleges and universities also will use these grants to help students
learn how the use of technology is expanding within a wide range of non-tech-
specific fields. For example, students can explore how the health-care
industry uses the Internet to streamline costs; or how marketing managers use
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze markets and trends.
Applicants described how they would use the funds to strengthen technology
training throughout their educational programs; to provide professional
development for faculty; to improve their technology infrastructure; to
increase access to students; to recruit and retain students; and to establish
partnerships with businesses and K-12 schools.
Link-to-Learn is Gov. Ridge's multi-year initiative aimed at expanding the
use of technology in the classroom, including new and upgraded computers for
schools and technology training for teachers.
In 1998, Link-to-Learn was named one of the nation's leading education-
technology programs by the Washington, D.C.-based Progress and Freedom
Foundation.
Last month, Gov. Ridge announced nearly $15 million in Link-to-Learn
grants to help public schools across Pennsylvania use technology to help
students meet the state's rigorous academic standards.
Gov. Ridge also last month awarded grants of up to $2 million to help
transform three Pennsylvania school districts into the nation's first Digital
School Districts -- 21st century education centers that incorporate technology
into every aspect of learning, dramatically improving the way children learn.
In 2001-02, Gov. Ridge proposes to invest another $25.5 million for Digital
School Districts and Link-to-Learn.
Under his proposal, $15 million will be set aside to use technology to
help students achieve state standards. An additional $10 million is earmarked
to help Pennsylvania's Digital School Districts continue to serve next year as
high-tech education centers and models for the nation, and to create more
Digital School Districts. There also will be a half-million-dollar investment
in helping Digital School District finalists to upgrade their technology.
Gov. Ridge also recognizes the importance of providing high-tech training
for school leaders. His 2001-02 budget includes $1.3 million for a new
Technology Leadership Academy to help school administrators and school-board
members learn about powerful uses of technology in education.
Including his latest proposals, Gov. Ridge will have invested more than
$240 million in state funds for Link-to-Learn and education technology.
To learn more about how these institutions will use their grants, visit
the PA PowerPort at http://www.state.pa.us or access the "Link-to-Learn" website
directly at http://www.L2L.org.
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