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Centre College students plan "Build Your Own PC" demonstration DANVILLE, KY - A group of Centre College students who lead a campus technology club have agreed to publicly build a computer in 90 minutes to promote campus interest in technology. The four-person team will tackle the project Thursday, March 23, at 4:15 p.m. in one of the college science buildings, Olin Hall. Their goal is to finish by 5:45 p.m. Much of the work will be done by junior Bryan Phillips of Junction City and junior Jeremy Reed from Hopkinsville. They will have back-up and assistance from junior Luke Mentzer of Lexington, president of the technology club this year, and sophomore Henry McEuen from Carrollton. According to Mentzer, the project also has a charitable side. The value of the labor to build the computer has been donated to United Way. As Mentzer explains, the team offered its labor in a United Way auction held on campus earlier this year. "We offered the value of our labor as well as advice on ordering the necessary component parts," Mentzer says. "The deal was that the person who purchased our labor would also cover the cost of buying parts -- and would let us build the computer publicly." The person who had the winning bid at the auction was Brandon Bottomley, a Centre junior from Crestview Hills. Mentzer says Reed, Phillips and McEuen are experienced at building computers from component parts, and they practiced as team last week to prepare for this week's public effort. They will make one concession to time. "Mounting a computer's motherboard takes 30 minutes, so we'll have that already done," says Mentzer. "But, for the people who are really interested in that process, we'll have a PowerPoint presentation running in the back of the room." At least one computer science professor at Centre will require his students to attend the demonstration, and Mentzer expects a good turnout. In prior years, the Centre technology club has sponsored service projects including a software fair for teachers at Toliver Elementary School. The club is affiliated with the Student Technology Leadership Project (STLP) of the Kentucky Department of Education.
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Communications Office Coordinator of public information: Patsi Barnes Trollinger |