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Master of Fine Arts Program Director

Associate Professor of Practice

Clark University - BSDT, 2021 - Present

• Assisted with program migration, curriculum re-development, and strategic planning for implementation of Interactive Media degree, (undergraduate and graduate programs).

• Full time teaching load plus administrative duties, advising, course development, and academic service. (See full course list below)

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Master of Fine Arts Program Director

Becker College - School of Design & Technology, 2017 - 2021

• Provided curriculum development, vision, leadership, and strategic planning for brand new Graduate Program.

• Created communication and workflow plans for all aspects of program development from recruitment to student success and graduation.

• Designed content for and facilitate management of MFA Residency Weeks for graduate students each semester.

• Worked with Marketing and Admissions teams to provided vision and creative briefs for advertising, recruitment, and outreach campaigns.

• Served as student success advisor for all graduate students and MFA applicants.

• Developed curriculum and syllabi for all required graduate courses and completed yearly assessment duties for program.

• Assisted with creating course schedules and graduate student registration each semester.

• Assembled proposal and summary for successful NECHE site visit and program review.

• Compiled yearly application for the Princeton Review, successfully securing a spot in the "Top 10 U.S MFA programs in Interactive Media" in the first 3 years of the program.

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Assistant Professor of Interactive Media

Becker College, 2012 - 2017

• Enthusiastic contributor to department advancement including curriculum and course development.

• Fostered relationships with outside organizations for potential student outreach, project collaboration, and lecture series. •  Researched and determined new technology needs yearly  in order to stay on the cutting edge of VR/AR trends.

• Reviewed proposals each semester for viability as Game Studio projects.

• Participated in outreach programs for recruitment as well as community and academic service.

• Developed new courses and performed assessment for interactive media courses each semester.

• Taught course load of 5 - 7 classes each semester.

• Assisted in the development of an on-line certificate program in Game Design for the Center of Accelerated Studies which included restructuring curriculum into 5-week modules, developing Canvas shells, and facilitating courses.

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Teaching Experience - Course List

Professor of record for over 120 course sections (370+ credit hours). Graduate Advisor and Project Supervisor 2017-2022. Taught multiple sections each semester, performed curriculum development, committee defense, and assessment for the following undergraduate and graduate courses.
 

Clark University

• GAME 030 - First Year Intensive, Examining Play

• IMED 3000 - Interactive Media Seminar

• IMED 3010 - Graduate Studio

• IMED 3999 - Interactive Media Praxis

• IMED 3240 - Virtual and Augmented Reality

• IMED 3500 - Special Topics in Interactive Media

• IMED 3950 - Independent Study

Becker College:

• GAME1130 - Examining Play

• GAME4400 - Game Theory

• GAME2115 - Game Industry Trends

• GAME2100 - Effective Design Strategies

• GAME2115 - Raster and Vector for Games

• GAME3111 - Computer Illustration

• GAME4610 - Portfolio

• GRPH2130 - Raster Imaging

• GRPH2120 - Vector Imaging 

• GAME1120 - Introduction to Game Design

• GAME3900 - Game Studio

• GAME3210 - Virtual Reality

• GAME4400 - Augmented Reality

• GAME3902 - Serious Game Projects

• GAME5100 - Directed Graduate Studio I, II, III, & VI

• GAME6300 - Thesis I & II

• GAME5600 - Graduate Advanced Topics

• GAME5900 - Group Seminar

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Academic Outreach and Service

• Contributed to organization and implementation of student outreach during COVID-19 including online Game Jams and Twitch stream lecture series.

• Featured speaker for Burncoat Middle School seminar class “Genius Hour” Mentor Series, speaking to kids about the importance of creativity and video game design.

• Presented at CLTX Gaming Girls STEAM event in August 2019 and led hands-on activity demonstrating the importance of creative expression, how to create a mind-map to brainstorm ideas, and how to turn ideas into functioning game mechanics.

• Designed and facilitated “Foreach Academy”, a STEAM summer camp for 7th and 8th grade girls designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and interest in game development. In this week- long camp girls are introduced to robotics, game design, team project dynamics, coding, and creating 2D & 3D art assets.

• Worked alongside faculty and students to showcase Becker College at PAX East every year between 2012 - 2020. Participating in booth design, contest development, curation of pieces for digital art showcase, and on-site recruitment & engagement.

• Assisted in facilitating and organizing Becker College Senior Showcase every year between 2016 - 2020, bringing developers and companies together to highlight the work and accomplishments of graduating Becker seniors and offer portfolio reviews and interviews.

• Participated in the 25th Anniversary Event for the Americans with Disabilities Act in Worcester. Showcasing a Virtual Reality experience to raise awareness about Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

• Developed two interactive technology workshops for girls ages 8 - 14 for the 2015 Girl Scouts "Geek is Glam" event at WPI in Worcester. A STEM Expo for over 600 Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts.

• Consulting member of Consortium for Independent Living, founded by Senator Harriet Chandler; Bringing tech solutions to disabled and elder care services in Worcester. (2015-2016)

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Events and Publications

• Judge and mentor for MassDigi game challenge 2017 - 2020.

• Published in the Worcester Business Journal online and print mag for the “40 Under 40” class of 2020.

• Guest on the Pop It! Podcast, speaking on Education, Creativity, and Game Development. 2020.

• Judge and Organizer for 2020 Online "October Game Jam!".

• Panelist on 'Virtual Reality in Education' at the Venture Cafe's VR Event, a social gathering for the greater Boston tech community.

• Showcased "Into the Rift" and "Body Rift" at the Venture Cafe Virtual Reality Meetup.

• Featured reviewer for "The GameMaker Standard" by David Vinciguerra and Andrew Howell.

• Virtual Reality Exhibitor for the Canton Library’s 2015 Technology Fund Raising Gala.

• Panel Judge for the Annual 24 hour Game Jam hosted by Becker College, 2013-2018.

• Presented “From Pixels to Polygons” at SVA Theatre, NYC 2012

• Represented Becker School of Design and Technology (BSDT) at various conference and events including:

  • PAX East,

  • NAGAP,

  • ‘Games for Change’ VR Brain Jam,

  • UNITE,

  • GDC,

  • Canton VR Gala,

  • NERCOMP, 

  • Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference.
    
     

Awards and Accolades

• Over the past 14 years - Developed 20+ courses and taught more than 180 sections (600+ credit hours). 

• Selected for the Worcester Business Journal “40 Under 40 ”, 2020.

• “Tangible” chosen for the 2012 Selected Works, School of Visual Arts-MFACA

• Interactive Installation “Tangible”, displayed in the SVA Gallery, NYC - May 2012 

• Magna Cum Laude - MFA School of Visual Arts 2012

• Academic Award for Excellence in Game Design & Art, Becker College 2010

• Dean’s List, Becker College 2006 - 2010

• Magna Cum Laude, Deans List - BA Becker College 2010

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Projects

• Graduate Thesis Advisor: “Irreversible Journey” (Brook Elliot). “Manaclysm” (Josh Slavin). “Don’t Get Blacklisted” (Harrison Becker). “Awareness” (Joseph Kehoe). 

• Project Manager:

  • “Holoween” - Tower Defense Game using Microsoft Hololens.

  • “The Machine” - Virtual Escape Room using Microsoft Hololens.

  • “Jaywalker” - AR simulation game using Microsoft Hololens.

  • “Becker HoloTour” - Interactive tour experience using Google Tango AR.

• Collaborative Projects:

  • "Memory Match" - PC/3M Touch Table. Interactive matching game designed for PAX East.

  • "ADA, Body Dysmorphia" - Virtual Reality experience designed for Americans with Disabilities Act 50th anniversary celebration. Bringing awareness to Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

  • "Grove" - Education and awareness game simulating tree and plant growing/tending. Developed to partner with local conservation groups.

  • "Shape Factory" - Mobile puzzle game developed for iOS and Android.
    
     

Exhibitions

• Hanging Installation “Balance” on display in “In Tandem” at the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, 2021

• Crystal Grid Collection “Energy” on display in “Trios” at the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, 2021

• Hanging Sculpture “Suspend” featured in “Spooky Interaction at a Distance” at the Sprinkler Factory, 2019.

• Interactive Installation “Tangible 2.0 ” showcased at the Sprinkler Factory Exhibition “Behind the Veil”, 2018.

• Interactive Installation “Tangible” showcased at the SVA Gallery exhibition “Parsing (Im)Possibilities”, NYC, 2012.

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Committees

Alumni Member of the Game Steering Committee, 2011 Search Committee, Counseling Psychology, 2013 Instructional Technology Advisory Council (ITAC), 2014, 2015 College Library Committee, 2015, 2016, 2017 Game 2.0/3.0 Curriculum Development Committee 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Search Committee, Dean of the School of Design & Technology Game Studio Development Committee 2015 - 2021 Consortium for Independent Living, 2017

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Conferences

PAX East 2010 - 2025, NAGAP - 2018, 2019 Games for Change VR Brain Jam, 2017 UNITE, 2016 GDC, 2015 Canton VR Gala, 2015 NERCOMP, 2014 Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference - 2019, 2020.

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