REC Silicon donation boosts BBCC computer program

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake manufacturer recently donated $88,000 in technology equipment to give a leg up to the revived computer science program at Big Bend Community College.

REC Silicon owners gave the college servers, data storage controllers and trays, port switches, server cabinets and Cisco networking equipment, said Doug Sly, the college's public information officer.

Students will use the equipment for network administration and server administration classes beginning in January 2013, said Mary Shannon, instructional designer for the college's Title V program. "This will allow students to experience data center operations, including how to rack, cable, label, document and manage servers and related equipment," she said. "It is a huge contribution to the program and opens exciting instructional possibilities. I'm thrilled."

The idea for the donation came from Jeremy Davis, the systems administrator for REC Silicon and a member of the computer science program advisory committee. The program was revived in fall 2012 after being shut down for about four years, after the last instructors retired.

Dan Chivers, REC's infrastructure manager, was instrumental in the donation process, Sly said.