Bowdoin College today announced that it will be providing every student with a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip, an iPad mini, and an Apple Pencil, complete with access to a full range of course-specific software, beginning in fall 2022.
The cost of the program will be covered entirely by Bowdoin, a liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. Students will have the option to pay $1 to keep their equipment when they graduate, according to the announcement.
Bowdoin already provided students with a cellular iPad Pro, an Apple Pencil, and a Magic Keyboard in the summer of 2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning students will use the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil they already received, in addition to a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with course-specific software as part of the expanded program.
"During the pandemic we witnessed firsthand the power of a common technology platform for teaching and learning," said Bowdoin College president Clayton Rose.
"At Apple we believe education can be a profound force for equity, and that the right technology can enhance and extend teaching and learning," said Apple's vice president of education and enterprise product marketing Susan Prescott.
Most students will receive their new equipment at orientation, or upon arrival to campus in fall 2022. More details are available on Bowdoin's website.
