May 5, 2003 -- Westmont, IL — MAN Roland has teamed up with the Daily Herald, suburban Chicago’s largest newspaper, in two separate efforts designed to cover both ends of the educational spectrum. The first initiative involved a field visit to the Herald’s new production facility in Schaumburg, Illinois by a group of student’s from Ball State University’s graphic arts program. The newspaper recently installed two new MAN Roland REGIOMAN presses that represent the state-of-the-art in newspaper printing technology. The second educational venture is the Herald’s Newspapers In Education (NIE) Program, which provides teachers in the greater metropolitan Chicago region with newspapers that they can use as living textbooks. MAN Roland has signed up this month as a Gold Sponsor of NIE, enabling the program to reach more students. On the Ball The visit by 28 students and 3 faculty members from Ball State’s Graphic Arts Unlimited club to the Daily Herald’s production facility was part of an annual event coordinated by MAN Roland’s Learning Leadership program. Hans P. Kellogg, Professor of Graphic Arts at BSU’s Department of Industry and Technology directed the activities, including the trip from the school’s Muncie, Indiana campus. “This tour was wonderful,” Kellogg notes. “Bob Finch and Jerry Schur from the Herald, who were instrumental in the planning and designing of the printing plant, were our guides. The design and ease of press operation was fascinating. The way that each portion of the production process came together was also intriguing. Many students were surprised with the size and the stature of the press. They had no idea that newspaper presses were that big.” Donna Zeh, an Assistant Professor at BSU and faculty advisor for Graphic Arts Unlimited, also played a major role in the planning of the trip. She believes such real-world experiences are important because they reinforce what is covered in class: “We can talk about the theory of the printing process but it is always helpful to see that theory in practice. I also enjoy seeing the student eyes light up as the people within the tours would talk about specific aspects of the graphic arts that I’ve talked in class about.” The following day, the BSU contingent visited MAN Roland’s Graphic/Training Center outside of Chicago, where they received basic training on a ROLAND 300 sheetfed press. Within an hour they were printing on the 29-inch, 6-up machine, which leads its category in automation and connectivity. “All of the students were able to be a part of the operation and they enjoyed it thoroughly,” Kellogg recalls. “The printing form was one that is used to monitor and fingerprint a particular press. This means that it included many different examples of press critical images in terms of tone, color, and detail.” But the student’s saved their loudest applause for MAN Roland’s DICOweb press — the world’s first lithographic press that eliminates the need for printing plates and all the inefficiencies that go with them. “The DICOweb was extremely impressive,” comments Kellogg. “The students quickly became aware of how this type of equipment has the potential to transform the printing and publishing industry. I could see them thinking about working with production schedules with this printing press and the challenges of being able to fill it to capacity.” Reading into the Future MAN Roland’s Gold Sponsorship of the Daily Herald’s Newspapers In Education program helps fund an effort that was established in 1993 to provide area teachers with a updatable textbook that brings the world into the classroom. “Using newspapers in the classroom fulfills many of the Illinois Learning Standards in English, writing, history, math—virtually every discipline--depending on the articles and sections utilized,” the Daily Herald states. “Teacher guides on several subjects are provided with lesson plans and directions, and additional products are provided for special events.” Papers are furnished through individual subscriber donations and through partnerships with area businesses like MAN Roland. The contributions are coordinated by the Illinois Press Foundation and supported by a Partners in Literacy grant. “MAN Roland is proud to support the Daily Herald’s Newspapers in Education program because an effort that encourages reading emphasizes the importance of printing as a key communications channel,” says Yves Rogivue, CEO of MAN Roland Inc. “More importantly helping our children keep up with the news promotes an informed society.” Both the BSU event and the Daily Herald contribution are part of MAN Roland's Learning Leadership program.