Ask a CAD insider to pair SolidWorks to an educational institution and most would pick MIT. After all, founder Jon Hirschtick graduated from MIT. To this day MIT emains a font of talent for SolidWorks.
Less public is SolidWorks' connection to a school the world has never heard of, a secondary school tucked away in the countryside of Rwanda, at the end of a bumpy dirt road, where technology means laying brick and repairing automobiles.
Every SolidWorks CEO has found a way to support ETO Gitarama, be it with software licenses, training.. even cash. A little bit goes a long way in this part of the world. A computer is a promise to modern world in a country where the most of the population lives on family farms.
If SolidWorks' brains are in MIT, its heart is in ETO Gitrarama.
Figure 1: It's many to a computer at ETO Gitarama, a secondary school an hour and a half drive from Kigali. In use is SolidWorks 2006 on a machine with 256MB RAM. The school offers hope of a professional career. In a country where over 90% of the population exists on subsistence farming.
Last week, a SolidWorks delegation, including CEO Jeff Ray, paid a visit to the school. The school had been waiting. School uniforms were pressed and spotless. Student groups in one room after another proudly gave well rehearsed presentations of their projects. Those who weren't presenting gaped. The whole faculty were waiting for us in a formal conference, introducing themselves and their programs, but also entering pleas for computers, books... anything would help.. they seemed to have so little and each and everything would be so gratefully received.
The spotlight seemed to turn on Jeff. Showing all the signs of a master statesman, Jeff was generous in response, pledging an upgrade of software, more training, maybe even books... but not promising anything he could not deliver. Does he hear requests for unending help every day, I thought.
We weren't done. A grand assembly had been called in our honor. The entire student body had gathered in the main hall. Noisy and boisterous, they hushed as we filed in and were seated. The director of the school introduced each of us to the students. Jeff was called up for an impromptu Q&A with the students. His microphone is not working. In the split second it take me to break into a sweat, Jeff has already managed the disaster. Rather than sheepishly tapping the mike and waiting for a replacement (yes, that is how I would have died) he has already raised his voice and waded into the midst of the students. He proceeds to answer a series of questions from several students. What does it take to ruffle this guy?
We were treated to traditional music and dance, performed by the students. In yet another surprise, members of our delegation were requested and all complied willingly -- except for yours truly who felt obliged to record the event.
The Day in Pictures
Figure 3: Students show Jeff their projects.
Figure 4: American CEO holds Rwanda tech school in rapt attention.
Figure 5: ETO Gitarama student are not camera shy.
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