Published: August 22, 2008 10:12 pm      

Grant will allow ACM campuses to add wireless Internet service

CUMBERLAND — Allegany College of Maryland students will soon have access to wireless Internet service on campus.

A $100,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will provide controllers, cabling, antennas, switches and other electronic equipment for the high-speed Internet service.

The wireless communications project will begin within the next few weeks and is expected to be finished by the end of the spring semester, according to Tim Pelesky, associate dean of information technology at ACM.

All buildings as well as some outdoor areas at ACM will be wireless, according to Pelesky.

“This is a great way for us to expand our student services,” said Pelesky.

The Bedford and Somerset campuses will also have wireless technology, according to Pelesky.

“Education is the engine that drives our economy, and access to state-of-the-art technology is a crucial component of a 21st-century education,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin. “I am pleased that this ARC grant will provide the campus of Allegany College with high-speed Internet service.”

“Forty years ago, interstate highways were crucial for economic growth in our rural areas; now it’s the information superhighway,” said U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski. “I’m proud that this funding will enable students at Allegany College to benefit from top-flight, high-speed Internet services. I will continue to fight for grants like these that support Maryland students, colleges and communities.”