ETSU, Walters State unveil digital media partnership

(July 27, 2021) The presidents of Walters State Community College and East Tennessee State University today announced an articulation agreement between the digital media programs of each college. This agreement allows students to transfer from Walters State’s new digital media major directly into its undergraduate counterpart at ETSU with advanced standing.

Students desiring graduate study have the option to go on to complete the new MFA degree in digital media from ETSU.

“Digital media skills are in demand both locally and nationally, and our students want to fill that demand. This degree originated after students requested an associate’s program that would lead to ETSU’s digital media program,” said Dr. Tony Miksa, president of Walters State.

“We have partnered with ETSU on many successful programs and this collaboration was created in the best interest of students in East Tennessee. Officials at ETSU have worked closely with us to establish this program and to ensure that our students leave Walters State ready for the next step.”

Both Walters State and ETSU digital media programs will concentrate on animation, game design and visual effects.

“This partnership brings animation, game design, visual effects and visualization education to more areas of Tennessee,” said Marty Fitzgerald, professor and chair of the Department of Digital Media in ETSU’s College of Business and Technology. “We are glad to partner with Walters State to develop the pathway.”

The following classes will make up the digital media major at Walters State: principles of visual effects and motion graphics; principles of game design; principles of digital animation; and principles of visualization. Remaining classes are general education courses required by most majors.

ETSU offers undergraduate degrees with concentrations in the same four areas.

Students earning a degree in digital media often work as animators, visual effects artists, level designers, environment artists, modelers, game designers, editors, compositors and in many other fields, including public relations, marketing and business.

For information on Walters State’s program, contact Amy Evans, head of Walters State’s Art Program, at 423-318-2574 or Amy.Evans@ws.edu. For information on ETSU’s Department of Digital Media, visit ETSUDigitalMedia.com  or contact Fitzgerald at 423-439-5111 or fitzgeraldm1@etsu.edu.

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Pictured above, from left-right, are Marty Fitzgerald, ETSU professor and chair of Digital Media; Dr. Tony Pittarese, interim dean of the ETSU College of Business and Technology; Dr. Brian Noland, ETSU president; Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU provost and senior vice president for Academics; Dr. Donna Seagle, WSCC vice president for Academic Affairs; Dr. Tony Miksa, WSCC president; and Rob Pratt, WSCC interim dean of Humanities and assistant professor of Communication and Debate.