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Review of Fall Symposium 2006

Date: Friday October 20th, 2006 (12:15 - 4:15 p.m.)

Location: Rochester Institute of Technology (Golisano College Atrium and Auditorium)

Sponsored by the following corporations and academic institutions:

• Kodak
• University of Rochester
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Computer Aid
• Bausch and Lomb
• Wegmans
• Energy East
• Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
• Frontier/Citizen
• Paychex
• Xerox

Attended by:
Approximately 100 Information Technology undergraduates and graduate students from Nazareth, St. John Fisher, Roberts Wesleyan, University of Rochester (including the Simon School), Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oswego, Alfred University and SUNY Brockport.

Background:
As part of a continuing effort to retain talented IT graduates in the Rochester area, Explore Rochester IT sponsored this symposium. Explore Rochester IT was created by the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of the major Rochester area employers. Open to students in information technology fields.

2006 Event Recap:
Nine CIOs from local companies presented their organization's use of technology and the opportunities in the IT field that can be found within each.

The 2006 panel, consisting of "high-powered, blue ribbon personnel," according to RIT President, Dr. Albert Simone who opened the session, included

• Steven Graham, CAI
• Kim VanGelder, Eastman Kodak
• Patrick Neville, Energy East
• David McDowell, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
• Steven Ward, Frontier/Citizens
• Dan Conzano, Paychex
• Donald Reeve, Wegmans
• Diane Barbour, Rochester Institute of Technology
• David Lewis, University of Rochester

Students in the audience asked the CIO panel about typical paths to a successful IT career. "There's no one path,' said Energy East CIO Patrick Neville in response. He added that the time for specialization in any one technology area actually limits an individual. The need to enhance skills with project management, communication and customer service experience is important.

After the Q & A session with the CIO panel, students gathered in the Atrium of the Golisano College to talk with Information Technology staff members from each of the corporations represented at the Symposium. The CIOs joined students and corporate staff for more discussions about the innovative work being done within the companies.

Feedback from the evaluation forms indicated that students appreciated this a great deal. The students also participated in a raffle of items donated by the CIOs.