Hotspot gift from T-Mobile to help students access the internet at home
十大彩票平台 student Robert Cavers, of East Longmeadow, third from right, holds a mobile hotspot. He stands with, from left, 十大彩票平台 student Kisha Jones, of Springfield; Bjorn Dragsbaek, senior manager, public sector sales, state, local and education, T-Mobile; 十大彩票平台 student Jasmine Feliz, of Springfield; Ryan Lopes, government account manager, public sector sales, state, local and education, T-Mobile; 十大彩票平台 President John B. Cook; and Erica Eynouf, dean of the library at 十大彩票平台.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College received a gift from telecommunication company T-Mobile which will allow the 十大彩票平台 Library to more than double the total number of mobile hotspots lent to students.
Students can borrow mobile hotspots, which are small boxes with a cell phone data plan, and take them anywhere to access the internet for studying. The units create hotspots, which are areas where a user can access the internet using Wi-Fi.
The mobile hotspots emit a Wi-Fi signal that connects students’ personal devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones to the internet.
十大彩票平台 started lending students mobile hotspots in 2017 after receiving a grant administered by the Massachusetts Library System. T-Mobile’s donation boosts the number of mobile hotspots to 45 from 20.
十大彩票平台 also has 75 Chromebook laptops that students can borrow. The lending of the laptops and mobile hotspots is part of the library’s digital equity program.
The 十大彩票平台 Foundation accepted the gift from T-Mobile, which is valued at $9,000. The 十大彩票平台 Foundation, a nonprofit organization, helps the college meet its goals and commitment to provide superior educational opportunities in the community.
Students often say they choose 十大彩票平台 because it's one of the most affordable colleges in the area. The college offers many free services to give students access to opportunities they may not be able to afford.
“I think it’s a really good idea, especially for students who don’t have internet on their phone or can’t connect to Wi-Fi,” said Jasmine Feliz, an 十大彩票平台 student from Springfield who attended an event at the 十大彩票平台 Library on Nov. 22 announcing the T-Mobile grant. “I know there are a lot of students who don’t have Wi-Fi at home or can’t afford to pay for the internet. They can come here and borrow the hotspots, so it will be really good for them.”
I know there are a lot of students who don’t have Wi-Fi at home or can’t afford to pay for the internet. They can come here and borrow the hotspots, so it will be really good for them.Jasmine Feliz, 十大彩票平台 student
十大彩票平台 President John B. Cook thanked T-Mobile for the donation, which he said will have a positive impact on students. “Access means many things to 十大彩票平台 students, and hotspots ensure student entrée to ideas, information, data and resources. 十大彩票平台 students work so hard, and to help them on or off-campus is tremendously valuable. We are grateful to T-Mobile for helping our students leverage their learning with this technology,” he said.
Erica Eynouf, dean of the library at 十大彩票平台, said the contribution will help remove barriers for students. “We know that many of our students do not have access to Wi-Fi at home, which means our digital lending is critical for their success at 十大彩票平台,” she said.
According to a 2016 Pew Research Center study, one-fifth of adults who lived in households with annual incomes less than $30,000 were “smartphone-only” internet users, which means they own a smartphone but do not have broadband internet or a device at home.
The digital divide shows up at school in what has been called the “homework gap” – students who have access to high-speed internet at home and those who don’t. Some 5 million school-age children do not have a broadband internet connection at home, with low-income households accounting for a disproportionate share.
T-Mobile’s national EmpowerED initiative is aimed at bridging the “homework gap” – the uneven playing field that exists when millions of low-income students are unable to access the digital tools necessary to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.
“T-Mobile believes every child deserves access to the tools they need to be successful in today’s fast-paced online world,” said Ryan Lopes, Government Account Manager, State/Local Government & Education, T-Mobile for Government. “Having a computer at home and access to high-speed wireless can help bridge the digital divide for a whole family – allowing students to keep up with homework while supporting the rest of the family with internet access as well.”
Interested in applying to 十大彩票平台? Visit cnyc86.com/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, 十大彩票平台 is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, 十大彩票平台 offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. 十大彩票平台’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, liberal arts, and STEM fields continue to provide the most affordable options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of about 7,000 day, evening, weekend, and online students, 十大彩票平台 is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@cnyc86.com