Northwestern Health Sciences University Pioneers Videoconferencing Technology

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Northwestern Health Sciences University recently received a generous gift of $500,000 donated by Integrity Management of Lincoln, Neb. The gift went to support Northwestern’s Alumni, Student and Career Services Center, purchase a portable videoconferencing unit, and fund the construction of the Integrity Management Smart Center. The Center will include several permanent large-screen videoconferencing televisions, the accompanying video cameras, and other equipment.

The videoconferencing units have many capabilities. Each touch screen television can split into multiple screens, and show PowerPoint slideshows and websites via a remote controlled by the presenter. In addition, the camera that captures the audience can zoom-in on a specific attendee for questions, or can zoom-out to pan the room, according to Mark Zeigler, DC, president of Northwestern. The unit runs through the internet, not a phone line, so it is virtually free to use. “It is an amazing piece of technology,” he says.

“As far as I am aware, Northwestern is the first chiropractic university to get this technology,” says Dr. Zeigler. Construction on the Integrity Management Smart Center should be completed in the summer of 2009.

“The Integrity Management Smart Center will provide new and innovative opportunities for our students, faculty, alumni, and continuing education,” says Dr. Zeigler. “Integrity Management gave Northwestern a wonderful gift that helped us realize a vision of bringing information to campus, as well as creating an outlet of information to a wide variety of constituents.”

“The videoconferencing technologies will expose Northwestern students to world-class presenters and educators,” notes Andrea Kodner-Wenzel, MSCIS, chief information officer at Northwestern.

Northwestern Health Sciences University offers a wide array of choices in natural health care education including chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage and human biology. The University has nearly 900 students on a 25-acre campus in Bloomington, Minnesota.