Major Technology Gift from Dr. & Mrs. Jacobs

Major Technology Gift from Dr. & Mrs. Jacobs
Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs with students photo

 

NEW BEDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

455 County Street – New Bedford, MA 02740
Superintendent Pia Durkin, Ph.D.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
May 26, 2017 Arthur Motta
508-997-4511 ext. 3346
[email protected]

Major expansion of 1:1 technology at New Bedford High made possible by Dr. Irwin and Mrs. Joan Jacobs

$1.8 million investment in technology by Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs, matched by City, will provide more opportunities for NBHS students

Dr. Irwin Jacobs, founder and former chairman of Qualcomm and a New Bedford High School alumnus, together with his wife, Mrs. Joan Jacobs, visited New Bedford High School on Thursday, May 25 to meet with students and staff, and to tour the continued expansion of technology at the high school.

Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs have supported expanding the use of 1:1 technology devices and tablets that all 9th grade students at New Bedford High can now access. School and city officials announced Thursday that with the support of Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs and the assistance of the Mobile Technology Learning Center of the University of San Diego, as well as a match from the City of New Bedford, $1.8 million in new technology will be invested in New Bedford High. Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs invested $900,000 in New Bedford High earlier this year, and the City matched it with $900,000 to complete the expansion project.

Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin welcomed the guests of honor before a combined assembly of New Bedford High School and Middle School students. "Through their generosity, Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs have opened for our students a new world of learning opportunities made possible only through the latest tools in communications engineering; a technology which Dr. Jacobs himself pioneered and which today continues to transform our world. We are incredibly blessed by Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs’ steadfast caring and engagement with our students," she said.

"This is a gift to you from Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs, who have been committed to supporting the kids of our city," Mayor Mitchell told 9th grade students at Thursday’s event. "Dr. Jacobs was a student at 2

New Bedford High, just like you are, and he went on to achieve great success and through his and Mrs. Jacobs’ generosity, they are giving you the gift of opportunity. Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs have been champions of throwing open the doors of opportunity to New Bedford’s students."

Mayor Mitchell also thanked the School Committee and City Council for their strong support of matching the Jacobs’ donation with city funds to expand the project further to its $1.8 million investment this year.

"Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs have continued to show enormous generosity and dedication to the future of New Bedford and its children," said City Council President Joseph Lopes. "This is an example of their continued dedication to our kids, and the expansion will strengthen education at New Bedford High."