ADA – East Central University’s Veterans Upward Bound Program, through the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the state of Oklahoma, received free laptop computers for use with veterans and military-related individuals.
A distribution ceremony was held on April 30 at the State Capitol with Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon as the keynote speaker.
The Christina Foundation donated the computers to the state of Oklahoma, according to Amy Ewing-Holmstrom, CareerTech military transition coordinator.
The Cristina Foundation promotes the reuse of technology to give people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged people the opportunity to be more independent and productive through training, according to the website: https://www.cristina.org.
“These computers were donated to Oklahoma for the sole purpose of assisting veterans and military-related individuals with access to technology for educational purposes,” said Ewing-Holmstrom. “One of the identified points of failure in the post-service education process is access to technology. The donated computers are an attempt to fill this opportunity for improvement.”
ECU’s Veterans Upward Bound Program was one of 13 technology centers, colleges and universities which received the laptops. Recipients will use the computers in educational settings for veterans and military-related individuals.
Aragon, the first female commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard in March 2003 and the first female to command a state’s National Guard, will speak at ECU’s Veterans and Military Appreciation Day on Thursday, May 15, at ECU’s Chickasaw Business and Conference Center.
The event, free and open to the public, goes from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aragon is scheduled to speak shortly after 11 a.m.
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