NORMAL - Illinois State University senior Joe Ksiazek is among those who say IBM's estimated $5 million investment in the campus's information technology program could open doors to more 21st century jobs for him and his classmates.

"This offers students like me a great opportunity to learn new technologies being used in the business world," said Ksiazek, a Chicagoan studying computer sciences.

IBM executives visited Normal on Wednesday to unveil the latest IBM System z890 server, which the technology giant has lent to ISU's College of Applied Science and Technology. In addition to lending the server, IBM is working with faculty to develop curriculum, providing IBM guest lecturers and sponsoring student visits to data centers.

The server will help students learn enterprise computing and networking. The term refers to the system needs of big institutions and businesses in such areas as data storage, payroll and financial transaction management, ISU's James Derry said.

ISU has an earlier, basic version of the server, valued at about $450,000, which it uses to manage all its records.

But the new z890 delivered as part of IBM's academic initiative is configured with so much state-of-the-art software and data storage capacity that its value is much closer to $5 million, said Derry, who manages ISU's enterprise computing systems.

With the addition, ISU becomes the only public university in the state to offer its technology students both an undergraduate program in enterprise computing and hands-on access to such an IBM mainframe.

"And enterprise computing is so different (than other computer science classes); it's different systems, and a lot different hardware," said Ksiazek. "This (having hands-on access to such a mainframe) will really make a difference."

The college's School of Information Technology accounts for about 650 of the college's 3,600 enrolled students. The school boasts a nearly 100 percent job placement rate, he said.

"The jobs definitely are out there," school director Terry Dennis said, noting most entry-level jobs start at more than $50,000 in the field.

Student Christopher Williamson, who is set to graduate in May, calls enterprise computing work the engines that keep the big businesses operating. He's excited that because of the IBM loaner, he'll arrive at his first post-graduation job already having real-world application experience with the mainframe.

ISU President Al Bowman called Wednesday the beginning of an important relationship between ISU and IBM, one that he said is part of ISU's broader efforts to build bridges with global business and government leaders.

And this particular collaboration also will benefit Central Illinois.

"(It's) one that will also have a positive impact on Illinois State's relationship with many other businesses such as State Farm Insurance, Caterpillar, Country Financial, John Deere and others," said Bowman.

Mike Bliss, an IBM executive charged with overseeing the company's academic initiative, of which ISU is one of 400 campuses involved, said this work with ISU is a way to create a pipeline of talent for IBM's customers.

As enterprise computing specialists who now manage corporations' mainframes head into retirement, this kind of attention provides a new, up-to-date work force, he said.

And with talk of globalization and the need for technologically educated U.S. workers, it provides American college students a chance.

"It's one way to make sure students from our own backyard" have opportunities.