DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – Computerworld Honors Program announced that Merit Network is the winner of a 21st Century Achievement Award in recognition of the REACH-3MC Project – Rural Education Anchor Community Health care – Michigan Middle Mile Collaborative.
Merit was selected from more than 700 applicants from 29 countries to a class of 269 Computerworld Honors Laureates. Computerworld Honors Laureates are honored for visionary applications of information technology promoting positive social, economic and educational change. From a pool of 700 applicants, 269 Laureates across 11 different award categories were selected after a rigorous application and review process.
Don Welch, Merit’s president and CEO, accepted the award on behalf of Merit and the REACH-3MC project. Welch was honored as both a 2013 Computerworld Honors Laureate and 21st Century Achievement Award Winner at the Computerworld Honors Program Gala Evening and Awards Ceremony held on Monday, June 3, 2013 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.
“The awardees I have met are all inspiring. The work they are doing to improve society is truly impressive,? Welch said. ?We are so honored to be counted among them, and recognized as one of the winners of the 21st Century Achievement Award. This is truly an honor and a privilege to accept this award.?
A panel of judges, made up of IT executives and Computerworld editors, choose the five most outstanding projects in each Laureate award category to be finalists for the 21st Century Achievement Award. The judges then select one finalist in each category as a 21st Century Achievement award winner, receiving special recognition by the Program Judges to be the very best among their peers.
Merit and the REACH-3MC Project were selected as the winner of the 21st Century Achievement Award in the Mobile Access award category.
REACH-3MC is a unique fiber-optic infrastructure build-out through rural and underserved areas of Michigan, Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. REACH-3MC improves access to digital information, programs and services for populations in its service area, and mobile access is a key byproduct of the fiber-optic infrastructure.
