AVATAR Initiative Launches Digital Media Minor at LSU

AVATAR Initiative Launches Digital Media Minor at LSU

Daryl Holt, EA Sports Tiburon, to speak with student about careers in gaming March 25

BATON ROUGE – Faculty with the University’s Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and Research, or AVATAR , Initiative, are debuting a new academic program that will allow students to obtain an interdisciplinary minor in digital media, preparing them for careers in emerging fields such as animation, video games, electronic music and digital art.

The University approved the AVATAR Initiative in Spring 2008 as one of its multidisciplinary hiring initiatives, bringing together faculty, researchers and professionals to create a concentrated academic research program in digital media.

Faculty with the AVATAR Initiative have spent the past two years developing a program that would allow students to minor in digital media. The University approved this academic program in Fall 2009, and students will be able to declare the minor and take classes toward the degree in the Fall 2010 semester.

“Students regularly express to us an interest in working as a video game developer, animator, or other profession involving interactive digital media. We crafted the AVATAR minor to address the needs of these students as well as the needs of the digital media industry,” said Stephen David Beck, Derryl & Helen Haymon Professor in the LSU School of Music and AVATAR Initiative lead. “The faculty who are part of AVATAR Initiative have developed an interdisciplinary curricula that we feel prepares students to work in these fields and provides them with an enriching educational experience during their time at LSU.”

Students can enroll in the minor through one of two thematic tracks: an arts-oriented track through the College of Art & Design , or a technology-oriented track through the College of Engineering. Courses from computer science, electrical and computer engineering, music, art, English and mass communication are part of the curriculum, along with a new capstone course, where students from both tracks will work collaboratively on group projects.

Interested students can learn more about the program and see a list of required courses at http://avatar.lsu.edu. Students who are interested in obtaining the digital media minor should contact AVATAR Initiative Coordinator Lea Anne Couvillion at 225-578-5433 to arrange a meeting.

To officially kick off the minor, AVATAR Initiative will host a series of lectures in the spring and fall semesters, bringing distinguished leaders from the field of digital media to campus, who will discuss the latest developments and help students understand the skills they need for careers in these disciplines.

The first AVATAR lecture will take place Thursday, March 25, featuring Daryl Holt, the chief operating officer of EA Sports Tiburon Studios in Orlando, Florida. Holt will discuss his own career path in the video game industry, and will advise students on what they need to learn if they want to pursue jobs as game developers or designers.

Holt’s lecture will take place at 3 p.m. in the Atchafalaya Room of the LSU Student Union, with a reception following at 4 p.m. This event is open to any students, faculty or staff who wish to attend. Seating is limited, so guests are advised to arrive early.

AVATAR Initiative faculty and staff will be available at Holt’s lecture to speak with interested students and provide more information about how they can enroll for the digital media minor.