The Student Government Association presented the first desktop of its Earn-A-Computer program last Tuesday to a junior.

Bobby Scott of Nashville received the iMac computer for free after completing 35 hours of community service. Scott worked with the Intercultural Engagement Center on campus and with children at Warren Elementary School to complete his hours of service.

“My fraternity and some of the friends that I have, we go out and we kind of just spend time with the kids,” Scott said. “We take pride in showing them the way and helping them live the dream that they want to live.”

He encourages others to participate in the program not only to earn the computer, but to reach out and mentor young children as well.

Scott, a computer information technology major, says his new computer will be vital to continued success in his schoolwork. His last computer recently crashed, and without the program he would have needed to buy a brand new computer.

“I want to thank you guys for giving it to me, because I was definitely in need of a computer for my major,” Scott said as he addressed the SGA last Tuesday. “I appreciate it a lot.”

The SGA has worked with WKU Resource Conservation and WKU Information Technology to provide the computers to students who give back to the community. According to the SGA’s website, WKU Surplus routinely receives computers that are no longer supported by the IT department, but they can still be refurbished with minimal effort.

“It’s a really cool program,” Josh Knight, SGA’s director of academic and student affairs, said. “It’s a way for the university to take equipment that they’re not using anymore, but has the latest software and is still in great shape, and it gets into the hands of students who could really use it.”

Murphy Burke, SGA’s director of public relations, stated in an email the SGA anticipates awarding 20 refurbished computers to students who complete the same community service requirements as Scott. These students’ applications have been approved by the SGA, but their laptops have not yet been fully refurbished.

Currently, applications for computers are closed, but they will reopen next semester as more computers are refurbished.

Reporter Jamie Williams can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected].