International Game Technology and the University of Nevada, Reno are celebrating their ten year anniversary since partnering together to enhance the computer science and computer engineering educational experience at UNR. Specifically, on April 14th, 1994, IGT gave UNR a $1 million endowment that subsequently allowed UNR to increase its engineering staff, purchase lab equipment, and establish a Distinguished Speaker Series. This gift has led to a dramatic increase in both the quality and range of computer science and engineering related programs at UNR.

UNR has worked on a plan to bring about changes in the computer engineering and computer science programs so students majoring in these programs would develop the skills that are needed to be successful at IGT, and in particular, in IGT's Firmware Engineering department. Successful firmware engineers must have an intimate knowledge of the target hardware platform they work on, must be able to troubleshoot electronic circuits and understand integrated circuit specifications, as well as, write source code in a variety of languages such as assembly and C often down to the hardware level.

Ten years ago UNR's Department of Computer Science consisted of six faculty members, 90 undergraduate majors, and 30 graduate students pursuing a master degree. In 1994 the Department graduated 9 students with a BS in CS and 7 students with a MS in CS degrees. The University did not have a program in computer engineering, and the Department's externally funded research activities were minimal or non-existing. This has changed dramatically for the better since the IGT gift.

Following the introduction of graduate, as well as undergraduate degree programs in computer engineering, the department has been transformed into a Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Other important facts include:

• 11.5 faculty members, almost double the number in 1994,
• three new additional degree programs; BS in Computer and Information Engineering, MS in Computer Engineering, and PhD in Computer Science and Engineering,
• 412 majors, an increase of 343%, of which 61 are pursuing the MS degree and 19 the PhD degree,
• A graduating class of 33 BS, 34 MS and 1 PhD degree recipients in 2003, an increase of 425% in graduates
• Funded research exceeding $750,000 in grant expenditures in 2003.

The IGT endowment also provided UNR the means to create a lab environment and provide the development tools that graduates will use upon entering into the working world. The lab coursework and their associated class projects have improved student hands-on skills and made UNR graduates more valuable to IGT as entry level engineers. IGT also plays an active role in UNR's engineering programs through representation on the UNR engineering advisory board. Ali Saffari, Sr. Vice President of Firmware Engineering for IGT is currently President of the Industry Advisory Board for UNR's Computer Science and Engineering. This further demonstrates IGT's involvement with UNR and desire to help the college develop its students into successful future employees.

IGT is committed to hiring qualified candidates from the local area before searching outside the local area. This assures the trained local workforce of opportunities and also challenges and motivates other Reno businesses to do more for the local population and area. Ultimately, this makes the community stronger, which is a primary goal of the IGT Foundation that donated the $1 million gift. The community oriented culture has begun to permeate across the board down to the students level, bearing fruit in many other ways. Computing related UNR student organizations like ACM and FIREANT are active at the University and the community at large, providing volunteer IT support and services to local schools and other non profit organizations in the area. Upon graduation many of the veterans of these student organizations are becoming entrepreneurs or seeking employment locally, helping diversify the local area's economy and make it less dependent on gaming.

There has been a trend that each year since the endowment, more UNR computer science and engineering graduates are being hired by IGT. IGT has gained leadership from UNR. Firmware Engineering has UNR graduates all the way to the top of the department. This demonstrates that UNR graduates are taught skills that let them develop their careers as far as their motivation and talent can take them. Ali Saffari, Senior VP IGT Firmware Engineering and a UNR graduate himself states "We have seen a significant increase since the IGT endowment in the quality and quantity of engineering graduates coming from UNR. It is gratifying to know that IGT has played a significant role in this trend and I am impressed with how quickly today's UNR computer graduates become productive firmware developers. There are over sixty IGT employees who earned a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering at UNR.

IGT Co-ops with UNR and this arrangement gives students real world experience in their engineering field as well as providing financial support for their continuing education. IGT attends UNR's job fairs and provides interested students information on the types of jobs available at IGT as well as the many benefits IGT provides its employees. Attending the job fair gives students visibility to IGT and also let's them know that there are excellent job opportunities available in the Truckee Meadows.

IGT's interns almost exclusively come from UNR. At any given time, from twenty to twenty five UNR interns work at IGT in a variety of departments. Firmware Engineering currently has several interns from UNR working part time during the semester and full time during breaks. Besides providing students real-world experience in their chosen field before they graduate, many of the UNR interns are later hired by IGT as full time engineers.

The generous investment that IGT made in 1994 through its partnership with UNR and the College of Engineering has been tremendously successful. It has paid handsome dividends for all concerned, and had a major effect on improving the IT profile and reputation of Northern Nevada and the Truckee Meadows. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering has come closer to realizing its true potential and has become a significant educational and research unit. Both IGT and UNR believe the future will be even brighter as they continue to grow the college and the local area's technology base. The University, and in particular, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, need industry partners like IGT to accomplish their mission. Local companies such as IGT can infuse new talent and energy into the Department, and provide new directions and challenges. The output of highly trained and intellectually motivated scientists and engineers that will surely follow, will in turn enable IGT and other high tech industry in the Truckee Meadows to realize their maximum potential, benefiting not just the local economy but Nevada as a whole. IGT and the UNR look forward to continue working together building the Department and transforming the Truckee Meadows into a technological showcase with great technological reputation and opportunity.