by Michelle Solter-Evers

As part of the University of Maryland´s partnership with Avaya Communication, students in the Hinman CEO (Campus Entrepreneurship Opportunities) program have access to a unique living-learning environment in Garrett Hall. Through the donation of equipment from Avaya and the time and expertise of OIT Networking and Telecommunications Services staff, students in the Hinman CEO program live in a residence hall that provides leading-edge voice, data, and video technology that exceeds the IT resources even most companies have. This dynamic living-learning entrepreneurial environment, which opened for the Fall 2000 semester, is the first of its kind in the U.S.

OIT Networking and Telecommunications Services staff installed infrastructure and technology to provide the tools to support the students in the Hinman Program. These tools enhance entrepreneurial inspiration and bring creativity to life by allowing students to obtain the skills that will enable them to establish start-up companies and become successful entrepreneurs after they graduate from the university.

The students are given the chance to learn informally by doing all of the things that entrepreneurs do—coming up with ideas for new businesses, working in teams, writing business plans, seeking venture capital, making presentations, and, if they are successful, managing the growth of real businesses.

Converged multimedia communications access is central to the living and learning environment in Garrett Hall. OIT Networking and Telecommunications Services staff provide support for Avaya communications-enabling technologies in Garrett Hall, including:

• Voice, data, and video communications capability from each resident's computer using Definity IP (Internet Protocol) Softphones, Intuity multimedia messaging, and video capability with client software installed on each resident's computer;
• Wireless access using Avaya's WaveLAN product that allows the end user to connect to the wired data network anytime, anywhere in the residence hall;
• Group video systems and IP Viewstations that enable the students in the Hinman program to conduct meetings anywhere in the world from the three conference rooms located in Garrett Hall. A multimedia projector capable of transmitting all types of materials, including electronic files and even small three dimensional objects, over the Internet or private networks is also available.

The infusion of these technologies into the living-learning environment in Garrett Hall has provided students in the Hinman program with the resources to interact with one another and with the outside world utilizing emerging technologies that are expected give their start-up companies a competitive advantage.

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