More than $61,000 of Apple computer equipment was given to two NIU departments this year because of the efforts of two faculty members.

NIU Visual Arts Professor Walter Hines and Geography Cartographer Richard Vaupel received grants from the Apple Computer Corporation.

Paula Dieterich from Education Alliance, a consultant for Apple Computer, said the grants were part of the Apple Technology Partners Grant Program.

The grant is a three-way partnership in which a business donates a minimum of $5,000 for the purchase of Apple computer equipment. NIU then matches that amount and the Apple Computer Corporation does the same.

To apply for the grant, the faculty members had to find a business sponsor and submit a proposal to NIU. The proposal was then sent to Apple Computer for approval, Dieterich said.

Hines, an NIU faculty member for 11 years, said the computer equipment will be a help to his department. He said the equipment will be used by design students to do work for professional businesses.

“It is an inexpensive way for professionals to get design work and it gives students experience working in a professional environment,” he said.

Vaupel said the computers will also greatly benefit his department. Before the grant, they had only one computer for the whole geography department and most students did not get an opportunity to use it, he said.

He said the computers will be used in labs and for teaching cartography. This will enable faculty to greatly improve the instruction, he said.