CybertronPC donates $2.5 million to Wichita State University (+video)

Wichita computer maker CybertronPC has donated hundreds of computers, networking and five years of support, valued at $2.5 million, to Wichita State University’s School of Engineering.

The donation was marked in a gathering Tuesday at CybertronPC’s offices and production plant attended by university and company officials.

CybertronPC, 4747 S. Emporia, builds custom computers and servers, especially for gaming, that are sold through its website and through large retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.

The company’s founders and top executives – Ahmed Aziz, Shadi Marcos and Emad Mekhail – are natives of Egypt who met in the 1990s at WSU, where they launched a discount Internet service provider. As they would visit clients unhappy with their service, they would discover that often the problem was hardware-related. They slowly grew their business selling custom-built computers.

The donation will come in the form of special computers painted in WSU colors and designs. WSU will recognize the donation by putting the company’s name on the Flight Simulation and Gaming Hub, one of 25 labs in the Experiential Engineering Building, now under construction on the campus.

WSU President John Bardo described the gift as “phenomenal” and said it gives the school’s engineering students “the best computing capacity anywhere in the United States.”

CybertronPC needs a steady stream of trained IT talent, and making the investment in computer equipment will aid that, as well as the greater community, Marcos said.

And aiding the community was always in their minds, Aziz, the CEO, told the audience.

“I don’t think we planned to stay in the United States,” Aziz said, “but we found in this great country a place to make that dream come true, to make that impact; a great community in Wichita, a place to start our careers and our families; and in Wichita State a place to give us the skills and the connections.”

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "CybertronPC donates $2.5 million to Wichita State University (+video)."