Business Services Industry

ITA Launches New Student Membership Program

Business Wire, July 10, 2007

Program to Drive Greater Connection between Academia and Industry

CHICAGO -- The Illinois Information Technology Association (ITA) announced today a new Student Membership Program. Extending the ITA's mission of building the technology community in Illinois, the objective of the program is to get students interested in a career in technology to actively engage the association as a launch pad for beginning their careers.

Student membership, open to all full-time students, has several benefits, including:

* Student Resource Center: A central nerve system for communication with the student members, including job posting, resume postings, registration for programs and other pertinent information to assist students in their development of a technology career.

* Intern Program: ITA actively works with its members to create intern positions for student members.

* Mentor Program: ITA will enlist and train executive mentors to be available for interested student members.

* Workshop/Seminars: ITA will host regular seminars developed expressly for student members and focusing on key industry topics of interest to the students.

* Executive Roundtables: Student members will be invited to meet with senior executives on a regular basis in a small group setting.

* ITA Participation: All students will be eligible to attend all ITA general admission events.

"The Academic Outreach Committee represents 50 technology companies and academic institutions that have worked diligently to create the ITA Student Membership Program," said Bill Waas, Academic Outreach Committee Chair and CEO, Illinois Technology Executive Exchange. "We expect that it will appeal to hundreds of students and will serve as an outstanding setting for developing long lasting, fruitful partnerships between the technology and student community."

The Student Membership Program is part of a broader ITA Academic Outreach Program, which strives to develop relationships between Illinois IT technology firms and educational institutions. The program strives to attract - and retain graduating students' interest in continuing to build a technology industry in Illinois.

More information about the Student Membership Program can be found at: http://www.illinoistech.org/pages.aspx/83.> About the ITA

With roots dating back to 1982, the Illinois Information Technology Association (ITA) represents the interests of a diverse membership of more than 400 companies in Illinois that create, deploy and utilize information technology as a core part of their organization. By connecting members with industry peers and participants, providing the latest strategic information, market research and critical market insight and by promoting key thought leaders to raise visibility and gain a greater market awareness and presence, ITA is focused on building and developing the Illinois technology community through collaboration. Additional information is available at http://www.illinoistech.org/.>