Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel marked his 100th day in office Aug. 23 with an announcement at DePaul University’s College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM) that the global information technology consulting firm EMC Corp. would open a new office in Chicago, employing 200 people.

The announcement was held at DePaul because of the university’s existing partnership with EMC, one of the world’s leading information management consulting firms specializing in data management and cloud computing strategy. Through the EMC Academic Alliance, CDM offers classes that incorporate content produced by the company on emerging trends in information technology including network design, data storage technologies and business continuity among others.

Joining Emanuel for the announcement was Joe Tucci, chairman and CEO of EMC, a Massachusetts-based company with 50,000 employees in more than 80 countries, DePaul Pres. Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., and CDM Dean David Miller.

Noting that neither public funds nor stimulus money were used as an inducement for the company to establish a Chicago office, Emanuel said, “The kids out of DePaul (are) a stimulus.” He added that companies locating to the city would gain from “a workforce with a fabulous work ethic” as well as the city’s strong transportation network and central location.  Since Emanuel took office six other companies have pledged to bring a combined 4,200 new private sector jobs to downtown Chicago. The course is taught by Joe Cannici, an adjunct faculty member at DePaul and assistant director of information technology for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

The EMC course was developed in conjunction with DePaul’s Center for Advanced Network Studies which was recently established by professors Greg Brewster and James Yu to oversee network technologies curriculum and research at CDM.

About CDM

DePaul’s College of Computing and Digital Media is one of the largest graduate computer science schools in the nation.  The college awards more graduate degrees in I.T.–more than any other school in Illinois–including 45 percent of all degrees conferred in the Chicago area.