Brian McClendon, a 1986 KU electrical engineering graduate,
surprised first-year students in the Department of Electrical
Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the University of Kansas by
handing out new tablet computers during class on Monday(09/12/11). Much more than
a cool gift, the tablets are a tool to spark creativity and
entrepreneurship.
Brian and his wife, Beth Ellyn, personally donated $50,000 to
KU Endowment for the purchase of Android™-based tablets that will
provide EECS students with unprecedented programming and development
experience on the world’s fastest-growing mobile platform. It’s all
part of a plan to ensure KU students gain practical experience with
leading-edge technologies.
“I believe future engineers need be prepared to jump into a job when
they graduate and, for many, this means they will need to be
well-versed in programming for future mobile computing,” said Brian
McClendon, KU alumni and VP of Google Maps and Earth. “Low-cost
smartphones and tablets are revolutionizing the world's access to
information, and they need to be ready.”