What do you get when you integrate creativity with the newest technology?Digital media.

And for the first time in history, the digital media department of ETSU will be opening its doors to show the world what goes on across the street from the main campus.

On Friday, Dec. 17, at the Scott M. Niswonger Digital Media Center, the department will present its first Digital Media Senior Portfolio Exhibition, also known as the “We Want a Job Exhibition,” from 3-5 p.m.

Each semester, the seniors and soon-to-be graduates of this department take part in a portfolio critique.

This year, a new tradition will begin. Seniors and staff will still gather for what will be a near nine-hour-long critique of the students’ work from their entire college careers, but this time, it will be more like a dress rehearsal for what will happen on exhibition day.

The work featured at Friday’s exhibition will include, but not be limited to, 3D game design and modeling, technical direction, lighting and rendering, interactive web design, digital art and digital design.

“Digital media is like an island by itself, where we are isolated. We’re over here, we hang out and nobody sees what we do,” said Primus Tillman, who teaches digital media courses and initially put together the idea.

When the rest of the digital media faculty met on Dec. 1, the idea began generating support from many professors.

“In the past, portfolio has been internal,” Tillman said. “Nobody sees it, or knows who uses it. What I’m trying to establish with this one is to include outside advisors, outside community, parents and everybody to see what [this department] does …We are not the ‘other ETSU-ians.’ We are ETSU.”

Senior Justin Frazee said, “I hope that this expo will grow over the next few years so that other digital media graduates will have an easier time breaking into the industry.”

One of the main goals of the exhibition is to do just that, along with establishing contacts. According to Tillman, professors are pulling out their professional black books.

Senior Anna Seaver said, “It’s nice having portfolio presentations to get the chance to formally present our work, but the expo allows us to present it in a different way . I think we can get better feedback on it in this format. It’s also really great to be able to show our stuff to other people, like industry professionals. It will hopefully give us the chance to make some contacts, and making good contacts is pretty important to getting a job.”

“Students want further contacts after graduation, and further advisements” said Tillman. “This is my way of establishing that.”

The Digital Media Center is located across from ETSU campus, next to the Carnegie Hotel and the Millennium Center. The exhibition will serve refreshments and drinks, and everyone is invited to attend.

“My invitation is to the world,” said Tillman. “Come see something very, very special. It’s not art. It’s not technology. It’s innovative art and technology.”

For more information, visit www.etsudigitalmedia.com.

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