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bgreen.bradley.edu

Summer 2010 • Volume 16, Issue 3  

By ERIN WOOD ’09

Video games are big business. In 2009, they generated close to $20 billion in revenue in the United States alone. There are legions who love playing video games, and there are those who love creating them. At Bradley, students in the latter group will no longer have to leave their controllers in their dorm rooms.

The Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts is gearing up to offer game design as one of three new academic concentrations within the Interactive Media department.

“Computer gaming is the fastest growing sector of the entertainment industry,” said Dr. Jeff Huberman, dean of the college.

Students can also concentrate in Web and application design or animation and visual effects. All three programs emphasize, each in its own way, digital animation, sound design, computer graphics and programming, virtual world building, and advanced interactive media scripting.

“The competition is so fierce for jobs in this economy, we believe that specialization is going to continue to strengthen our graduates as they compete in a global environment,” said Jim Ferolo, chairman of the Department of Interactive Media. “It’s extremely important that our graduates are distinguished in a way that they are going to stand out.”

Team approach

Interactive media faculty teamed up with computer science faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to create cross-curricular classes. On the computer science side, students will now be able to complete a concentration in computer game technology. Undergraduates from each college will have the option to minor in the other college’s programs.

“That means our students would be exposed to the more artistic side of it, like storytelling and the design aspects, and their students would be more exposed to computer programming and the technology side of things,” said Dr. Steven Dolins, chairman of computer science and information systems. “This is the first time we have worked together, and I think we came up with a unique program.”

Graduates of the new programs could find jobs designing Nintendo Wii games or iPhone applications, creating movie special effects or designing animated characters, or inventing new Facebook applications and developing websites, to name a few.

“We know games are not just for entertainment,” Huberman said. “Game structure and interfaces are becoming increasingly essential tools and methods in education, industrial design, engineering, military strategy, and business modeling.”

Shrek in national tour

ERIC PETERSEN ’03 will star as Shrek in the national tour of Shrek the Musical, which kicks off at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago from July 13 to September 5. Petersen previously played Papa Ogre and was the understudy for the starring role on Broadway in New York City, where he lives with his wife Lisa Marie Morabito. Shrek the Musical, based on the Oscar-winning animated film, will stop at more than 25 U.S. cities between July 2010 and November 2011. Its second stop is the Fox Theatre in St. Louis from September 11 to September 26. Tickets for the show in all cities range from $25 to $90 and are available through Ticketmaster.

By ERIN WOOD ’09

What do a dental hygienist and a history professor have in common?

They are two of the seven students enrolled in the inaugural accelerated nursing program at Bradley. The intense 15 months of classes and clinical work kicked off on May 18, and the students — each of whom holds a bachelor’s degree in another discipline — will be ready to enter the nursing field in August 2011.

Dr. Fran Armmer, chairwoman of the nursing department, said Bradley introduced this program to give people an opportunity to change career paths and also to address a serious nursing shortage.

“The shortage is national, if not global,” Armmer said. “The average age of nurses right now is 48. In 10 or 15 years, these people will be looking at retirement, and that will only compound the problem. With this program, we are giving individuals an opportunity to enter the practice and fulfill their own dreams and passions, while we also address the shortage of nurses in the field.”

Marc Hetzel, 44, has taught history at Illinois Central College for six years and holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in history from Illinois State University. However, he is ready for change.

“Aside from the obvious economic and employability factors … I chose nursing to help people and make a positive difference in people’s lives,” he said.

Teresa Courtright, a 50-year-old dental hygienist with two associate degrees and both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in community health from ISU, has desired for several years to become a nurse.

“Taking into consideration my interest and experience in health care, my knowledge of community health, the need for more nurses, and the inauguration of Bradley’s accelerated nursing program, the timing is finally right for making my aspiration a reality,” she said. “I’m perfect proof that it is never too late to learn or to change your career.”

Candidates for the accelerated nursing program must hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing and have completed 34 hours of prerequisite courses. While the intensive program is abbreviated in time, the quality remains the same, Armmer said. Students will experience days in which they do several hours of clinical work in the morning and return to campus for class in the afternoon. A maximum of eight students will be accepted each session.

“These are the times when individuals need to be looking at their careers, their passions, and their hopes,” Armmer said. “For individuals who have always had that heart’s desire to go into the nursing profession, now is the time to act on it.”