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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Media advisory: Event tomorrow marks I-Light connections to 21 Ivy Tech facilities

What: New I-Light connections at 21 Ivy Tech facilities, thanks to statewide collaboration, ARRA funds, to be recognized.
When: Thursday, Nov. 3, 3:30 p.m.
Where: University Place Conference Center's Reading Room, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, at 850 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis.
Who: IU and Ivy Tech administrators, representatives from Zayo Networks and I-Light, Monticello, Ind., Mayor Jason Thompson.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 2, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- High-speed Internet connectivity among 63 Indiana universities and colleges will be celebrated tomorrow (Nov. 3) when officials gather to recognize the approaching completion of a $35.8 million infrastructure project connecting 21 Ivy Tech Community College campuses to Indiana's I-Light network.

The U.S. Department of Commerce last year awarded Zayo Bandwidth, a regional provider of fiber-based bandwidth infrastructure solutions, $25.1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to connect the 21 Ivy Tech campuses to the state I-Light network. Additional funds for the project came from Zayo and members of the I-Light partnership.

The press event and reception will be held at University Place Conference Center's Reading Room, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, at 850 W. Michigan St. IU Associate Vice President for Networks David Jent will offer opening and closing remarks and a perspective on what the effort means to IU and the state of Indiana.

Also scheduled to speak are Jeff Pittman, vice president for Ivy Tech Online ("What this project means to Ivy Tech"); I-Light operations manager Marianne Chitwood, who will offer an I-Light perspective; Monticello Mayor Jason Thompson ("Community benefit of new connection"); and Zayo Networks Director Essam El-Beik ("What it means to be middle-mile and the range of services that will be provided through the build").

For more information contact Steve Chaplin, Indiana University Office of Communications, at 812-856-1896 or stjchap@iu.edu.

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