ITPalooza 2015 – Event Expected to Draw Record Crowds

Includes Educational Speaker Tracks, Hiring Fair, Hackathon, CIO Track, IT Expo, Toy Drive and After-Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FORT LAUDERDALE – DAVIE, Fla. —Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is once again proud to be hosting – and participating in – ITPalooza. With more than 2,500 IT professionals, CIOs, user groups, corporate execs and students expected, the 2015 ITPalooza event is expected to be the biggest and best yet.

“NSU has been a leader in computing research and education,” said Amon Seagull, Ph.D., interim dean and associate professor at NSU’s College of Engineering and Computing. “We are committed to furthering the development of South Florida’s vibrant IT community and always look forward to bringing everyone together.”

The event is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, December 3 at NSU’s Carl DeSantis Building, 3301 College Ave, Fort Lauderdale (on NSU’s Fort Lauderdale – Davie campus.)

“This is a great opportunity for the IT community to gain critical knowledge, make new contacts or explore new career opportunities,” said Rick Sebaly, event leader and VP of the South Florida Technology Alliance. “It will be a day of learning and a night of celebration and networking.”

The event kicks off with the CIO Track, which includes a roundtable and speakers discussing pertinent issues impacting IT departments. While this event is exclusive for the CIO Council one can request an invitation to attend via the website.

General admission to the Hiring Fair, IT Expo and nine Education Track sessions opens at 1 p.m. Tracks include: CIO Insights; Cybersecurity; Women in IT; Agile Association (SFAA); Microsoft Technology Associate certification (MTA); Professional Development; Cloud Infrastructure; The Internet of Things; and Startup Lifecycle. Each track will have four speakers with each session starting on the hour.

At approximately 5 p.m. all exhibits and tracks conclude and attendees convene in the Carl DeSantis Courtyard for remarks, presentations and an after-party.

But the fun doesn’t end there – on Friday, the following day, AT&T will be sponsoring a Hackathon for software developers, engineers and students interested in gaining additional skills in software and mobile application development. The Hackathon will last through Saturday.

Since its inception, ITPalooza has raised more than $125,000 in cash and toys for various South Florida non-profits including Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ STEM Advisory Board, The Stockdale Foundation, Marine’s Toys for Tots and more.   Admission is $35, or $20 if attendee brings at least one (1) unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots.

Online registration can be found at www.itpalooza.org or on Eventbrite (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/itpalooza-2015-tickets-17567561048?aff=itpsite).  Student tickets are also available for $10 by presenting a valid student ID. Information on sponsorship opportunities is also available on the site.

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About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution with more than 24,000 students, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the  largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.

About NSU’s College of Engineering and Computing (CEC): The CEC provides educational programs of distinction to prepare students for leadership roles in the computer and information sciences field. With internationally recognized faculty, innovative curricula, and flexible online and campus-based formats for its five Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, three Ph.D. and three certificate programs – the CEC’s graduates are sought after around the world. Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, their information assurance curriculum is recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. For more information, please visit www.cec.nova.edu

About ITPalooza: Led by an organizing team of dedicated local IT Professionals, www.ITPalooza.org is an annual event that brings together the South Florida IT Community for a day of learning, sharing, networking, and fun. ITPalooza is facilitated by South Florida Technology Alliance (SFTA), a 501(c) non-profit corporation that organizes events across the tri-county area. The SFTA www.southfloridatech.org has operated for over 20 years in South Florida and welcomes all tech industry participants to join forces to enable the present and shape the future of technology in the community we love. Our Motto is ‘Learn, Connect, Grow.’

November 9, 2015

Joe Donzelli | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-2159 (office) | 954-661-4571 (cell)
jdonzelli@nova.edu| www.nova.edu

Don Silver or Yarden Cohen
Boardroom Communications
donsil@boardroompr.com| ycohen@boardroompr.com
954-370-8999