“The GIS training I received was important and helpful in providing a foundational understanding and skill set, especially of ArcGIS. If you have an interest in GIS, I think you’ll find that earning this certificate is well worth the investment.” — Frank Griggs, Geographic Information Systems Online Graduate Certificate Student

 

Having completed the Geographic Information Systems
Online Graduate Certificate Program in 2015, Frank Griggs
now uses the skills he learned to further his PhD dissertation.

 

The subject of Frank Griggs’ PhD dissertation led him to discover the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Online Graduate Certificate Program, offered through the University of Connecticut (UConn). Having completed the program in 2015, he now uses his new skills to conduct research in support of his dissertation. And looking ahead, he firmly believes that the investment in the GIS program will be well worth the effort when he starts looking for a job next spring.

You must really believe in the importance of taking the time to pursue a new skill, especially when you’re already waist-deep in a very intense PhD program in Political Science. But for Frank Griggs, taking the Geographic Information Systems Online Graduate Certification Program was essential. As he explains, “My dissertation project examines claims that climate change will influence social-political conflict and violence by focusing on disaster-induced human displacement as a mediating condition. My project’s subject matter is not uniformly distributed within and across countries. This makes the spatial analysis capabilities of GIS vital to evaluating whether or not such relationships exist.”

GIS kept popping up.

Frank notes that he first became interested in GIS four years ago. As he became increasingly involved in his climate change research, references to GIS techniques and methods kept popping up. “As I delved further into my subject matter, I began to see untested hypotheses that are suitable to spatial analysis. Since I was already here at UConn for my PhD, it was natural for me to add the certificate to my course workload,” notes Frank.

Frank chose a “blended” program, in which he took two courses on the Storrs, CT campus and two online courses, including one of his electives, GEOG 5520 – GIS Modeling of the Urban Environment. “The flexibility of the online courses enabled me to do coursework at times that were optimal for me, allowing me to take care of my other professional and personal responsibilities more easily,” he notes.

A solid foundation in ArcGIS.

So, was Frank able to gain the training he needed in GIS by getting the certificate? Absolutely, he says. “The GIS training I received was important and helpful in providing a foundational understanding and skill set, especially of ArcGIS. Since earning the certificate, I’ve been able to undertake research for my dissertation that uses GIS spatial analysis. In addition, I still use the assigned textbook, which provides practical, clear information and corresponding examples.”

Maybe academia, maybe private industry.

What’s next on the horizon? Frank anticipates that he will complete his PhD program in the spring of 2018, after which he plans to seek a faculty position in a college setting, potentially even as a GIS instructor. But, says Frank, “If I can’t find just the right job in academia, I know from other students who have earned the UConn GIS certificate, my GIS training could lead to a lucrative position in private industry.”

In conclusion, Frank says, “I appreciate the course instructors for being available and gracious about answering my questions.” Frank also felt very supported by Rich Mrozinski, UConn’s GIS Instructor/Lab Manager and GIS Certificate Program Coordinator, and Dr. Chaunrong Zhang, UConn Geography faculty member/GIS Instructor. As Frank says: “I sure got my money’s worth with all the visits I made to Rich and Dr. Zhang’s office hours. I am grateful to them for their time and guidance. If you have an interest in GIS, I think you’ll find that earning this certificate will be well worth the investment. “

“The online platform was detailed and well organized, allowing us to go at a reasonable pace. Yes, there was a lot of material, and you had to read quite a bit. And that does require you to be self-motivated. But it was well worth it in the end. I have a graduate certificate from a highly reputable university and I got the experience I need to pursue my love of digital animation.” – Bryan Hilversum, Digital Media and Design Online Graduate Certificate, Spring 2017

As a self-trained web animator, Bryan Hilversum knew he needed to get up to speed on using the Adobe Creative Suite platform if he were going to further his skills in animation. UConn’s Digital Media and Design Online Graduate Certificate Program fit the bill perfectly!

 

Sometimes, you find out what you really want to do in life after you’ve already invested in a college degree. At least, for Bryan Hilversum, that’s exactly what happened. He had earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 2014. But a year later, when he found out about UConn’s Digital Media and Design Online Graduate Certificate program, he quickly realized that the skills he could gain would enable him to make a living pursuing his love of animation.

Bryan Hilversum, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business & Technology from the University of Connecticut (UConn), was already working full-time when he found out about UConn’s Digital Media and Design (DMD) Online Graduate Certificate program. “I was so bummed out that I didn’t hear about the program until the summer of 2015, when I had already been out of school for a year. Some of my friends had majored in DMD, and I was wishing I had done something like that while I was still in college,” recalls Bryan, who currently works as a Solutions Specialist at Verizon Wireless in Hartford, CT.

Exactly what he was looking for

Bryan decided to research online DMD courses. When he came across UConn’s program, he knew it was exactly what he was looking for. As he notes, he had a fairly solid technology background, but wanted to expand his creative side, specifically in motion graphics and web design. And of course, he wanted to learn Adobe Creative Cloud, today’s gold standard design environment for all things digital. Says Bryan: “I have always loved animation and during my undergrad years, I taught myself how to use Adobe Flash Professional. But at that time, cartooning was just a hobby. I knew I’d need a lot more experience to turn my hobby into something that I could do as a profession.”

A “reel” hands-on experience

Bryan began the program in the summer of 2016, finishing the fourth—and final course—the following spring. The first course, DMD 5000: Creative Digital Fundamentals, turned out to be one of his favorites. As Bryan notes: “We not only learned how to use After Effects, but Photoshop and Premiere as well. The course was very hands-on. We had to create short videos that would eventually become a reel of videos. Each week, we’d learn something new, for example how to create a background or how to stretch and move an object. We’d also have to explain exactly how we created the video, so that the professor was sure that our coding had been done correctly. Today, I feel very confident in my ability to use these tools.”

In fact, since graduating from the program, Bryan has teamed up with a friend who owns a green screen technology company and occasionally contracts him to help create short movies for the company’s clients. “For example, we might be asked to create a fun 30-second video with a mom and dad as reindeer and the kids in the sleigh, combining real images with animation,” he explains, and adds: “My job is to come up with ideas and create the assets, something I wouldn’t have known how to do without having gone through the program.”

Learning to create the code

Bryan also thoroughly enjoyed the second course, DMD 5070: Introduction to Web Design I. Says Bryan: “To understand web design, you must understand the core elements behind the design. And that involves coding. Sure, you can click around pre-rendered assets, but you’re not learning anything. Anyone can click and drag. In the web design course, we learned how to create the code ourselves,” says Bryan, who adds: “The professor assigned us to an online interactive coding platform with a progress meter that measures how well you’ve learned the material as you advance step-by-step through the tutorials. It was fun and really helped me track my progress.”

What about the online platform? Did it provide a robust environment for learning? In Bryan’s words, HuskyCT/Blackboard was “Awesome! The platform was detailed and well organized, allowing us to go at a reasonable pace. Yes, there was a lot of material, and you had to read quite a bit. And that does require you to be self-motivated. But it was well worth it in the end. I have a graduate certificate from a highly reputable university, and I got the skills I need to pursue my love of digital animation.”

Big money

The last course, DMD 5720: Digital Media Analytics, opened Bryan’s eyes to video marketing. “Television advertising is a dinosaur. It used to cost millions for big motion picture companies to create TV ads. Now people like me, with some skills and experience, can create content.” And that’s exactly where Bryan sees his career headed. “There’s big money in creating animation for video marketing. Eventually, I’m hoping to be a position where I can do what I love and make a good living as a professional digital animator.”

“My art is still my focal point—I may not be playing or teaching as much now, but I am working towards the greater goal of fostering arts in our community, thanks to the Arts Administration online graduate certificate program.” – Daniel Brandl, Arts Administration graduate

 

Daniel Brandl, graduate of the Arts Administration certificate, is making
a big impact on the performing arts community in Eastern Connecticut as
the Executive Coordinator of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra.

 

After many years as a successful musician, playing the jazz circuit in clubs around the country and serving as music director for several different organizations, Daniel is now having an even greater impact on the arts community because of the new job he landed. He credits having earned his Arts Administration Online Graduate Certificate from UConn for his current career success. 

Daniel has always loved music—no small wonder considering he grew up in a musical family. His dad is an organist; his mom, a singer; and his sister, who graduated from UConn, teaches music.

You could say music is in his blood and he’s done it all—he’s played piano as part of a jazz trio in various clubs across the country and served as Resident Music Director for the Spirit of Broadway Theater (SBT) in Norwich, CT. He’s also given his time as music director at his local church, served on many arts committees, and helped dozens of friends in the business find gigs.

“I realized I wanted to do something that was bigger than myself—something that would enhance the local performing arts community. I wasn’t sure what that something was until I served on the board of directors during the time when the SBT was transitioning into the Chestnut Street Playhouse,” says Dan.

Yes, you can do it all online!

As Dan tells it, the company was floundering after its executive director had left. “I got very interested in understanding why the theater fell into financial and artistic turmoil. At the same time, I was becoming interested in working on the business side of performing arts. So I Goggled nonprofits, 501C3, and arts administration. The UConn online graduate certificate program website came up immediately. That’s when I said to myself, “You can go back to school for this? And you can do it online? I thought that would be so cool!”

When he began the program, Daniel—who is married with two young children—taught music at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, while performing in various community theaters at night. Because the program was offered online, he was able to work on assignments when it was convenient for him. “There were deadlines, but I never felt pressured because I could learn and work at my own pace. I set aside time on the weekends, later in the evenings—even during the day when I knew I had some extra time here and there. I really learned to multi-task.”

Understanding how to be fiscally responsible.

It’s a good thing, too. In his current job as Executive Coordinator of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Daniel handles everything from cultivating new donors to managing social media to deciphering financial statements—all skills he took away from the certificate program. “I now know how to develop relationships with potential donors and how to write direct mail letters and press releases that get results. I can look at a budget or audit report and know what it means, which is critical to running a fiscally responsible organization.”

Dan also learned a lot about dealing with conflict. “When I joined the organization, both the executive director and I were new. There were some volunteers who weren’t sure they wanted to stay on. The Governance and Leadership for the Arts course helped me learn how to nurture our volunteers so that they feel vested in the organization.”

So what was the online aspect of the program like? As Dan recalls, the online interface was extremely easy to use. And he never felt lost because, at any time, he could reach out to the professors and they always answered his questions quickly. And he adds: “The people who teach the courses are all UConn professors.”

The bottom line?

Daniel says that taking the certificate program led to his being able to get interviews with several outstanding nonprofits. “I went into interviews with real skills and even a portfolio of sample letters, press releases, capital campaign fliers, and other materials that I could give to a prospective employer and show them that I had the skills they would need on day one. My art is still my focal point—I may not be playing or teaching as much now, but I am working towards the greater goal of fostering arts in our community, thanks to the Arts Administration online graduate certificate program.

“There are a lot of for-profit online programs out there,” he adds. “I could have chosen another program. But I chose UConn because I knew I would get credentials from a highly reputable institution with a great name. And if I want to continue with my education, I can use the credits I’ve already earned toward a master’s degree.”

“Arts Administration allows you to use both sides of your brain and to capitalize on the skills you already have as an artist or performer. I am very proud to have earned the certificate and grateful for all the support and encouragement I received from Frank Mack and my other UConn professors.”
– Joy Pace, Arts Administration graduate

 

Joy Pace, who recently completed the Arts Administration Online Graduate
Certificate Program, proudly hangs a UConn flag outside her home in Louisiana.
Joy Pace, Artistic and Executive Director Itinerant Theatre Lake Charles, LA

 

When you run a small not-for-profit performing arts organization on a shoestring budget, you better be prepared to wear all kinds of hats, from marketing director to chief fundraiser to accountant. At least that’s what Joy Pace discovered after several months on the job as Artistic and Executive Director for the Itinerant Theatre in Louisiana, a nonprofit professional theater company for which she was one of the founding board members.

The name—Itinerant Theatre—fits the performing arts company to a tee. As Joy Pace explains, a key part of its mission is to bring an affordable, professional forum for the performing arts directly to artistically underserved communities. “We are wanderers—we take our performances to places throughout Louisiana that are culturally underserved.”

Joy had been serving as the theater’s Artistic and Executive Director for about a year, when she realized she was missing a big piece of the knowledge she needed to manage the business side of the organization. “While I knew all about the creative parts of the job, I really didn’t know enough about marketing, accounting, fundraising, or working with a board of directors—everything I did was trial by error,” says Joy, who holds a BA in Speech and an MFA in Directing.

That was all about to change.

Joy received a postcard in the mail promoting UConn’s Arts Administration online graduate certificate program. As she explains, “I couldn’t take any time off to go back to school and there’s nowhere locally to get the skills I needed. When I visited the website, read about the program’s focus, and learned that I could take each of the four online courses one semester at a time, I was sold.”

Since graduating from the program in May 2016, she says that the knowledge she gained has been invaluable. “The program was incredibly helpful and beneficial. It addressed all of the business aspects of managing an arts organization like ours.”

Learning how boards of directors work.

The Governance and Leadership for the Arts course, Joy explains, enabled her to better understand how a board of directors works and how to inspire its members to handle many of the tasks that had been bogging her down. “I had been taking on so much that many people thought it was the Joy Pace Theater Company, rather than a collaborative organization with a great team working together to put on outstanding performances in a fiscally responsible way. With the new skills I acquired, we now have board members helping with a variety of projects, including one member who will soon be taking on our Kickstarter Campaign for us.”

Sharpening her marketing and financial skills.

The program also helped Joy sharpen her marketing and financial skills. “I’m the only paid staff person, so all of the critical business skills were on my shoulders. Through the program, I learned how to write different types of marketing materials and use different marketing tools to target specific audiences. We also had the opportunity to examine a variety of marketing approaches used by theaters all over the country to figure out what was working and what wasn’t … and I learned how to read financial statements and audit reports. I draw on these new skills every day.”

So what surprised Joy most about the program? “Thanks to the online tools we had at our disposal, it was very interactive. I was able to connect with many people from around the world, including an American women living and working in Korea. She was in a couple of my classes.”

Using both sides of your brain.

If you’re concerned that moving into the Arts Administration field will detract from your artistic side, Joy says not to worry. She continues to use many of the skills and draws upon the work ethic she developed as an actor and director, such as her ability to persevere through long hours of practice to get a performance just right, using her creativity and vision to direct a performance, and orchestrating groups of people to work collaboratively. “Arts Administration allows you to use both sides of your brain and to capitalize on the skills you already have as an artist or performer. I am very proud to have earned the certificate and grateful for all of the support and encouragement I received from Frank Mack and my other UConn professors.”