Oklahoma State's ISyTE Academy attracts high school students interested in MIS

Thursday, March 8, 2012

High school students learn how to build a computer from scratch during the 2011 ISyTE Academy, sponsored by Oklahoma State University’s Department of Management Science and Information Systems.

Applications are now being accepted from Oklahoma high school students interested in attending Oklahoma State University’s activity-based, hands-on Information Systems Technology Exploration Academy program designed by the Management Science and Information Systems department.

The fourth annual Information Systems Technology Exploration Academy (ISyTE) will be held June 10-15 on OSU’s Stillwater campus.

ISyTE is an activity-based, hands-on program designed for high school students interested in the vital intersection of business and technology. The program allows participants to interact with current MIS students, faculty, and industry IT professionals. Students from across the state of Oklahoma will learn how to build a computer from start to finish, take part in a mock investigation where they use forensics technology to track down an imaginary criminal, and much more during the weeklong academy.

“Students always seem to have a great time and they are offered a wide variety of exposure to technology and the opportunities that are available,” said Rick Wilson, head of OSU’s Management Science and Information Systems department.

Twenty-five high school students will be chosen to receive a scholarship that covers all of the fees associated with participating in the ISyTE Academy, including all meals and lodging. To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must demonstrate interest in computer-related technology, be a high-school student entering grades 9-11, and be enrolled full-time at a high school in Oklahoma (or equivalent for home-schooled students).

The application deadline is March 30. To register online, go to cepd.okstate.edu/ISyTE or for more information, contact Cinda Krout at 405-744-5208 or 866-678-3933 or cinda.krout@okstate.edu.

“Management Information Systems is an exciting degree with a lot of opportunity for graduates. This high school academy gives students a hands-on taste of what it might be like to work in this high-paying career,” Wilson said. “By coming to OSU while still in high school, students will hopefully get comfortable with college, OSU, and also gain an idea of the immediate and long-term potential of MIS as a career field. OSU’s MIS Program is one of the most innovative and value-added in the country, so this is an all-around great opportunity for those who are accepted.”

ISyTE is sponsored by the OSU Department of Management Science and Information Systems, the Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Spears School of Business, and ConocoPhillips.