ATHENS, Ohio -- Made2Manage Systems has donated $275,000 worth of Enterprise Resource Planning software to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology's Department of Industrial Technology at Ohio University.

The 30 sets of software will be used in the IT Contemporary Integrated Manufacturing capstone course. Goals of the course are to make students aware of the functional areas of manufacturing organization and to offer them hands-on lab experience with the latest software applications.

Assistant Professor of Industrial Technology Todd Myers knew the software company could provide useful tools for students.

"I sought out Made2Manage software because it is targeted for small and mid-sized manufacturing facilities, the same markets in which most of our graduates work," he said.

Made2Manage Systems offers a complete Enterprise Business System software package that integrates the tools needed to run a business. With this donation and future donations, Made2Manage hopes to expose students to their software for the students' knowledge and their assistance with future third party business partnerships.

President and CEO Dave Wortman said, "The Made2Manage Systems' software allows students to learn the latest ways manufacturers are using the Internet to collaborate, improve customer service and communicate up and down their supply chain."

Ohio University's Department of Industrial Technology will begin using the application in the classroom during the fall quarter of the 2002-03 academic year.