Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/863793
4 2 0 1 5 E D U C AT I O N & R E C R U I T M E N T S P E C I A L have them produce art assets in the digital realm." Therefore, students at DigiPen have a year of traditional animation before beginning digital foundations – painting, modeling, texturing, lighting, limited rigging, and animation. "By the time students declare their area of specializa- tion, they will have gained critical judgment, aesthetic discernment, and a thorough understanding of profession- al practices and pipelines," says Francoeur. "Every year of our curriculum is augmented by project courses, which vet the theoretical and foundational skills in a game or film production environment." And like some other schools, DigiPen has a number of courses geared toward professionalism, aimed at helping students understand how to speak publicly, how to interview, and how to brand and promote themselves as digital artists. According to Justin Zurrow, adjunct professor, Computer Art at SVA (School of Visual Arts), experience shows that students who develop truly original characters and tell great stories have more successful careers, and the student film "Taking the Plunge" – which received a third-place award at the 2015 Student Academy Awards – is a perfect case in point. (See the 2016 Education & Recruitment Special in the July.August 2016 issue of CGW for an in-depth look at the short film.) "Thinking beyond what is directly in front of them and digging deeper into their work is something that differenti- ates a good student from an exceptional artist. We can give our students the tools they need and inspire them to strive for more, but their willingness to push past our expectations is a choice they make on their own," says Zurrow. "I think SVA does an excellent job at giving our students the means and skills to succeed, but only the student can decide how much they really want to dedicate to their goals. You cannot pretend to be dedicated; you cannot fake desire." DigiPen's MFA in Digital Arts mostly focuses on dig- Image at top of page ("Dust Buddies") and above from Ringling.