Empowering the Putnam County community with new means to learn, communicate and explore technology.

History of CTEP

Starting from 2003, CTEP was run by Doug Harms and usually staffed with two ITAP interns. The program more specifically focused on refurbishment of donated computers and laptops, which could then be purchased for $10-20 by community members and organizations.

DEPAUW'S CTEP ENHANCES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN UGANDA

August 15th, 2008

Professor M. Crary and 2008 DePauw graduate Cody Shoemaker donated CTEP refurbished computers to northern Uganda. Three students and a medical facility now have access to computers as a result of CTEP's ongoing efforts.

August 15th, 2008

- DePauw University's Community Technology Enhancement Program (CTEP) -- which collects used computers from the university, local schools, and the community to be refurbished and donated to low-income families and nonprofit organizations -- has extended its outreach to Uganda. Three students and a medical facility in that country now have computers as a result of CTEP's ongoing efforts.

Last month, Sharon M. Crary, assistant professor of chemistry, traveled with 2008 DePauw graduate Cody Shoemaker to northern Uganda, where they served alongside doctors and nurses at Lacor Hospital. The pair brought along four refurbished computers which were generously donated by the CTEP program.

The recipients of the devices included three young scholars -- two who are medical students, the other an education major -- who had grown up as orphans at St. Jude’s Children’s Home and were raised and supported by Brother Elio Croce, an Italian Comboni Missionary. As one of the recipients, Ojok Denis, explained, “I appreciate [CTEP] for donating the computer because it is going to facilitate my educational process.”

“Now that I am in the university, I need a computer for various reasons, including storing class notes and personal academic documents,” says another recipient, Opiro Kenneth, who plans on becoming a general surgeon in the future.

A fourth computer was broken in transit to Uganda and was unable to be given to a student. Luckily, due to the craftsmanship of Brother Croce, the computer was restored and now is used in the radiology department at Lacor Hospital.

DEPAUW-LED CTEP BRINGS COMMUNITY COMPUTER LAB TO CLOVERDALE

August 23rd, 2006

CTEP set up a public computer lab for the citizens of Cloverdale, using computers donated from the university, local schools and the community, and brought computer/internet access to those in need. To the date the article is published, CTEP has donated approximately 400 computers.

August 23, 2006, Greencastle, Ind.

- Chalk up another assist to the people of Putnam County for DePauw University's Community Technology Enhancement Program (CTEP). A new computer lab in Cloverdale -- the Knoy Resource Center -- is now open to students at Cloverdale High School and will be accessible to the general public September 8, and CTEP has lent a key assist. One of DePauw's 361° technology initiatives, CTEP collects used computers from the university, local schools, and the community to be refurbished and donated to low-income families and nonprofit organizations. To date, hundreds of computers have been recycled through the program.

DePauw's CTEP provided the new center with two Apple Macintosh workstations and will be conducting workshops for approximately 15 Twenty-first Century scholars who will receive a CTEP computer at the end of their training along with a certificate of completion.

"This is a great example of neighbors helping neighbors," says Bob Hershberger, professor and chairman of modern languages at DePauw and CTEP's faculty adviser (seen at right). "We've seen first-hand the life-changing experiences that people have had locally after being given a computer, a 'window to the world,' if you will."

Located at the rear of Cloverdale High School, the Knoy Resource Center was created to inspire both success and a sense of community in students. The center was named in honor of the Knoy family, most notably Adeline Knoy, who taught for twenty-six years in the Cloverdale School System.

Beyond being a resource for citizens in need of computers and Internet access, "The goals of the Knoy Resource Center include enrolling all eligible 7th and 8th grade students in the 21st Century Scholar program, and to increase standardized test scores," states Eric Wolfe of the Putnam County Community Foundation. "We also want to engage parents and other significant adults in students' lives and increase the number of people in Putnam County who graduate from high school, complete post-high school education and [ultimately] succeed in the workforce," adds Wolfe, a 2004 graduate of DePauw.

Toni Tomlinson, the director of the Knoy Resource Center, was very appreciative and enthusiastic about university involvement. "CTEP is the partner of our dreams, says Tomlinson. "The faculty and students of DePauw, through CTEP, have embraced our project with great enthusiasm; sharing ideas, knowledge and manpower."

CTEP, which has been in operation since 2003, was set up to "bridge the digital divide" by refurbishing older computers and supplying them to those who cannot afford the technology. To date, CTEP has supplied approximately 400 computers to individuals, not-for-profit businesses, organizations, and community centers. Other support for the new center in Cloverdale comes from the Putnam County Community Foundation, 4Community, and Rob Lyon. (photo at right, l-r, Jake Osborn, DePauw sophomore and CTEP associate; Nathan Day, DePauw senior and CTEP student adviser; Dr. Hershberger; Jennifer Mann; Al Tucker, Toni Tomlinson; and Howard Bowen)

CTEP will also use the Knoy Center as a hub for donations of used computers from the community. The program has also begun the process of collecting old, unused cell phones and printer cartridges, which they can then recycle for money to aid in their mission.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SENIOR CITIZENS EXTEND CTEP'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

July 31st, 2003

To avoid old computers ending up in landfills, and to bridge the digital divide between DePauw and the community, CTEP was created. CTEP accepts donations of computers that are no longer needed by their previous owners, refurbishes them, and donates the machines to individuals and organizations who need them but may not have the financial resources to obtain them.

July 31, 2003, Greencastle, Ind.

- "It's all about empowering people, and it's going to be doing a lot more of that this summer, thanks to this wonderful donation" says Bob Hershberger, assistant professor of Spanish and Film at DePauw and coordinator of the University's Community Technology Enhancement Program (CTEP). One of DePauw's 361° technology initiatives, CTEP accepts donations of computers that are no longer needed by their previous owners, refurbishes them, and donates the machines to individuals and organizations who need them but may not have the financial resources to obtain them.

To date, CTEP has donated 140 computers and 30 printers to members of the local community. North Putnam Middle School has now generously donated about 150 CPUs with monitors, keyboards, mice and printers. Sandra Aker, technology coordinator for the North Putnam Community School Corporation, says, "We are excited that CTEP is doing this work for the benefit of Putnam County and its citizens, and proud to be a partner in the initiative. Once refurbished, we know that these computers, like the others that CTEP has already distributed, will help people learn and acquire skills that will make them more employable and better citizens. Old computers don't have to gather dust, and DePauw has created a mechanism to put the technology to good use." (photo at top of story shows, l-r: CTEP associate Zach Newman; North Putnam technology assistant Tammy Surber; Sandy Aker; and CTEP associate Aden Kauffman moving computers from the middle school)

This week alone, CTEP donated more than twenty computers and peripherals to residents of Asbury Towers. Dr. Hershberger says, in total, CTEP is now working on about 180 donated computers, readying them for their "rebirth". He notes, "This is by far the largest inventory the program has had in its short history. Prior recipients of CTEP donations have used their computers to advance their educations and find jobs, so we know that this program is a force for positive change."

Three local high school students (Aden Kauffman, Reggie Provine and Zachary Newman), and two DePauw students (Milena Smatrakaleva and Brian Winstead) are spending the summer as CTEP associates -- collecting, repairing, delivering and installing computers (photo shows, l-r: Smatrakaleva, Provine, Newman and Kauffman, in the garage of the Tech House). CTEP's partners in the community include Putnam County Comprehensive Services, North Putnam Schools, The Waters Nursing Home, Peace Lutheran Preschool, Western Indiana Employment and Habitat for Humanity.

In addition to helping bridge the digital divide in Putnam County communities, CTEP's activities are also helping to protect the environment. One of the rapidly developing “green issues” in today's world is how to dispose of old technological equipment. Computers contain numerous poisonous toxins that, if disposed of in a landfill, can leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater. CTEP's efforts keep computers out of landfills, and the program is exploring relationships with area recycling companies to ensure that any equipment that CTEP receives that cannot be refurbished and donated is safely disposed of.

Reimagining A New CTEP

There is an obvious economic and digital divide between DePauw and the surrounding Putnam County community. Tenzer has a very unique position to help push our mission of digital fluency and literacy to the larger Greencastle community while engaging and building the skills of our students.
Maintain the mission “empower the Putnam County community with new means to learn, communicate and explore technology".
Switch the focus from physical technology to workshops that allow community members opportunities to expand their digital fluency.

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