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Area GO CAPS students to explore Evangel University IT Department

Published on Feb 8, 2017 by Mallory Johnson

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Local high school students who are interested in careers in technology and are enrolled in the Greater Ozarks Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (GO CAPS) will be welcomed on the  Evangel University campus Friday, Feb. 10.

The students will tour Evangel’s Department of Information Technology (IT) in an effort to see how the department operates within the realm of higher education, according to Nathan Sutton, manager of innovative services and technology at the University.

GO CAPS is a yearlong learning experience that provides opportunities for high school juniors and seniors to get hands-on experience in future career options.

The program focuses on four areas of interest for students to explore: engineering and manufacturing, entrepreneurship, medicine and health care, and technology solutions.

Approximately 21 students will tour Evangel’s IT department — the first group is scheduled from 8 to 10:30 a.m., and the second group from 12 to 2:30 p.m.

“We will show our guests how the IT Department supports the University’s mission by providing a technological environment that is stable, legal, secure, manageable and current,” said Gary Blackard, chief information officer at Evangel.

The department sets the bar high with the technology that is implemented on campus — from being a leader in wifi accessibility to utilizing Qtrak technology in the mail and print room.

In addition, Evangel’s IT Department prides itself in areas such as leadership and project management.

“When people think of IT, they usually think of such things as helpdesk, network, and internet/wifi,” said Sutton. “On this tour, we will also talk about leadership, employee development, project management and business intelligence.”

Sutton will start the visits with a broad overview. “One goal is to help the students understand the balance between innovation and keeping the lights on,” he added.

The GO CAPS program

GO CAPS is a consortium of 13 area school districts: Bolivar, Branson, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield, Monett (affiliate), Nixa, Ozark, Reeds Spring, Republic, Spokane, Springfield, Strafford and Willard.

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce manages the program and Springfield Public Schools serves as the fiscal agent.

“Students in the Technology Solutions strand of GO CAPS are excited to have the opportunity to see real-world application of technology at Evangel University,” said Barbara Kolb, instructor of technology solutions for GO CAPS.

This is the first time that Evangel has partnered with the GO CAPS program.

“The invitation to visit and tour Evangel’s IT Department and interact with their professionals creates an authentic learning experience that students need to make better decisions for their futures,” she added. “We look forward to a continued partnership allowing students to shadow an IT professional to gain a more thorough understanding of a career they are interested in pursuing.”

Within the GO CAPS program, students attend morning or afternoon sessions every day of the school year. Dual credit opportunities are offered with the program.

IT majors at Evangel

Evangel University’s Department of Natural and Applied Sciences offers majors in computer science and computer information systems.

The computer science major involves the logic, principles and properties that underlie the design and implementation of computers, the software that runs them and the hardware components. Computer science is very mathematical in nature. Students develop the necessary skills to begin a career in the field of computing or to continue studying at the graduate level.

The computer information systems major is designed to prepare students to enter a career as an information system professional with a sound knowledge of computers, communications and software. Evangel’s CIS major consists of a mix of business and technology classes.

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SIDEBAR:  GO CAPS Open House — Student and parents interested in the innovative GO CAPS program can attend an open house on Monday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. in the Missouri State University eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., in Springfield. For more information, visit: www.springfieldchamber.com/gocaps

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