The NMC, a non-profit organization of leaders of higher education committed to the application of technology, invited WSU to participate in its application process because WSU is considered a teaching institution with a national reputation in the synthesis of technology, curriculum, and higher education. Dr. Larry Johnson, president and CEO of NMC said the selection process was very competitive.

"We received the largest number of applications in our history," Johnson explained, "and the overall quality of those applications was just extraordinary. Taken as a whole, the results show the state of technology integration in colleges and universities is at a remarkably high level.

"Even among a very strong field, it was quite clear that Winona State University is a place where smart creative people are devising innovative solutions to challenges we all face in teaching and learning," Johnson continued. "The dedication to excellence here is palpable, and students and faculty are the clear beneficiaries in higher education."

WSU's inclusion in the NMC means even greater benefits for students and faculty at WSU, as NMC members collaborate and consult with one another, and thus explore new methods of incorporating emerging technology into the classroom. This also means that NMC will benefit greatly from Winona State university, as WSU is one of the largest laptop universities in the nation with more than 7,000 supported laptop computers in operation. The WSU laptop program, e-learning center, a state-of-the-art library of the future, and the extensive infrastructure that supports all this, puts WSU on the cutting edge of pedagogical and curricular technology.

In addition to the laptop program, WSU also offers technological capabilities in its extensive support of Blackboard 6; the Winona Graduate Skills program (WINGS); area specific programs, such as real-time email conferencing, musical composition software, computer enhanced theatrical sets and lighting designs, on-line student senate elections, and many others. With all these technological innovations, WSU is a perfect fit for NMC.

It is not surprising that WSU faculty members are some of the most sought after national experts in the area of curriculum and informational technology. For years, various WSU faculty and staff have presented at EduCause conferences, and the potential benefits that WSU faculty and NMC members are poised to gain is limitless.

Membership in NMC is exclusive to those institutions dedicated to the continual use of innovative technology in the areas of teaching, learning, research, or creative expression. Winona State University now is associated with other NMC institutions, including prestigious private universities like MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and state research universities like UCLA, Texas, and Michigan. The University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are the only other universities within the WSU region that are currently NMC members.

Joseph Whetstone, WSU vice president for information technology, said of the new membership, "Winona State University is proud to be recognized by The New Media Consortium as a global leader in educational and informational technology. We look forward to working with our NMC colleagues and gaining and sharing each other's expertise; and there is no doubt in my mind that NMC will gain as much from Winona State University as we will gain from them."