Many students attend college hoping to one day apply what they've learned to their chosen careers.

Matthew Wright isn't waiting.

Wright, a computer science (CS) major who will graduate in 2011, has been part of a special team at the College of Information Science & Technology called The Attic.

Under the direction of Zac Fowler, IT outreach director at IS&T, The Attic is a group of undergraduate and graduate students who have or are learning skills in Web development languages, tools and systems; video editing, audio production and 3D modeling. They put their skills to work designing and developing Web sites and other projects for clients in the community.

Wright joined The Attic in 2007. He has worked on several Web development projects — and is applying his knowledge in a two-semester internship at Mutual of Omaha.

"I would rate my experience at The Attic a 10 out of 10," Wright says. "Zac is a great leader, mentor and manager, and I've learned more than I ever thought possible."

The Attic was sparked by Web design projects including "Lewis, Clark and Beyond," funded by the Peter Kiewit Institute and the National Park Service, and several Teaching American History grant projects, including Web sites for Omaha Public Schools and the Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium (http://tahg.org).

As the projects were completed, "We found we had this talented group of developers and more requests for service," Fowler says. "So we formed The Attic, and named it because we are sort of tucked away here on the third floor."

Other work included designing the Web site documenting the construction of the Sun Pu Gate at Lauritzen Gardens-Omaha's Botanical Center, a gift from Omaha's sister city, Shizuoka, Japan.

The Attic recently completed a project for the non-profit Mission Omaha Foundation, which is bringing more than 400 adults and teenage volunteers from across the country to the Omaha area this summer to provide home repairs to needy residents.

Currently, The Attic is in the early stages of a Russian language project resulting from a partnership between UNO's International Studies and Programs, the College of IS&T and the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the project is entitled "U.S.-Russia Partnership for Technology, Language, and Cultural Exchange."

Fowler credits "the bright and eager students at IS&T" with fueling The Attic's capability to take on real-world projects that benefit students and the community.

Bishwa Bhattarai is working toward his master's degree in management information systems (MIS) and is one of several students from Nepal currently at The Attic. Bhattarai considers The Attic "an amazing opportunity. You get to learn new things every day, and you have the freedom to be creative."

Attic Web projects

See more at attic.ist.unomaha.edu

Lewis, Clark and Beyond: www.lewisclarkandbeyond.com

Mission Omaha: www.missionomaha.com

Sunpu Gate Construction: attic.ist.unomaha.edu/sunpu