CSUN student Katelyn Fields purchases her iPad as part of the myCSUNtablet initiative.

When Katelyn Fields walked into the Matador bookstore on July 11, she had no idea her purchase would be a milestone in CSUN’s ongoing mission to reduce the cost and increase the quality of learning materials for students. Fields, an athletic training major who plans on graduating in 2015, was the first student to buy an Apple iPad as a part of the myCSUNtablet initiative, a new program that allows students to gain immediate access to e-books and other online learning tools for selected classes. As a result, students will enjoy more cost-efficient access to their course materials through a portable, creative and easy-to-use device, available right at their fingertips.

As a part of her purchase, Fields also received a free AppleCare+ extended warranty, made available by a $50,000 grant from the Joseph Drown Foundation, whose partnership with the university spans 25 years. The grant will allow the first 500 students who are enrolled in a myCSUNtablet course and who purchase their iPad at the Matador bookstore to receive AppleCare+ at no charge.

The Drown Foundation seeks to break down the barriers that prevent people from continuing to grow and learn, such as the high costs of books and other resources in higher education. Not only does the grant serve as a good incentive for students to purchase an iPad for the new myCSUNtablet initiative, but it also gives students like Fields the peace of mind of knowing that if they accidentally drop or damage their iPad over the next two years, they will quickly receive repair or replacement of their iPad. “It is going to be amazing to have AppleCare+,” said Fields after buying her new iPad. “I know that if something happens to my iPad, it will get fixed.”

“The Drown Foundation support of Apple Care+ coverage is a wonderful benefit for 500 of our CSUN students as they purchase their iPads for the launch of the myCSUNtablet courses this fall,” shared Hilary Baker, CSUN’s vice president for information technology.

Fields is also looking forward to using her new iPad in three myCSUNtablet courses. “It is going to make learning about the body so much easier,” she said. “I will be able to look at anatomy from a 360 degree angle! Plus, it’s going to be nice using e-books to have all my books in one place.”

Featured, Gifts and Grants, myCSUNtablet