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NBA/Cisco Dream Team Experience

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Watch Video - Cisco Networking Academy Students Shine at NBA All-Star 2015

“One of the best professional experiences ever,” that’s how David Ortiz describes his participation at the NBA-Cisco Dream Team at the NBA All-Star Game in New York City. Along with 29 students from different colleges and universities in our area, David assisted NBA techs in many aspects and locations that included Madison Square Garden, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “Whatever the NBA techs needed, we did,” said David. “We were setting up Cisco phones and we were constantly making sure there was connectivity between the wires.  We set up access points, and switchers.”


From February 7-16th all the students were immersed into the program where Cisco and the NBA were the big players of the week, but David learned other valuable things outside the technology field, “Work as a team, don’t be afraid to designate work, and have fun with it. It was very exciting.” 

The Dream Team included 30 students and 2 instructors and assisted the NBA IT staff in different areas where Cisco technologies played a crucial role.  When asked if David was up to the task he responded, “I felt at an advantage compared to other students. There was a student who told me that Cisco was a self-study course at his college. My story is different; it’s always a hands-on experience… Also if you have questions my professor, Dr. Nwosisi, knows all the answers. I was very prepared for it.”

Congratulations to David Ortiz, and Dr. Nwosisi, CW Computer Networking Chairperson in the Evening Division for nominating his student for this valuable experience.

CW is one of 10,000 Cisco Networking Academies in 165 countries. The Cisco Networking Academy delivers a comprehensive, 21st century learning experience to help students develop the foundational information and communication technology (ICT) skills needed to design, build, and manage networks.