New digital media degree program to be offered in fall semester

Nichole Danyla, Staff Writer

Hudson Valley will start offering an associate degree in digital media starting next fall, which, according to digital media instructor Kyra Garrigue, is “set up for someone who wants to have the skills to be a digital designer across the board.”

The media department originally wanted to create the digital media degree program in 2009, but was unable to offer all of the intended classes because of space constraints.

Kyra Garrigue, instructor of digital media, said, “The digital media degree is set up for someone who wants to have the skills to be a digital designer across the board.”

This degree is a foundation for students who are interested in designing media such as video games, animation and comic books.

Through the new degree program students have the chance  to learn “foundation art skills” such as drawing, photography and two dimensional design while pairing these skills with learning computer software.

 Garrigue speculates the Digital Media program will be in big demand.

 “[In this job market] you can’t be specialized. You have to have a very broad skill set,” said Garrigue.

 “Everything is transforming now. As our technology changes and as people interact with technology more and more the little things will need to change as well,” said Garrigue.

For the degree, Garrigue claims students do not need a technology background. Students just need to know the basics of computers like how and where to save files.

“[The hardest part] is getting used to all the different [computer] programs. I don’t have much experience to begin with and there’s a lot of programs to learn, so it’s kind of overwhelming at first,” said Adam Richards, a digital media certificate student who will transfer into the degree program.

“[My favorite part of the program is] having an outlet to be creative. Before this I had all these ideas about what I wanted to do, I just didn’t have the ability,” said Richards.

After he finishes the new degree program at Hudson Valley, Richards wants to go into advertising.

Yasemin Topaktas, another certificate student looking to transfer to the degree program, is excited about “Digital Imaging 2,” a new class being offered that teaches students how to design on a tablet.

“So many people in the sector use a tablet,” said Topaktas.

According to Topaktas, the hardest thing about the degree program will be “learning so much in so little time.” However, the teachers are willing to help any students that need it.

Open labs are held every Friday with Garrigue where any students in the program can work on assignments and get help if they need to.