USF partners with Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation
University of St. Francis Computer Science students are working with the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corp. to help the company more effectively manage its online resources.
USF students Jesus Herrera of Shorewood; Ray Halper of Lockport; Carl Ziech of Joliet; Daniel Martinez of Chicago; Ben Gunnink of Crest Hill; and Jayson Roesel of Mokena are working directly with James Schuler, developer/analyst for the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corp. and a USF computer science graduate, to create a web portal that will be used by staff.
The web portal is a web-based tool used to more effectively manage online resources. The final product will contain a calendar of events; online message boards; online training; file postings, including policies and forms; community news and weather; a classified ads section for communities to share surplus supplies; and department information for employees to learn more about the organization. There are about 3,000 targeted users for this project.
The portal is an upgrade of the corporation’s current intranet site. "We envision the upgrade as bringing the site two or three levels past where it is now, so this project is major," said Schuler. "The students and I are using several new technologies and concepts to make this happen."
These concepts that students are learning are applicable to any company's web portal/website. By participating in this project, students are coming away with a great deal of real-world knowledge that they can apply to their jobs in the future, said Ruth Weldon, USF assistant professor of computer science.
"This is such a great partnership because
the Franciscan Sisters of
Chicago Service Corporation shares the mission
and ideology of the University of St. Francis,"
said Schuler. "I believe that by working
together on this project, the mission and values
are being fulfilled."
The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corp. manages several continuing care retirement communities across several states, including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Texas.
Next semester, the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation will again partner with USF students to create a website for St. Jude House, one of its centers for domestic abuse victims. Students will also update an existing site for the Madonna Foundation for Girls, a foundation that is focused on increasing access to Catholic high schools for young urban women.
The University of St. Francis, at 500 Wilcox St. in Joliet, serves more than 4,300 students nationwide. The university offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate study and 10 graduate programs.