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Special Annual Awards
2008 Campus Technology Innovators: Digital Media Training & Support
8/1/2008
For those who would like to examine quantifiable results, consider this: Ball State went from zero certified experts to more than 50 in just 10 months. Faculty appreciate the support for in-class assignments, and various departments and institutes appreciate the on-campus expertise. Digital media technology is now persistent throughout the campus, and administrators and IT leaders feel its potential is being fully realized.Ironically, there’s been an unintended consequence of the program that has caused real concern: According to Jonathan Blake Huer, director of the Digital Corps, "The biggest problem has been retaining students. As they have mastered their respective crafts, they have been recruited by outside companies and also by other units within the university." One Digital Corps member, for instance, was able to combine his love of both basketball and Final Cut Pro by getting a coveted NBA video internship. In that case, the student did actually graduate in absentia and is now sifting through numerous employment offers. In other cases, there is a temptation not to follow through toward degree completion.
The school does expect a return on its investment, however. "We provide opportunities for Digital Corps students to attend major conferences and software training outside the Indiana area," explains Huer. "Some have won scholarships and we encourage professional involvement." Yet, "Quite frankly," he adds, "the opportunities in Muncie to learn creative applications are few and far between. Because of this, each student who earns travel assistance is beholden to share that knowledge."
Undeniably, the Digital Corps students now have tremendous opportunities they might not have realized otherwise and, ultimately, therein lies the success of the program, says its director: Faculty and staff are benefiting, and the campus as a whole has much greater access to digital media, but "What really sets us apart," Huer maintains, "is that we are investing heavily in the people side of the equation."
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