When students think of American Express, finance normally comes to mind, but that is not true for Computer Information Systems majors involved with the Department of Information Systems Club (DISC).

Computer Information Systems major Josh Valdez Elizetxe first explored a computer at the branch library where his dad dropped him every day after school. Now just 19, Josh is an entrepreneur with a track record of success.

For many students, college is the place where they can prepare for the real world. For information systems major Robert Mckay, the real world couldn’t wait for him to graduate. Mckay, 26, is the information systems Outstanding Graduating Senior for the fall 2011 semester.

Students in the introductory course in information systems experienced how technology affects business by creating a prototype smart phone app for the Barrett Honors College. Working with Windows smart phones on loan from Microsoft Corp., they used AppMakr software in the project.

Just about every organization has teams that work together exceptionally well. You might say the members are on the same wavelength, but exactly what does that mean? An experiment conducted at the W. P.

It's a fact. Women as a percentage of the IT workforce are dramatically underrepresented. Groups that are concerned about the low numbers of women in IT advocate for deliberate action.

Last month, the school awarded Lecturer Matt McCarthy the Huizingh Award for Classroom Innovation -- an honor given annually to a faculty member who develops creative methods of delivering educational content. McCarthy's achievement was moving the lab portion of CIS 105 online.

A Rainmaker is one who achieves excellent results in his field or profession. This month we commence our Rainmaker feature: A series of profiles of alumni who are in the midst of interesting careers, making things happen at their companies and in their lives.

Twice a week during the fall and spring semester, members of the Department of Information Systems' DISC club teach basic computing classes at the Tempe Public Library.

About 120 professionally-dressed students gathered in a classroom at the W. P. Carey School one evening last week, waiting to hear alumna Stephanie Gonzales speak about her company, Protiviti — a global business consulting and internal audit firm with an office in Phoenix.