Today, students, faculty and staff, along with members of the community, have the opportunity to check out the some of the latest technologies.

WKU is hosting the Tech Expo in Mass Media and Technology Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Tech Expo, in its second year, gives attendees an idea of what new or existing technologies they may want to purchase in the future, said Jeff Jones, senior instructional technology consultant.

Jones said the Tech Expo doesn’t come without hard work by those in the Information Technology department.

“This event is a combination of the whole department – students, faculty and staff,” Jones said. “It took us two months to get everything together and finalized for it.”

Vendors include well-known names, such as Apple, Sprint and Dell, he said.

The Tech Expo has more to offer than just vendors, said Dr. Bob Owen, vice president for Information Technology.

Today, tours of the newly-renovated MMTH auditorium and new WKYU studio are being offered, Owen said.

The auditorium has undergone $150,000 in renovations, including the addition of state-of-the-art audio and visual technologies and the WKYU studio is now home to energy-efficient, “green” lighting, he said.

Also, the WKU produced, Emmy award-winning documentary, “Mammoth Cave: A Way to Wonder,” will be premiered in high definition in the updated auditorium, Owen said.

Owen said the Tech Expo experienced gains in numbers of attendees and vendors this year.

“The energy and fun level has also increased,” Owen said.

Twenty-two vendors were set up at the Tech Expo this year, said Jacob Hamlin, scheduling coordinator for Interactive Video Services. Last year, 17 came.

Although the Tech Expo opened to success last year, Hamlin said more attendees were present this year due to the efforts in marketing and leadership by the Information Technology faculty and staff.

“Vendors also came to us and said they picked up business from last year,” Hamlin said. “At the Expo they’re reaching out to their target market, which is students on campus.”

Hamlin said the Tech Expo is not only a great place for the WKU and Bowling Green communities to see new technologies.

“The Tech Expo is also a great opportunity for students to practice networking,” he said.

Lexington freshman Lydia Hall said she came to the Tech Expo to check out what the vendors had to offer but became interested in some of the printers the Office Max booth was displaying.

“The Expo has been very informative,” Hall said. “It gives us an idea of what’s going on in the technology world.”