Online learners Ben Jacob and Andrea Barolo both want to pursue careers in the digital arts.
When Jacob saw Jurassic Park as a kid, he was instantly fascinated with how dinosaurs and other creatures are brought to life on the big screen.
Barolo, a chef and baker, wants to create art in many mediums, but the busy schedule of working in the culinary industry cuts into his family time.
Jacob and Barolo enrolled in the online bachelor’s in digital multimedia design through Penn State World Campus so they could learn the art of digital design to pursue careers in this field. The two enrolled in a 3D animation course online and had the chance to take their learning experience even further, by attending the leading international conference for computer graphics.
Jacob and Barolo were the first Penn State online learners to serve as student volunteers at meetings of SIGGRAPH, one of the largest and most prestigious computer graphics conferences in the world. The students volunteered at SIGGRAPH North America in Denver, Colorado, and at SIGGRAPH Asia 2024 in Tokyo, where they immersed themselves in the latest technology and trends in the field. They also received financial support from the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture to make the trips possible.
Opportunities to learn outside of course work
The Bachelor of Design in Digital Multimedia Design is led online by the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture through Penn State World Campus. The degree program integrates course work in the visual arts, design, information sciences and technology, and communications.
SIGGRAPH is an annual conference with meetings in North America and Asia. The conference features an exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques — including production, animation, gaming, arts, and design — and showcases emerging technologies. It attracts academics, scholars, and innovators, expanding the field of knowledge in research and fine arts. The 2024 events were held in Denver, Colorado, and Tokyo, Japan.
Both Barolo and now-graduate Jacob attended both SIGGRAPH conferences as student volunteers. The volunteer positions are very competitive, with fewer than 60 slots for the conference in Tokyo.
Digital multimedia design program founding faculty and associate teaching professor in the Penn State School of Visual Arts Michael Collins encourages students to apply each year, as he knows the value to attendees. He volunteered at the conference when he was a student, and he chairs the early career development subcommittee of SIGGRAPH.
“It’s hard to describe what being a student volunteer at SIGGRAPH is like to those who haven’t been in the program. It is a tremendously energizing experience,” Collins said. “Attending the conference is fantastic, but having the chance to build lifelong relationships with other students from around the world just doesn’t happen anywhere else. It’s particularly impactful for World Campus students who might not have the same opportunities to network that on-campus students might have.”
Barolo and Jacob received financial support for the trip from the Penn State School of Visual Arts, which was matched with funds from the College of Arts and Architecture Opportunity Fund. The School of the Visual Arts funds supporting the trip were the Gregory Telthorster Memorial Program Fund for the Arts and the Stefan J.S. Levine Endowment.
Vagner Mendonça Whitehead, director of the School of Visual Arts, emphasized the importance of real-life experiences for students.
"As an art school within an R-1 environment, the School of Visual Arts aims to also provide real-life experiences for our students within an academic context, such as the convening of an international conference that does not solely focus on industrial standards and practices. By engaging with researchers and artists at SIGGRAPH, these students are able to see their future selves as contributors and scholars in the field," Mendonça Whitehead said. "This is especially important for World Campus students, and we hope to continue to support World Campus students who wish to have similar experiences in the coming years to expand the impact and scope of possibilities for their futures."
Student volunteers provide operational support at the conference and have opportunities to attend sessions and network with other students and professionals in the field.
“There’s all sorts of different opportunities for volunteers to learn,” Jacob said.
At the Denver conference, Jacob attended a production session where a film studio sculpting artist explained how its artists created the graphics in the most recent Planet of the Apes movie.
“They talked about their process of going to different zoos and what aspect of each ape they took from these zoos to implement into each character,” Jacob said.
Preparing for the future
The student volunteer role also includes time for portfolio reviews by industry recruiters and professionals. Representatives from large entertainment companies like DreamWorks, Disney, and Warner Brothers attend.
Jacob hopes to work as a creature effects artist for Wētā FX, a New Zealand-based digital visual effects and computer animation company. He was able to connect with a recruiter from the company who reviewed his portfolio during the conference.
“I was able to sit down with recruiters at Wētā FX, and we were able to come up with a game plan for me to work on my portfolio,” Jacob said.
The recruiter showed him what examples to keep and remove and what he should add. They also said if he implemented the changes and kept working in the field, he would be a top applicant in three years, according to Jacob.
“That was the highlight for me to sit down with people I revere and have this one-on-one conversation,” Jacob said.
Finding a sense of belonging in a new field
Barolo’s portfolio review helped him to feel like he was on the right path. He’s been in the digital multimedia design program for a few years and is very active as the leader of the Digital Multimedia Design Club at Penn State World Campus. However, Barolo said, he initially felt out of place at the conference because his training and career are in the culinary industry.
A conversation with a mentor who works in the industry helped to change his perspective.
“He told me not to disregard the experience I have as an executive chef,” Barolo said. The mentor shared how many leadership and management skills are applicable, which helped align with Barolo’s career goals after graduation.
He wants to leverage the soft skills he’s developed as a chef and the technical skills gained through his studies in a project management or producer position in which he works with digital artists.
Barolo said networking was one of the best parts of being a student volunteer.
“I feel like one of the biggest things a student can learn is definitely how to network and how to talk to people,” he said.
Digital multimedia design — anywhere, anytime
The Bachelor of Design in Digital Multimedia Design is a 120-credit interdisciplinary programoffered in collaboration with the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, the College of Information Sciences and Technology, and the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
Students learn how to develop and apply design practices, produce compelling visual designs, and solve real-world design issues.
The program was a perfect fit for Jacob, who previously earned a degree in game design but wanted to expand beyond video games. He received a personal recommendation to attend Penn State, but didn’t want to leave Burlington, Vermont, where he had built a life.
“Penn State World Campus enabled me to go back to school and still continue on this career path that I’m enjoying,” Jacob said.
He even finished his degree while in Japan for SIGGRAPH Asia.
“I actually graduated from Japan while I was there, which is also a huge perk of World Campus,” Jacob said.
A Penn State degree online
Penn State World Campus has been offering a Penn State education online for more than 25 years and has a comprehensive selection of more than 200 degrees and certificates now available.
Learn more about the Bachelor of Design in Digital Multimedia Design offered online through Penn State World Campus.
