Holy Family students
getting a head start

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

Sister Francesca Onley knows that today’s college students need state-of-the-art technology to stay competitive in the fields they hope to pursue after graduation.
Gone are the days of pen and paper, projectors and blackboard pointers. Now, methods like SMART Boards, Web teleconferencing and other cutting-edge capabilities dominate the classrooms at the college that Sister Francesca oversees.
"In the area of technology, we’ve just been moving along consistently," she said.
The school erected an Education and Technology Center in 2005 and plans to open a new School of Business. Now equipped with a new communications suite and a $1 million grant to fund information technology improvements, the school continues to make large gains in the technology department.
The $100,000 communications suite, situated in Holy Family Hall, includes a television broadcasting station complete with wireless cameras and microphones, a TelePrompTer, digital video burner and digital board. Students can broadcast programs across campus via Holy Family Television on Channel 37.
"It’s something that was needed," said Gary Coleman, user services manager.
The revamped area also includes digital editing stations and an upgraded computer lab complete with sleek MAC monitors and SMART technology, which enables information to be projected throughout the room, operated by a one-touch system.
The grant money, presented by CampusEAI, a non-profit organization that encourages colleges to share software and digital content, will go toward establishing a Web portal at Holy Family.
The funds provide for the Oracle 10g Application Server licenses needed to power a portal, which enables online communities to access information in one place through a single log-in, along with support services such as training and testing.
After the portal is up and running, the college will be able to share "portlets," which are individual features like a temperature indicator or traffic ticker that comprise the portal. Students can then personalize their portal, altering the layout or highlighting the features they use most.
"It’s an interesting way of building a community via the technology," said Bob Lafond, vice president of information technology.
Sister Francesca thinks the improvements in technology will help give students the tools they will need to meet success after college.
"Students will be able to have hands-on experience," she said. ••
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com