Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Computer Science program sponsored a 24-hour livestream in December to raise funds for Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Fourteen students, one alumni and three faculty members made the event possible. Evan Vaverka, instructor of computer science; Mark Bagley, instructor of computer science; Tim Maharry, professor of mathematics and chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, helped raised $1,025 to be donated by livestreaming gaming events. The students worked in teams and solo players to help generate content to be watched during the livestream as viewers gave donations.
Students who participated in the livestream included Austin Anderson, Beaver senior, chemistry major; Ashley Carter, Enid sophomore, computer science major; Scott Bartley, Alva senior, computer science major; Matt Day, Woodward senior, computer science major; Chris Dickson, Alva junior, computer science major; Justin Dobbs, Cleo Springs freshman, business administration major; Richard Fischer, Kiowa, Kansas, junior, computer science major; Jackson Gardner, Lawton freshman, computer science major; Dalton Jantz, Helena freshman, theatre major; Dakota Jantz, Helena sophomore, computer science major; Bryce Larkey, Fargo sophomore, computer science major; Jacob Marr, Alva sophomore, computer science major; Austin Mount, Covington junior, computer science major; Manuel Reyes, Tonkawa sophomore, general studies major; and Davon Stokes, Aline sophomore, computer science major.
Charles Boldes is a recent graduate of Northwestern who also helped.
The charity idea originally came from Day and was made possible with the help of Fischer and Mount to manage and create the livestream feed.
“Northwestern has an amazing Computer Science department and Computer Science Club,” Day said. “With the Computer Science Club receiving new gaming computers over the past few months and an all-new robotics lab being put in over the next few months, I’m almost sad that I am graduating in May. Because of the Computer Science program I was able to learn the skills I need to pursue my dream in video game development.”
Fischer is grateful for the Northwestern faculty who take part in the students’ activities.
“I would like to thank both Bagley and Vaverka, without whom this event would not have been possible,” Fischer said. “We students may have been the ones to stay up for the 24 hours playing video games, but our professors were the ones who had to get all of the charity and donating logistics figured out. I would also like to thank Maharry for supporting the event, Dr. [Jennifer] Page for playing along from home for quite a while, and anyone else that I was not aware of, who helped with this event.”
Vaverka is thankful for the students who participated and the donors who helped raise funds.
“I’m proud of my students; they did a really great job,” he said. “They put up with each other for 24-hours straight overall, and that’s a pretty big accomplishment. Overall, they had a good time and really liked doing it, so I think we’ll do it again.”
In fact, the initial Christmas charity event was met with such success that the group plans to host another event at the end of the spring 2017 semester to benefit a different charity.
“A couple of you who were anonymous and a couple had shown your names, thank you either way, we appreciate it,” Vaverka continued. “The donations truly benefitted the children who needed it for Christmas, and we know the money will go to good use.”
The Foundation was created at the behest of the U.S. Marine Corps and provides support in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, who directs the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The Foundation has supported Toys for Tots since 1991. The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
For more information about Northwestern’s Computer Science program, contact Vaverka at (580) 327-8587 or epvaverka@nwosu.edu.