NYIT's primary campuses are located in the education capital of the world, which means we face fierce competition for talented students from some of the nation's most celebrated colleges and universities. We're more than up to the challenge.

Through our innovative use of technology, prospective students from all walks of life witness NYIT's strengths prior to setting foot on our campuses. Visitors to our award-winning Web site (www.nyit.edu) take virtual tours of our campuses, classrooms and research centers. An award-winning CD-ROM, aptly titled "Experience NYIT," includes 3-D tours and multimedia presentations that walk prospective students through our curricula and campuses.

These and other recruitment initiatives are paying immediate, quantifiable dividends. Despite the soft economy, applications to our New York campuses grew a robust 16 percent for the fall 2002 semester. We're attracting

students from more than 40 states and 60 countries. Our 11,000 students come from all walks of life, but they share a common home--a second home--at NYIT.

As we look ahead, we expect enrollments on our New York campuses to show a net increase over the next few years. We're witnessing even stronger growth on the international front, where eager students and progressive nations crave the high-quality American education that NYIT proudly offers.

Attracting talented, diverse students to NYIT represents only part of our success. Retaining students--our most precious asset--also is a key priority. Students have always praised NYIT's commitment to personal attention in our labs, research centers and classrooms. But the positive experience can't end there. We must also provide highly responsive and useful services outside of our classrooms--regardless of a student's physical location or area of study. We're pleased to report that we're making progress on that front.

Dormitories on our Central Islip campus now offer wireless Internet services that allow students to perform online research, check e-mail or review class notes from mobile laptops or the latest handheld computers. Handhelds also have found a home at NYIT's medical school, the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM). In one of the largest academic deployments of its kind, NYCOM students use handheld computers to organize their schedules, update and revise their medical notes and stay in close contact with faculty and staff.

On the Internet, we've transformed the NYIT Web site into a powerful portal for our students. Available online are library catalogs, grades, class schedules, student financial aid information, academic history, course availability and bursar account information.