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$180,000 in Prizes Awarded, 1,050 Students Compete in Avnet Tech Games Over Last Five Years
PHOENIX -- More than 160 students from Arizona colleges and universities vied for top honors in Avnet, Inc.'s (NYSE:AVT) fifth annual Avnet Tech Games onsite competition on Saturday, April 10, 2010, at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz., by applying what they are learning in school to real-world scenarios. Each winning student collected $1,000 scholarships and faculty members were awarded $200 for leading a participating team and an additional $300 for each winning team. These prizes were made possible in part by a $50,000 donation from the Carstens Family Funds for the second consecutive year.
A panel of judges of technology firm executives, engineers and technical experts selected the winners based on their ability to meet the technical requirements of the task, apply innovative approaches to the solution and demonstrate professional skills. Fifty-three student teams competed in this year's Avnet Tech Games, representing 11 colleges and universities: Arizona State University, the University of Advancing Technology, the University of Arizona, Central Arizona College and seven Maricopa County Community Colleges.
This year's onsite event also marked the five year milestone of the Avnet Tech Games. Since its inception in 2006, nearly $180,000 in scholarships and prizes have been awarded to hundreds of the 1,050 students and 100 faculty members who have participated in the Avnet Tech Games. What started as a technology competition for Maricopa Community Colleges students only has grown to become a year-round competition available to college students globally to compete through virtual technology games and contests.
"The expansion of the Avnet Tech Games exemplifies what's possible when leading technology companies partner with the education community and collaborate on preparing students for the workforce," said Teri Radosevich, vice president of community relations and public affairs for Avnet, Inc. "It's a win-win-win scenario where students get the opportunity to learn job skills, academia learns what business really looks for in new employees, and business benefits from graduates more knowledgeable about what businesses really need."
The annual multidisciplinary onsite technology competition, composed of nine separate events, requires students to work in teams to test their knowledge, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving and technical skills. During the games, students showcased how they can make a difference in advancing business and improve quality of life by participating in games such as creating a solar-powered lamp, building a green data center or constructing a virtual server environment.
The winners of the 2010 onsite Avnet Tech Games events are:
Accenture Green Data Center Challenge
University of Advancing Technology
Faculty Coach: Shelley Keating
Student Team Members:
Jason Carter
John Faulkner
Justin Lulejian
Austin Pederson
AMD Build, Troubleshoot & Tune the Fastest Computer
Scottsdale Community College
Faculty Coach: Bill Johnson
Student Team Members:
Jason Harnly
Shane Nixon
Jeff Santilli
Digital Design Challenge
Glendale Community College
Faculty Coach: Paula Cheslik
Student Team Members:
John Buhanan
Anthony Christie
Vladimir Frisby
Networking Within the Enterprise
Mesa Community College
Faculty Coach: Mark Anderson
Student Team Members:
Jeff Jensen
Ivan Marquez
Dana Yanch
Patch Panel Madness
University of Advancing Technology
Faculty Coach: Al Kelly
Student Team Members:
Jacob Hoffman
Sam Ness
Adam Visser
Project Greenlight - Solar Powered LED Challenge
Mesa Community College
Faculty Coach: William Klein
Student Team Members:
Jacquelyn Hawes
Cameron Lane
Jon Powers
Robot Race Obstacle Course
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Faculty Coach: Bassam Matar
Student Team Members:
Matthew Adamson
Kevin Reed
Levi Randolph-Roble
VMware Virtualization Challenge
Arizona State University
Faculty Coach: Matthew McCarthy
Student Team Members:
Ian Alexander
David Quigley
David Roman
Trevor Royer
Win the Pitch -Event Creation
University of Arizona
Faculty Coach: Ed Ackerley
Student Team Members:
Alexandra Dammen
Lindsay Erlick
Shannon Timms
Brett Weisberg
"Congratulations to all of our winners and to everyone who competed in the 2010 Avnet Tech Games. Every student who participated is a winner for having the determination to compete and hone skills that will help them stand out when they apply for jobs and enter the workforce," added Radosevich.
The Avnet Tech Games also included a trade show and networking event to help students connect with prospective employers. Avnet Tech Games sponsors included Accenture, AMD, Avnet, Inc., Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants, Intertec Consulting, In-Win, Jobing.com, Metro Studios, Microsoft, Premise One, Prisma Graphic, RedPrairie, Sapphire, Suzie Guzman Solutions, SRP, STMicroelectronics, TelTech Networks, Inc., University of Advancing Technology, Verizon, VMware and Xilinx.
For more information about the 2010 Avnet Tech Games, the upcoming summer contests and Fall Virtual Games, visit www.avnettechgames.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Avnet
Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers and by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 28, 2009, Avnet generated revenue of $16.23 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.
Contacts
Avnet
Michelle Kershner, 480-643-7658
michelle.kershner@avnet.com
or
Brodeur, for Avnet
Josie Lee, 602-224-4051
Cell: 617-470-2061
jlee@brodeur.com
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