AITP 8th Annual National Collegiate Conference Highlights and Winner Circle

The AITP National Collegiate Conference is the single largest event produced by AITP annually and was yet another huge success! Granted, we didn't set any attendance records due to the continued downturn in the IT economy, the outbreak of war in Iraq and the challenges many of our student chapters and members had in fundraising so as to be able to attend the event. We did, however, have excellent event sponsorships from both Robert Half Technology and Microsoft which greatly raised the profile and support for the conference. A total of 561 students and faculty registered to attend the conference. Contest events sponsors included both AITP's and ICCP's Education Foundation, State Farm Insurance, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc and MicroFocus.

The Purdue University student chapter did an "extraordinary” job of following the excellent example set by the Kansas City DeVry University student chapter last year and also served in the absence of an area AITP professional chapter. Nothing as exciting as Vice President Cheney's appearance at the conference hotel like last year but we did have snow flurries on Saturday, damaging winds and a "Boiler Beach Bash” to welcome the conference attendees to the Greater Lafayette Area planned and produced by the Purdue University AITP student chapter.

Both keynoters, J. Bruce Harreld, IBM Senior Vice President of Strategy and Dave Willmer, Regional Manager with Robert Half Technology (and also the Columbus Ohio AITP professional chapter president), did superb jobs in getting the conference off to a super start daily. The best lineup of breakout speakers and topics, most contest events ever, an Internet Café, scavenger hunt, student banner contest and tons of fun-n-networking all came together creating a super conference experience for all in attendance. The conference concluded with the annual awards banquet feeding 622 registrants and guests representing 84 colleges and universities from all over the country ended "almost” on time (9:15pm) due to the announcement of the Kevin Jetton AITP Service Scholarship by AITP's Education Foundation and was a total shock to Kevin - the conference director - who has played a key role in all of 8 of the AITP National Collegiate Conferences and other AITP events at the national, regional and local chapter level throughout his AITP tenured membership dating back to 1978. Conference chairman Jeff Brewer, Purdue University conference co-chairs Leslie Lorenz & Chantelle Huguena and the Purdue University AITP student chapter conference committee did an excellent job throughout the conference.

Planning has already started for the 9th annual AITP National Collegiate Conference to be held in Omaha, Nebraska April 1-3, 2004 and multiple Omaha area AITP student chapters will serve as co-hosts. Bids are also being accepted for future AITP National Collegiate Conferences for the year 2005 and beyond.

Kevin Jetton
2002 AITP Association President
AITP National Collegiate Conference Director

Conference Highlights

Attendance: 561 Total registered student and faculty attendees
45 Exhibitors, Speakers, Special Guests and Banquet Guests
43 Committee, AITP Officers, AITP/EF/EDSIG Board, Volunteers
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649 Total "pre-audited" Attendance
84 Colleges & Universities Represented

2001- 2002 Faculty Advisor of the Year Award
Barbara Russell, Northwestern State University

Special Awards: Largest AITP Student chapter (as of 12/31/2002)
University of Florida AITP student chapter with 164 members

TOP Monkey Award (Highest level of overall conference support)
Northwestern State University by sending 37 attendees, 4 faculty members and competing in "tons” of contest events

Outstanding AITP Student Chapter of the Year (2001-2002)
Region 2 Edmonds Community College
Region 3 Tarleton State University
Region 5 Bradley University
Region 9 Central Michigan University
Region 11 Widener University

Overall Association Winner:
Tarleton State University
Faculty Advisors: Robin Wells & Dan Collins

AITP Student Chapter Contests sponsored by Robert Half Technology
AITP Student Chapter Banner Contest
Most Professional 1^st Bradley University
Most Artistic 1^st Widener University
2^nd Northwestern State University

Scavenger Hunt:
1^st Madison Area Technical College (Team "Mad-X”)
2^nd Midstate Technology College - Stevens Point (Team "Eye Dee Ten Tee's”)
3^rd* Big Country/Hardin-Simmins & TSTC-Abilene
3^rd* Northcentral Technical College (Team: "Morgain's Marauders”)
*Tie for 3rd place!

IS Core 2003 Exam:
Top Scores: Nathan Sweeney, John Caldwell
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Goodall, Morgan Becky

Web Development 2003 Exam:
Top Score: Michael Wooten
Honorable Mention: John Caldwell

Undergraduate Student Paper Competition sponsored by Robert Half Technology
*16 papers were submitted of which 11 were declared finalists
1^st Central Michigan University, Eric Pynnonen
2^nd Northwestern State University, Kelli Fontana
3^rd Mesa State College, Ken Comstock
HM's Widener University, John Lynn
Texas A&M University, Vikram Taneja
Oklahoma Baptist University, Amanda Thompson

Graduate Student Paper Competition sponsored by Robert Half Technology
*3 papers were submitted of which 3 were declared finalists
1^st University of Texas at Arlington, Zeeshan Rahat Kuresl
2^nd Central Michigan University, John Griffith
3^rd Central Michigan University, Tarun Damodaran

AITP Student Web Application Contest sponsored by the ICCP Education Foundation
*15 submissions of which 6 were declared finalists
1^st Boise State University
2^nd University of Alaska - Anchorage
3^rd University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
HM's:
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Stark State College
Chattahoochee Technical College

Database Contest sponsored by the AITP Education Foundation
*62 teams competing
1^st Central Michigan University, Eric Pynnonen
2^nd University of Alaska, Anchorage, Galina Ivanova, Maxim Sorokoletov
3^rd Purdue University, Erik Anderson, Mark Broda
HM's:
Northwestern State University, Curtis Penrod, Kelli Fontana
Murray State University, Justin Key, Amanda Dawson
Central Missouri State University, David Carlson, Wes Horne
Bradley University, Alan Fuhs

JAVA Contest sponsored by the AITP Education Foundation
*23 teams competing
1^st University of West Florida, Chad Cardiff, Michael Wooten
2^nd Central Missouri State University, Jacob Rogers, Kim Jackson
3^rd Brigham Young University, Shaun Smith
HM's:
Oakton Community College, Dragos Stanclu, Christina Hauptmann
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, Chris Wegner, Joe Rogers
Murray State University, Dumitru Orlov

Systems Analysis & Design Contest sponsored by Robert Half Technology
*22 teams competing
1^st Northwestern State University, Kelly Ellis, Kelly McKenzie, Andy Baragona
2^nd Northwestern State University, Tina Mouton, Deran Schilling
3^rd University of Florida, Chris Ringwood, Allyson Stokes, Daryl Lewis
HM's:
Northwestern State University, Trey Staley, James K. Smith
Central Michigan University, Colleen Cline, Dave Miller, Clint McPherson

Visual Basic Programming Contest sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company
*43 teams competing
1^st Southwest Missouri State University, Andrew Steinmann
2^nd Fox Valley Technical College, William Drumm
3^rd University of Wisconsin - Platteville, Lee Zaastraw, Josh Ducharme
HM's:
Purdue University, Eric Anderson
Illinois State University, Neil Wilson
Southwest Texas State University, Jon Woo

Webmaster using Microsoft Frontpage 2002 Contest sponsored by Microsoft
*21 teams competing
1^st University of Mississippi - Mark Grimes
2^nd University of Mississippi - Tim Johnson, Brandon Sherman
3^rd Northwestern State University - Tina Mouton, Deran Schilling
HM's:
Horry-Georgetown Technical College - Michelle Yaple, Amy Campen
University of Southern Indiana - Jason Hopp, John Russell

COBOL Programming Contest sponsored by MicroFocus
*26 teams competing
1^st Fox Valley Technical College, William Drumm, Mark Pauly
2^nd Northwestern State University, Curtis Penrod, Nick Hammonds
3^rd Texas State Tech College-Waco, Robert Fulcher
HM's:
University of North Florida, Albert Ritzhaupt, Crystal Chauvin
University of North Florida, Tyrone Thomas, Robert Dunlap II
Idaho State University, Jeffrey Parkinson, Robert Parkinson
University of Wisconsin, Platteville, Josh Ducharme, Lee Zastraw

C++ Programming Contest sponsored by Microsoft
*21 teams competing
1^st Texas State Technical College-Waco, Justin Knox
2^nd Oklahoma Baptist University, Matthew Green, Colin Phillips
3^rd Oklahoma Baptist University, Nathan Sweaney, Ryan King
HM's:
Illinois State University, Dan Knox, Tom Ness
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, Michael Wyatt
North central Technical College, Michael Tipping, Keith Dassow

Network Design Contest sponsored by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
*57 teams competing
1^st Frank Phillips College, Stephen Sable, Leslie Litterell
2^nd Michigan Technological University, Paul Beilke, Joshua Pawlak, David Beaudette
3^rd Boise State University, Ryan Smith, Josh Saari
HM's:
Southeast Missouri State University, Garrett Dugan, Matthew Fischer
Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Chase Griffin, Emily Hutson

2003 Collegiate Conference List of Attending Schools
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Blackhawk Technical College, Janesville, WI
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Mooreton, PA
Boise State University, Boise, ID
Bradley University, Peoria, IL
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
California State Univ.‑Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, MO
Chattahoochee Technical College, Marietta, GA
College of Saint Mary, Omaha, NE
Columbia College, Columbia, MO
Davenport University, Bay City, MI
DeVry University – Chicago, Chicago, IL
DeVry University - College Park, College Park, GA
DeVry University - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
DeVry University ‑ Tinley Park, Tinley Park, IL
East Mississippi Community College, Scooba, MS
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL
Edmonds Comm. Coll., Lynnwood, WA
Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville, NC
Fox Valley Tech. Coll., Appleton, WI
Frank Phillips College, Borger, TX
Gateway Technical College, Kenosha, WI
Gwinnett Technical College, Marietta, GA
Hardin‑Simmons Univ., Abilene, TX
Horrry-Georgetowm Technical College, Conway, SC
Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Kalamazoo Valley Comm. Coll., Kalamazoo, MI
Kent State Univ. Kent, Kent, OH
Kent State Univ.‑Ashtabula, Ashtabula, OH
Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA
Madison Area Technical College, Madison, WI
McMurray State University, Abilene, TX
Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO
Metro Community College, Omaha, NE
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Middle Georgia Tech. College, Warner Robins, GA
Mid‑State Tech. College, Stevens Point, WI
Mid‑State Tech. College, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Milwaukee Area Technical College, Oak Creek, WI
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Murry State University, Murray, KY
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina
North central Technical College, Wausau, WI
Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA
Oakton Comm. College, Des Plaines, IL
Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK
Oklahoma Panhandle State, Goodwell, OK
Oklahoma State University, Okmulgee, OK
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO
Southeast Technical Inst., Sioux Falls, SD
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO
Southwest Missouri State, Springfield, MO
Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Stark State College, Canton, OH
Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Texas State Tech. College –Abilene, Abilene, TX
Texas State Tech. College –Waco, Waco, TX
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
University of Illinois – Springfield, Springfield, IL
University of Mississippi, University, MS
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI
Western Wisconsin Technical College, La Crosse, WI
Widener University, Chester, PA
Williams Baptist College, Walnut Ridge, AR

AITP National Collegiate Conference Sponsors
Diamond Sponsor: Robert Half Technology
Gold Sponsors: Microsoft, Foundation for Information Technology Education
Silver Sponsors: State Farm, Wal-Mart
Bronze Sponsors: Micro-Focus, ICCP
Exhibitors:
AITP
FBI
IBM
ICCP
Microsoft
NelNet
Northwestern State University (2003 AITP Region 3 Student Conf)
Purdue University Graduate School
Questia
Robert Half Technology
St. Louis AITP chapter (2003 AITP association conference)
State Farm Insurance
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.