MCCC offers an A.A.S. degree in digital media arts with concentration in 3D animation, as well as a new program that offers a certificate in 3D animation.

Muse says the Kalamazoo A.A. degree focuses on preparing students for the workplace. "We have seen our students successfully transfer to such schools as Max the Mutt, Kendall College of Art and Design and Savannah College of Art and Design," he said.

"Our students have options. The career path for our students is doing animation and visual effects for commercial applications, such as advertising, multimedia presentations, medical and legal animation, as opposed to features or television," he continued.

KVCC has two degrees, one in animation and the other in video game art. Currently the college offers a Post Associate's Certificate in animation, which provides advanced directed study in animation. Students can explore areas and topics in more depth and receive even more individual attention. The certificate program is being redesigned and, when completed, will be offered to graduates in animation and the video game art programs only.

About 14 students a year graduate from KVCC's program. Alumni move on to the leading four-year animation programs, as well as find jobs in the business upon leaving.

Results
KVCC graduates about 14 students a year from their program, but boasts that they have students not only moving on to the leading four-year animation programs, but already working in the business. Nate Bond, who graduated in 2005, was recruited by a start-up company called LifeStory Network.

An average of 22 students graduate from MCCC each year. Richard Thompson is the most recent success story. Graduating in 3D modeling and animation from Mercer, he is working on the new PBS show Word World.

Santa Monica College's academy has hundreds of students going through their program each year. Through an aggressive internship program run by Gloria Mottler, many of the students are hired as interns, and eventually gain employment at Black Ops, Electronic Arts, Activision, Digital Domain and many other well-known studios in the academy's backyard.

The applications of digital media are far-reaching in today's ever-growing world of animation production. Community colleges have the ability and responsiveness to develop comprehensive programs to train future digital media professionals. Check out what the community college can do for you.

Jan Nagel, the Entertainment Marketing Diva, is a consultant who has been involved in the business of animation and visual effects since 1991. She represents creative producers and production companies worldwide, including Small World Animation, Santo Domingo Films, and Jim Keeshen Productions, as well as being a frequent guest lecturer on the subject of the business of animation. She is also a founding member and president emeritus of Women in Animation International.