On Wednesday, Sept. 16 Technology and Communications held the fourth annual Tech Fest, providing Edinboro students with a chance to learn more about the ever-changing technology at the university and provide help to those with questions.
Each table had employees that gave presentations on several types of programs the campus offers.
Aside from presentations, each employee was available to help any students that were having trouble with technology on campus.
"It is to inform students about the technology services and how to take advantage of it," said Ralph Boyles, a technology specialist with Technology and Communications.
Free popcorn and snow cones were given out to students, and games and prizes were provided, using poker as a theme.
At the end of each table's presentation, a student would get a playing card. After getting a hand, the student could turn in the cards for a number of raffle tickets.
Each student's poker hand determined how many tickets they could put in for prizes, which included gift cards for Best Buy and a brand-new iPod Nano.
"We want to get bigger every year," said Mark Lilly, who coordinates student technology at Ross Hall. "Our goal is to reach 10 percent higher attendance than the year before and so far we've always made that goal."
"We hope it goes well," Carla Behr, also a full-time employee, said. She accredited some of the attendance numbers to professors who offered students extra credit for attending the event. "I think it helps," she said. "We provide information in a useful and fun way."
Full-time employees were not the only ones working at Tech Fest. Student workers also volunteered their time in order to assist students.
Randy Hodges and Daniel Bryant volunteered to help demonstrate how to utilize the Help Desk and how to handle software and other similar issues. "[Tech Fest] is blazin'," said Bryant. He explained that some students have a frustrating time dealing with automatic calls and papers to fix problems. "We are people helping people."
"It's a pretty good idea," says Renee Beadencup, a transfer junior. "I have trouble with my computer and to have this information is really useful."
Jake Buell, a freshman, agreed: "It's awesome. There are so many things out there that are hard to understand and there are people here to help you."
Tech Fest is held annually after the first few weeks of school. For questions about Tech Fest, or any technology questions, contact the Help Desk at (814) 732-2111.
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