The camp was part of a continuing program updating the college's Camp Microsoft counselor Mary Beth Sedore rests up after a day of fun. This summer, in addition to placing 100 new computers in the ITC labs, the program upgraded the English department's computers to Pentiums and provided several new computers for professors. According to Enid Nagel of the CIT, a total of 450 new computers will be in operation around campus by Christmas. One of the Information Technology Department's concerns about the new computers was training for staff and faculty who will be using the new systems. The department planned to hold classes for those who wanted to learn to use the new software, but this idea was greeted with low enthusiasm.
Nobody wants to go to school during the summer.
Bush explained that members of the Information Technology staff, remembering that their children had always enjoyed summer camp, decided to create Camp Microsoft to make the training a little more fun. The camp, held in the library computer lab, featured four hours of classes per day, including courses in Windows 95, Microsoft Word 97, and Excel. Lab classrooms became cabins, and members of the CIT staff, including 1998 Calvin graduates Matt Roberts, Brian Van Pelt, and Angie Stair, became camp counselors. Participants who answered questions correctly were given camp dollars, which they spent on items ranging from software manuals to plastic jumping frogs. The response to Camp Microsoft was overwhelmingly positive, said Bush, displaying a thank-you note sent to the CIT by Calvin staff members.