Many of our students have found that the technology program at Ursuline prepares them in ways they couldn't have imagined as incoming freshmen. Here are just a couple of examples of how they have benefited from Ursuline's Laptop program:

Mrs. Schofield and Ms. Eller,

Hi! This is Maureen and I'm writing this letter from school. I'm currently attending the University of Dayton in Ohio and I just wanted to let you know what a great success Ursuline's laptop program was for me. I have found myself to be light-years ahead of my fellow classmates and incredibly knowledgeable about my computer and what it can do. While many first year students are struggling to adjust, the additional frustration of not being familiar with your computer would just add to the stress. As many were at first, I was skeptical about Ursuline's laptop program and thought it to be unnecessary. However, looking back I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity! Once again, thanks!

Keep up the Good Work,
Maureen M., '03

One of the reasons I chose to attend Ursuline was for its laptop program, which features some of the most up-to-date technology features available to high school students. Each girl purchases a Dell laptop, which is connected to Ursuline’s school-wide wireless network. While students can take notes and check their email on their laptops, it goes far beyond that. Students in Advanced Placement U.S. History collaborate to create powerpoints of each chapter as a review for the College Board exam in May. English students cull research for their term papers using the Ursuline Library’s website, which connects them to several information databases as well as the Delaware public libraries. As cliché as it sounds, Ursuline girls really do go beyond the walls of their classrooms on a daily basis.

Of course, laptops are not always the most reliable of machines, especially when you use them five or more days a week. Fortunately, a relentless technology department accompanies Ursuline’s laptop program. If the technology department is unable to fix your laptop, they will send your laptop back to the company for repairs. In the meantime, you get a loaner laptop so that you may continue your work. Whether or not they are sent out, however, all laptops get immediate attention by a diligent staff and are returned to you, good as new.

Because of Ursuline Academy’s laptop program, I feel as if I have received a stronger education because what I learn in the biology lab and English classroom is supplanted by the work I do in Microsoft Excel and on the Internet. My organizational skills have increased, since all of my notes and homework can be neatly organized into folders and placed on my computer’s desktop for easy access. I have fewer problems understanding course material, since I can simply email my French teacher a question I have about a book we are reading or a homework assignment I don’t understand. Furthermore, I feel more connected to the world around me, since many of my classes – including science, French, and history – require me to write reports on current events using articles and information I find online.

- Gwen E., '05